Fleet decision-makers are reporting massive financial savings after introducing Fleet Support Group’s RiskMaster at-work driving safety initiative to their businesses.
Central to the RiskMaster concept is staff being granted a ‘Permit to Drive’. It is given to every company employee who drives on business including those who use their own cars subject to them meeting certain standards. The online initiative provides businesses with a comprehensive Driver Operating Life Report from which data is continually used to assess individual drivers in their driving-at-work activity.
An analysis of 1,712 vehicles from four companies which have signed up to RiskMaster reveals alarming statistics when comparing the crash frequency and cost of incidents involving drivers who have a ‘Permit to Drive’ and those who have yet to complete the approval process.
Across the four companies, 1,193 drivers have a ‘Permit to Drive’ and they have a 25% crash frequency with each incident costing an average £380.57 in vehicle repairs.
However, the 519 employees who have yet to gain a ‘Permit to Drive’ have an incident frequency of 78% with crash bills being an average £536.81, according to the Fleet Support Group analysis.
Dun & Bradstreet, the world’s leading provider of business information and a Fleet Support Group client for almost two decades has reported huge financial savings following the introduction of RiskMaster.
Crash frequency among the 177 employees with ‘Permits to Drive’ is running at 25% with each incident costing an average £469.39. Meanwhile, among the 55 members of staff waiting to gain their ‘Permits to Drive’ the crash rate is 42% at an average cost per incident of £605.31.
Martin O’Sullivan, Dun & Bradstreet’s leader fleet and procurement, said: “We have seen significant financial benefits from the introduction of Riskmaster. Accident frequency and associated accident management costs have been significantly reduced. These factors have enabled us to negotiate a more favourable insurance premium this year with our risk rating subsequently reducing by 15%.
“Not only are the financial savings important, but RiskMaster ensures we are compliant with all at-work driving health and safety related legislation.”
The West Bromwich Building Society has almost 90 employees with ‘Permits to Drive’ and has seen its crash frequency drop to just 10% with an average cost per incident of £322.41. However, among the 38 employees waiting to gain their ‘Permits to Drive’ the crash rate is 21% with each incident costing on average £514.42.
The Society’s operational risk manager David Dilkes said: “There is no doubt that costs are controlled in a number of areas, such as maintenance, accidents, fuel and vehicle condition. We take the view that if you manage the driver you manage the risk. The RiskMaster programme has proved ideal to support this objective.”
Meanwhile, a company that suspended RiskMaster after three years of use following a change of managing director, has seen claims cost rise from less than £100 to almost £250 and claims frequency rise from 20% to 50%.
Fleet Support Group chairman Geoffrey Bray said: “Cost control is continually under the board of directors’ microscope and never more so than now with the economy slowing and the ‘credit crunch’ hitting companies hard.
“However, in too many companies occupational road risk management is not treated with the agenda-topping focus that it warrants from either legal compliance or financial perspectives. Thousands of companies - some large organisations and many SMEs - have absolutely no idea that road crashes are wiping profits off their bottom line.
“Legislation including the Health and Safety at Work Act and this year’s Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act underlines that companies have a duty of care towards their at-work drivers. Yet, many companies continue to pay lip service to the law and also fail to appreciate the financial savings that accrue from implementing a comprehensive at-work driving safety programme.
“Our analysis reveals that pro-active companies can save significant amounts of money - as well as administration time - by adopting driver safety measures while also safeguarding the lives of their staff and other road users and making themselves legally compliant.”
Fleet Support Group (FSG) is the largest independent vehicle management company in the UK and looks after approximately 50,000 vehicles. Fleet Support Group company profile
