Norwich Union is warning fleet managers of Large Goods Vehicles (LGV) that poor vehicle maintenance and inspection procedures could be the focus of an investigation by the police and/or the HSE should a serious accident occur.
Norwich Union is warning fleet managers of Large Goods Vehicles (LGV) that poor vehicle maintenance and inspection procedures could be the focus of an investigation by the police and/or the HSE should a serious accident occur.
To minimise risk and assist fleet managers with their duty of care requirements, Norwich Union has devised a series of top tips to help prevent potential crashes or breakdowns:
- Complete a full and detailed daily check of the vehicle (and trailer where appropriate), including a final walk around check. Ensure that any defects discovered are rectified before commencement of any journey
- Pay particular attention to lights, tyres and load security
- Ensure clear all round vision is maintained at all times. Check that windows on the vehicle are clean (inside and out), the wiper fluid reservoir is full with the correct strength of washer fluid and the wipers and blades are in good working order
- Scratches on a windscreen can potentially obscure the driver's vision when they are hit by headlights from on-coming traffic
- Ensure that tyres are free from defects, have the legal amount of tread and that they are set at the correct pressure for the vehicle type and the load carried - all in accordance with the vehicle manufactures specifications
- Ensure wherever possible that work patterns are planned to minimise the likelihood of driver fatigue
- Drivers should not drive for more than two hours without taking a break. Ideally drivers should be encouraged to take short, frequent breaks during journeys whilst staying within the driver's hours rules
- It is a well-known fact that certain activities such as walking and stretching triggers the sympathetic nervous system and helps keep drivers alert
- Drivers should remain hydrated and drink plenty of water to help concentration, and have adequate supplies of water in their vehicle
- Completely avoid drinking alcohol 24 hours before attempting any journey
- Avoid the use of sleeping pills or other medication that could cause drowsiness as well as long periods of sleep before any journey. Ensure drivers are fully awake and not under the influence of anything that could affect driving performance
- Drivers should never drive tired; tiredness significantly increases the risk of having an accident/crash. If drivers experience any symptoms of excessive tiredness, it could be due to the underlying sleep condition known as sleep apnoea
- The hallmark symptom of sleep apnoea is excessive daytime sleepiness, other sleep apnoea symptoms include:
- Restless sleep
- Loud snoring
- Falling asleep during the day
- Morning headaches
- Trouble concentrating due to lack of restful sleep
- Irritability, forgetfulness
- Mood or behaviour changes due to poor sleep patterns over long periods.
If drivers show any of these signs or are in the least bit concerned about tiredness then they should arrange for an assessment by their GP.
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For further information, please contact:
Sam Bramwell at Staniforth on 0161 919 8024/077381 96667 or Erik Nelson at Norwich Union on 01603 682 264/07989 427 086.
Notes to editors:
Norwich Union is the UK's largest general insurer with a market share of around 15%, with a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses.
It is a leading provider of life, pensions and investment products and one of the largest financial adviser (FA) providers. FAs provide over 70% of the company's long-term savings business in the UK.
Norwich Union's news releases and a selection of images are available from Aviva's internet press centre at www.aviva.com/media.