Develop vulnerable road user policies
Fleets need to develop their vulnerable road user policies according to Licence Bureau, supporter of the Fleet Survey Report 2018 produced by Brake Professional.
The report reveals that just 52% of organisations have driver handbooks that include guidance on protecting vulnerable road users including cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. Only one fifth of organisations (20%) also have specific policies on vulnerable road users.
However, those organisations that have specific policies in place appear to be offering some useful advice to drivers. More than nine in 10 (94%) highlight the importance of rigorously checking vehicle blind spots, and more than three quarters (78%) state that drivers should leave at least 1.5m between their vehicles and riders when overtaking. Most respondents (94%) said they ask their drivers to be particularly vigilant when near schools, communities and built up areas.
‘Although the findings suggest some 84% of fleet managers recognise the importance of road safety, and three quarters of respondents believe their organisation has the right policies in place to protect vulnerable road users, clearly more could and should be done to develop this area,’ said Malcolm Maycock, managing director of Licence Bureau.
The survey represents the views of 107 fleet operators, ranging in scale from single vehicle operators to those with more than 50,000 vehicles, managing more than 1.05 million vehicles in total.
