December 2009

Use of mobile phones whilst driving has hit the news again. The reason is that even after more severe penalties that were introduced in early 2007, the incidence of people using hand-held mobile phone equipment is on the increase.

Immediately following the tougher penalties, there was a marked drop in drivers using mobile phones, but then the numbers started to creep up so that the latest statistics show a rise even above the pre-2007 rate.

Granted that the current statistics represent the situation in London, but there is no reason to believe that attitudes of drivers across the rest of the UK are much different. Certainly, they give no grounds for complicacy.

Considering that research shows a driver using a phone is four times more likely to have an accident, it is amazing that so many people are still prepared to risk their own safety and that of other road users for what appears to be so little benefit – the perceived need to make or receive a phone call without first finding a safe place to park up.

We can only presume that it is the "won't happen to me" attitude that is behind the increased phone usage.

However, even if they are not concerned for others, drivers need to be aware that their phone usage is recorded and it is now routine for the police to check phone records to see if drivers involved in an accident have been using the phone immediately or shortly before the accident occurred.

What does all this have to do with employers?
According to RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) driving is the most dangerous work activity that most people do. There are very few organisations that don't need to use some form of road transport and RoSPA reckons that there are about 20 fatalities and 250 serious accidents on UK roads every week that involve people who are working at the time.

You can read more about these shocking statistics in the RoSPA booklet "Driving for Work – Safe Journey Planner" at http://www.rospa.com/roadsafety/info/worksafejourney.pdf

These statistics, testify to horrendous carnage on our roads and under health and safety legislation, every employer has a responsibility to assess the risks to their employees whatever work activities they are doing.

You need to have health and safety policies in place about not using mobile phone equipment whilst driving. In addition, everyone who drives as part of their work duties must receive adequate instruction about the risks, along with the penalties for failing to comply with the policy - both those imposed by the law and those imposed by the organisation itself.

Anyone who is likely to communicate with someone who may be driving at the time should also be made aware that they must not do anything that might encourage someone else to break the law.

If you don't have these precautions in place, or if you have allowed them to attract dust on the shelf, then the release of these latest statistics may be an opportune time to clean them off and send out reminders to all your employees.

You can view the news story on the BBC Website at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8407142.stm

Contact EDP HS&E Consultants for all your health, safety and environment needs. We can check your current arrangements and advise you about any changes or improvements you need to make.

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