ALL THINGS LICENSING Mobile phones and safety
Recent research shows that using a mobile phone while driving: • reduces driver awareness
• increases reaction times and causes longer braking distances
• may cause a driver to fail to see road signs or • increases the risk of crashing by four times
You should always stop in a safe location if you wish to make a call using any communication equipment. Using a hands-free device does not significantly reduce the risks because the important effects of distraction are related to its impact on thinking and decision-making.
Passengers
Passengers also act as a distraction from driving, although in worse cases they can create other more serious risks for drivers. It is essential that you keep the distraction caused by passengers to a minimum by:
• Ensure passengers are aware of their responsibilities to follow instructions and not cause unnecessary distraction to the driver
• Let passengers know if they are distracting you from driving so they can stop the behaviour
Again, there is no better method of deterring unsuit- able behaviours than in vehicle CCTV.
Eating, drinking and smoking
The activity of eating and drinking reduces driver concentration due to the mental and physical distraction involved. The mental distraction is due to finding the food or drink and the physical distraction occurs as the driver has to use at least one hand to hold the food or drink. Drivers or passengers must not smoke in licensed vehicles, ever, as they are considered workplaces under smokefree laws.
Time pressure – speeding
Driving at inappropriate speeds on work-related journeys is one of the key risk factors for driving for work. This includes exceeding the speed limit and driving too fast for the conditions.
High-speed driving reduces the time available to identify and react to what is happening, and it increases the time it takes to stop the vehicle. Other driver errors are magnified while speeding, such as “close following,” which increases the risk of a collision.
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It is important that you drive at appropriate and legal speeds at all times, and that you keep a safe travel distance between vehicle: safe travel distance between vehicles in dry conditions is the distance travelled in 2 seconds; in wet weather this increases to 4 seconds.
Drivers sometimes exceed the speed limit without realising. This is not an excuse.
Developments in vehicle technology have resulted in powerful and comfortable vehicles that provide little sensation of speed. To avoid speeding, drivers can do the following:
• check your speedometer regularly • know the limit for the road • assume lamp posts mean 30mph • speed limits are a maximum • if children are around, 20mph may be appropriate • recognise what makes you speed
• plan your journey so you have plenty of time to arrive at the required destination JOURNEY MANAGEMENT
Planning all journeys prior to departure will help to improve efficiency and ensure journeys are completed as safely as possible. Planning allows both drivers and operators to select safe schedules and identify the most efficient routes.
When planning a work-related trip, you should consider:
• your choice of route / • your journey schedule • the weather conditions
Choice of route
When choosing your route, you should consider: • the length, width, weight and height of the vehicle • road types / • anticipated traffic densities • known hazards (e.g. collision black-spots, road works) • an alternative route to allow for emergency situations
When scheduling a journey, you should consider: • speed limits • driving time regulations where they apply • sharing the driving on the journey if possible • getting adequate, good-quality sleep before setting off • allowing time for unexpected delays en route • avoiding peak traffic hours wherever possible
• allowing time for regular breaks from driving (at least as frequent as every two hours on long journeys)
SEPTEMBER 2024 PHTM
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