Identifying five ‘high-risk’ driver behaviours to cut work-related road crashes is critical to improving safety.
Based on research conducted by the Driving Research Group at Cranfield University and DriverMetrics, the research validated, global safety programme, the five ‘high-risk’ driver behaviours for employers to focus on as part of their driver safety programme are:
- Driver fatigue: Long shifts, short sleeps and being unable or reluctant to take a break can all contribute to fatigue and increase crash risk.
- Speeding: Driving too fast is a main contributing factor for work-related crashes. There is a positive relationship between increased vehicle speeds and injury severity with excessive speed being a predictor of fatal crash involvement.
- Time pressure: A combination of issues, including personality, motivation and organisational influences can make a driver feel pressured for time and increase risk taking and crash involvement rates.
- Distractions: A wide range of distractions, inside and outside a vehicle can greatly increase the risk of crash involvement. This includes ‘internal’ distractions such as thinking about work while driving.
- Mobile phones: Using mobile devices whilst driving, whether hand-held or hands-free is a major factor in collision risk.
Dr Lisa Dorn, research director for DriverMetrics, and associate professor of driver behaviour at Cranfield University, said: “A large body of research demonstrates that the main contributor to work-related road traffic crashes is the behaviour of individual drivers. That’s why an essential first step in any programme to reduce crashes is to understand the specific behaviours that place drivers at risk.”
