Blog posts about Road Safety

The dangers of untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS)

According to research published earlier in 2014 Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) affects 5% of the population, but is often undiagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is…

Campaign for tougher sentences wins MP an award – What does this mean for professional drivers?

Richard Graham, MP was given a national road safety award by the charity Brake and Direct Line Group for his campaign for tougher sentences for disqualified,…

Do we need more Police Officers dedicated to Traffic enforcement?

According to the RAC the number of Police Officers dedicated to enforcing traffic offences in England and Wales has been cut by 1,279 (23%) in the…

Undercover police HGV film HGV driver offences

North Yorkshire Police officers driving an un-liveried HGV drove alongside HGVs and found that almost ten per cent of the HGV drivers observed were committing offences.…

New DVSA Guide to Load Security

Load security should be of primary concern for all commercial road transport operators. Effective load securing prevents goods from falling onto roads and ensures that the…

Accidents on Motorways involving foreign HGVs up 14%

Collisions on motorways involving foreign HGVs have increased 14% since 2012 according to statistics from Accident Exchange. The M25 had more foreign HGV accidents than any…

3 points and a fine for sneezing?

Driving with a cold or flu could be far more dangerous than you realise, accounting for 2,500 accidents per week in the winter months. According to…

82% unaware of corporate manslaughter legislation

Van fleet operators need to be made more aware of corporate manslaughter legislation and how it could apply if the working condition of their vehicles were…

HGV safety this winter

Every winter, hundreds accidents involving Heavy Good Vehicles were due to snow and ice. Statistics, from the Department for Transport, show the risks of adverse weather…

New measures to stop drivers using their mobile phones will have serious consequences for HGV drivers

Most people should be aware that using a mobile phone or any handheld device while driving is a criminal offence. However, it is surprising how many…

Have your say on speed limits for HGVs

The maximum speed limit for HGVs over 7.5 tonnes on single carriageway roads is currently 40 miles per hour.  Whilst the speed limit for smaller HGVs…

The cost of running un-roadworthy vehicles

West Midlands Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton, banned a plant and tool hire firm from operating HGVs for 12 months after describing its vehicle maintenance procedures as…

Hands free compliance – but is it safe?

Drivers making telephone calls using a hands-free kit are just as distracted as those on handheld devices according to research recently conducted by Which? Unsurprisingly they…

Banned for 8 years for pretending to have a Transport Manager

The Office of the Traffic Commissioner revealed that a coach operator who failed to tell them that they didn’t have a Transport manager was banned from…

Want to be left alone by VOSA? – IRTE Conference 13 Sept 2012

The IRTE Conference on 13 September 2012 at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon focused on strategies for cost effective fleet management and operations. The conference included…

HGV driver eating out of a bowl at the wheel

A HGV driver was caught by an undercover police officer eating from a bowl whilst driving on the M1. The driver was stopped after he was…

VOSA to step up targeted checks?

With the merger with the Driving Standards Agency ahead and recent comments from the Senior Traffic Commissioner it is interesting times for VOSA. Opinion on the…

Over 50% of HGV drivers do not conduct a vehicle safety check

According to research published in HGV UK, the majority of HGV drivers do not carry out vehicle safety checks. Ensuring daily walkaround checks happen is part…

Will HGV sensors protect cyclists?

Recently an influential group of MPs said hauliers should be encouraged to fit new sensors to their fleet to protect cyclists. The Transport Select Committee (TSC)…

HGV driver filmed holding a phone to each ear

A HGV driver was filmed by the police holding a mobile phone to each ear on the M4 motorway whilst steering with his elbows. The footage…

Motorway madness for UK Hauliers?

The Association of British Drivers (ABD) has recently commented that the Government’s desire to extract the maximum capacity from the motorway network at the lowest possible…

DVSA target vans for mechanical defects

As reported in Commercial Motor a recent road safety operation in the Midlands found 24 vans with mechanical defects and the DVSA have said it will…

Sat Nav – A help or hindrance for professional drivers?

New research from Lancaster University and Royal Holloway, University of London, reveal using satellite navigation systems can reduce drivers’ performance. A series of experiments were conducted…

Illegal, annoying and dangerous – but we do it anyway!

According to research conducted for Halfords, 32% of motorists admit to making or receiving a call on a hand-held phone whilst driving. This is despite the…