Between the 14th – 20th November is Road Safety Week. A campaign centred around raising awareness of how to use roads safety and ensuring we all use safe road worthy vehicles.
Severn Trent Services have a large fleet of vehicles, so it is of the upmost importance that we regularly check and maintain our vehicles to make sure they are road safe each day. We asked Senior Field Technician Phil Isaac, what daily checks we perform on company vehicles.
“Our fleet of vehicles cover millions of miles every year. Every one of them requires servicing, MOTs and daily checking to make sure they are safe and reliable to allow us to complete our work.”
“Our fleet is managed by Enterprise who cover all of the major upkeep, but it is the driver’s responsibility to perform daily checks on the tyres (tread and pressure), fluid levels, lights, mirrors and glass. We record these checks in a vehicle daily check & defect report book.”
There are a number of hazards that are associated with driving:
- Fatigue – driving excessive hours, working long hours, lack of sleep.
- Poor weather conditions – fog, ice & snow, rain, wind, low lying sun or glare.
- Road type/condition – potholes, muddy, flooded, icy/snowy, narrow roads, low bridges.
- Poorly maintained vehicles – tyres, brakes, fluid levels, lights, defects.
- Loads – load storage and security.
- Distractions – mobile devices such as mobile phones and satnavs.
- Speed – exceeding the limit, not adjusting to the changes, or road conditions.
- Other road users – acts of third parties, not adjusting to the environment, vulnerable road users e.g. cyclists, horse riders and pedestrians.
- Lack of/inappropriate training – unfamiliar vehicle &/or equipment in use.
Every driver has the responsibility to plan each journey and make sure that their vehicle is suitable and safe to make that journey. Coming into winter, we have to plan for adverse weather conditions. It is recommended to have additional clothes, blankets, food and drink available especially when weather forecasts have predicted changeable conditions. On every journey we want to arrive safely at our destination. Having a well-maintained vehicle and following company guidance greatly decreases the risk both to our drivers and other road users.
More information on Road Safety Week can be found at https://www.brake.org.uk/road-safety-week
