During the week, Project EDWARD will be visiting a number of locations across the country to bring you videos, tips, and information on all aspects of driving for work. There’ll be something for everyone – both drivers and managers.
Mon 14th: Safer Drivers
1: Warwickshire
Commercial Vehicles
The first stop of our Project EDWARD virtual road trip is Warwickshire. Warwickshire Police are operating one of the Highways England Operation Tramline cabs all week while the other cabs will be in action elsewhere in the country. Operation Tramline is a collaboration between Highways England and the Police at a national level to target dangerously driven commercial vehicles, other high sided vehicles and private cars to improve compliance and to reduce the number of incidents caused by unsafe driver behaviour on the strategic road network.
2: Basingstoke
Driver Behaviour
We’ll be visiting the UK headquarters of DriveTech, for a live webinar on helping drivers and managers reduce risk while on the road. There’ll be tips and advice to help drivers avoid some of the bigger risks in driving for work, as well as an understanding of what bosses are legally required to do to protect drivers while they’re at work – valuable information if any of your loved ones or friends drive for work.
3: Forest Row
Older Drivers
With retirement ages rising, and many people choosing to take part time roles after retirement that involve driving, especially in the gig economy, we’ll be looking at the challenges faced by older drivers in general, as well as companies that employ them. We have a live panel discussion at 2:00pm hosted by legendary TV and radio presenter Valerie Singleton with the opportunity for listeners to ask questions of the panellists. There will also be resources with tips and advice on where to get further help.
4: Powys
Operation Snap
Operation SNAP is a police response to the ever increasing submissions of video and photographic evidence from members of the public in relation to witnessed driving offences. We’ll talk to Teresa Ciano who runs GoSafe, the Welsh Road Casualty Reduction Partnership that came up with the idea, and coordinates Op Snap nationwide. We’ll also look at how dash cameras and telematics systems are best used to protect drivers.
Tue 15th: Safer Journeys
5: Cheshire
Driver Distraction
The distraction from using a mobile phone while driving can be far greater than many people realise and just because you might use handsfree doesn’t make it safe. We’ll be talking to Dr Gemma Briggs from the open university about Cognitive Distraction and how your brain behaves when using a phone whilst driving, and we’ll talk to one driver for whom it all went wrong – and the distraction caused him to crash, killing another road user.
6: South Mimms
Safer Road Networks
The country’s network of motorways and major A roads is one of the safest road networks in the world yet there are still thousands of avoidable incidents each year. On a visit to the Regional Control Centre just off the M1 at South Mimms, we’ll talk to Highways England about the primary causes of collisions, the importance of following the rules including the new Red X legislation, as well as news about a new trial launched this month to combat tailgating.
7: Oxfordshire
Blue Light Aware
Ever had an emergency vehicle behind you with flashing blue lights and wondered how best to let them past? We’re at Oxfordshire Fire Service headquarters to launch a brand new set of short videos that cover the 10 most common scenarios where you could encounter an emergency vehicle and explain exactly what to do, whether you’re on a country road, approaching a roundabout, or on the motorway. We’ll also look at how responders deal with an accident on the motorway to get you moving again as quickly and safely as possible.
Wed 16th: Driver Wellbeing
9: Doncaster
Driver Fatigue
Tiredness is one the biggest causes of fatal collisions. We’ll be talking to experts to understand the signs and how to combat tiredness and driver fatigue. Doncaster was the scene of a serious fatal collision some years ago where the driver fell asleep having been at work for over 25 hours – the driver crashed into another vehicle killing himself and his colleague. The company that employed them was prosecuted and earlier this year found guilty of a number of management failings.
10: London
Mental Health
The wellbeing of our drivers is a major concern and more so than ever in the current climate. Many van drivers operate effectively as lone workers, spending long days behind the wheel with very little human contact. Poor nutrition, uncomfortable seating positions, and stress of meeting punishing work schedules all take their tolls. We’re at the London HQ of CALM to launch the CALM Driver initiative in collaboration with Highways England.
11: Preston
Drugs & Alcohol
Many police forces are now reporting that drug driving offences have overtaken drink driving – it is a massive problem and it appears to be growing. We talk through the issues surrounding impaired driving with the police and D.Tec, the company that provides the police with their roadside drug testing kits. For more than 30 years, the Transport Accident Commission of Victoria in Australia has produced some of the world’s hardest-hitting road safety films – their anti drink drive film is one of the best.
12: Rugby
Royal Mail
Rugby is one of the few ‘real’ road trip stops – all socially distanced, of course! We’re at the Royal Mail depot at Rugby to visit a drop-in driver event, set up as part of Project EDWARD. Royal Mail drivers will be able to chat with police, Highways England, technology experts and Project EDWARD representatives about their concerns on the road.
Thu 17th: Safer Vehicles
13: Bristol
Towing for Work
Towing can be extremely dangerous when not taken seriously. Freddie Hussey was just three years old when he was killed by a runaway trailer that became detached from its tow car, while 19 year old Harry Christian-Allan was killed when the brakes failed on the farm trailer he had been asked to tow. There are many more similar examples. Police forces, working with the DVSA and HSE, regularly stop those are towing illegally – find out what they’re looking for and make sure you’re not making these common mistakes.
14: Milton Keynes
Vehicle Roadworthiness
Did you know over 5 million MOTs were missed during lockdown? And that roughly a third are likely to fail at the first attempt? Keeping your vehicle well-maintained and roadworthy is not just a legal safety requirement, it’s essential for your business. Mechanical breakdowns mean your vehicle is out of action and your business can’t function. Milton Keynes is the HQ of Mercedes-Benz Vans who, earlier this year, collaborated with Driving for Better Business on a project to get drivers back to work safely, mitigating some unusual vehicle maintenance issues that had arisen as a direct result of the COVID-19 lockdown.
15: Colchester
Tyre Safety
Correct tyre care and maintenance is critical for your safety, no matter what type of vehicle you drive. Poor tyre care can also cost you money as they wear out quicker and increase fuel consumption. We’re visiting the TyreSafe campaign, previous winners of the prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award, to see what drivers and employers need to focus on when it comes to tyre safety.
Fri 18th: Better Businesses
17: Malmesbury
Managing Road Risk
Many employers don’t understand their obligations for managing people who drive for work. In fact, it is a shared responsibility where drivers and employers alike must all ensure they do their bit. A comprehensive system for recording fleet activity and creating a robust audit trail is essential so we’re at FleetCheck’s headquarters to look at how fleet management software can help. We’ll look at drivers responsibilities, what your employer should be doing, and examples of good practice where companies manage their drivers and vehicles well.
18: Tadcaster
Business Benefits
Managing your work-related road risk to a high standard can bring significant business benefits in terms of controlling costs and improving efficiencies. The economic landscape is set to be challenging for some time to come so business resilience and financial strength will be vital. We’ll look at some of the best ways to control costs including a look at the results achieved by JMHC Logistics – one of Amazon’s largest Delivery Service Providers.
19: Woking
Leadership & Culture
We’re in Woking at the head office of another Driving for Better Business champion, McLaren Automotive, to see how exceptional leadership has delivered reduced collisions, costs, and even reputational risk. Other company also talk about what driver risk management means to them and their businesses. On the flip-side, we look at some of the key areas of management that leaders can get wrong including one vital area that 53% of directors misunderstand.
20: Exeter
A Continued Focus
As we look back on a packed week, we visit Exeter where Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall is launching their new Safer Roads Partnership. Alison is also the road safety lead for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and we’ll be looking at how those who drive for work, and the companies they work for, are going to come under increasing scrutiny.
