In the last fiscal, July 2012 to June 2013, driving related accidents cost the ACC almost $162-million. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, then, to acknowledge the effect improving the safety of your fleet can have.

As well as being a legal requirement under workplace health and safety legislation, focusing on fleet safety makes good business sense.

A best-practice fleet safety management system will reduce your organisation’s road-related risks and protect your staff. It can also save you money and boost your reputation, both within your organisation, and with your customers.

When you focus your organisation on fleet safety you will:

* Reduce injuries among your staff.

* Comply with the law, particularly the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act 2002 and the Land Transport Act 1998.

* Save money e.g. on maintenance costs, fuel costs, and crash repairs, as well as downtime and the cost of hiring replacement vehicles.

* Avoid hidden costs e.g. sales missed, reduced productivity.

* Boost workplace morale and wellbeing.

* Enhance your organisation’s social responsibility profile; safer fleets mean all road users are safer.

* Reduce your organisation’s environmental impacts.

* Improve productivity e.g. vehicles off the road less often and sick leave absences and temporary staff costs reduced.

* Reduce the risk of increased insurance premiums and legal fees related to crashes.

* Promote your business as a preferred supplier with top-class fleet safety, driving and environmental practices.

So how do you go about sorting out your fleet safety practices?

Well, you could employ a consultant to do that for you, and there are some pretty good ones around.

However, if you’re a smaller company, that may be beyond your means. But all is not lost.

The www.fleetsafety.govt.nz website is all about helping employers and fleet managers improve their fleet management and safety by offering information, advice and practical help.

One of its most important features is a complete fleet safety policy builder tool  that has been prepared to help you work through the issues you may face, the practices you should implement, and  the pitfalls you have to avoid.

The website has been prepared under the auspices of the New Zealand Transport Agency, the New Zealand Police, the ACC, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and Safer Journeys.

Essential messages within the guide have been summarised to assist the reader to identify and reference areas that will be of greatest interest.

The essential messages are separated into two elements; firstly the essential message for all
organisations about the building blocks to improve work related road safety.

Secondly, the essential messages specifically for organisations are based on organisational scale/ size, recognising the significant differences between smaller organisations’ requirements, and those of larger organisations.

No formal definition of organisational size is provided as it is recommended that all readers review the full content of the guide before addressing road safety within their organisation.

In addition the site has downloadable checklists, guides, and other resources relating to fleet safety, and contains a number of case studies so you can see what other companies have done to improve their fleet safety record.