Context
Fleet Safety Problem
Fleet crashes are reputedly the most common cause of work-related death, injury and reduced productivity in the industrialised world and often result in substantial physical, emotional and financial cost to the community. In the United States, various studies have reported that between 25% and 33% of all workplace deaths are attributable to road crashes. In other parts of the world, work-related crash fatality figures are similarly concerning. For example, in Finland estimates have ranged between 38% and 63%. Similarly, work-related crashes reportedly account for around 40% of all road crash fatalities in France (more if commuting cases are included), 30% in Canada, and around 25% in the United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden. In Australia, workers compensation claims between the years 1996-2001, revealed that the number of fatal work-related crashes represented 47% of all workplace fatalities for that period.
It is estimated that approximately a third of all road travel is work related and if work-related commuting is included in calculations, this estimation increases to over a half. A 1998 survey in Great Britain found that company drivers drove more than twice the annual distance that private car drivers drove. Furthermore, from reported incident statistics revealed in the survey, it was surmised that after differences in demographic and exposure variables had been considered, company car drivers had about 50% more incidents than private drivers.
Other research has shown that work-related drivers are exposed to external influences, related to the nature of their job, and internal influences related to their personal dispositions and other individual characteristics which impact on their driving practices. Several factors cited that could act as important external influences on work-related driver safety include high mileage, time pressures and in particular organisational culture.
Research suggests that the average total insurance cost of a fleet incident is approximately $28,000, while the average cost of a fatal crash is estimated to be $2 million. While there are obvious costs related to work crashes such as vehicle and property repairs, there are also many hidden expenses including third party costs, workers compensation, medical costs, rehabilitation, customer related costs, increased insurance premiums, administrative costs, legal fees and loss of productivity. Taken together, it is acknowledged that the true figures are currently unclear, and available evidence appears to suggest that the direct cost of work related crashes is only the ‘tip of the iceberg’. As a result, research highlights work related road safety as an area that requires further attention with a focus on developing research informed interventions aimed at improving road safety outcomes, and in turn, offering huge financial savings to industry and the wider community.
Global Road Safety Problem
Despite improving road safety in developed countries, it is now widely understood that the world is in the midst of a growing global road safety crisis. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises that road traffic injuries are a major public health issue, with over 1.3 million fatalities globally. In 2004, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly called for urgent action to improve road safety and avoid the huge increases in road traffic fatalities and injuries around the world that will occur, unless effective action is taken.
In 2008, WHO anticipated deaths due to road traffic accidents would increase from the 1.3 million reported in 2004 to 2.4 million in 2030, primarily owing to increased motor vehicle ownership and use associated with economic growth in low- and middle-income countries. Road traffic accidents would then emerge as the fifth leading cause of death in 2030, rising from its position as the ninth leading cause in 2004.
Developing countries where rapid motorisation is expected over the period to 2020 and beyond are therefore very likely to experience increasing road crashes and rising levels of fatalities and injuries. Motorists in such countries will face increasing risks on the roads, unless appropriate action is taken. As well, a sizeable portion of the burden of injury will be borne by vulnerable road users – pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists – as levels of motorisation increase.
