Sat nav could offer short-cut to accidents

News | HSW
01.01.2007

The increasing use of new driving technologies in company vehicles could jeopardise driver safety, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

Launching new guidance on the safe use of vehicle technology, RoSPA's head of road safety, Kevin Clinton, warned that while using aids such as satellite navigation (sat nav) and speed-warning devices correctly can reduce the risk of drivers crashing, incorrect use could have the opposite effect.

The guidance, Driving for Work: Vehicle Technology, is intended to help employers assess the risks and benefits of driving aids; ensure staff are trained in their appropriate use, as per the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations; and monitor the effects of introducing new devices. It notes that "an increasing number of vehicles, especially fleet vehicles, are being fitted with various devices designed to help the driver drive safely, or to do other things, such as schedule deliveries and pick-ups more efficiently." While some of these technologies promote safer driving, others can be distracting to the driver or even "enable speeding".

The guidelines cover driver-assistance and safety systems, such as lane-departure warning systems and driver-fatigue monitoring systems; in-vehicle information systems, such as sat nav; speed-management devices, including speed warning systems and speed limiters; electronic braking and stability systems; and monitoring devices (black boxes). It recommends that employers consult staff and safety representatives, locate the equipment safely, and ensure it is maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions.

The new guidance is a timely reminder for employers of the need to manage occupational road risk. The Department for Transport's (DfT's) road-casualty statistics for 2005 reveal that "at-work" vehicles were involved in more than 54 000 crashes in 2005 - 150 a day (see HSW November, page 2). RoSPA is urging employers to consider misuse of in-vehicle technology in accident investigations.

"There are benefits from several items of vehicle technology, so for example satellite navigation can help the driver plan their route and make sensible decisions about the roads they're driving on," RoSPA road safety officer Duncan Vernon told HSW. "Of course, counter to that there is the worry that they can distract the driver if they are used inappropriately or at bad times."

While some speed-management devices can improve safety by warning drivers when they are entering an accident black-spot, devices that are designed simply to tell drivers when their vehicle is being targeted by speed-detection equipment - cameras or hand-held - will not promote safe driving. "There's only really one use for this type of device: to allow drivers to speed. There are no safety advantages to that," said Vernon.

Driving for Work: Vehicle Technology, produced with the support of the DfT, can be downloaded at www.rospa.com/roadsafety