In the UK, for the vast majority of employees, driving to work is one of the most hazardous activities they undertake. 2019 statistics reveal that nearly 28,000 people were killed on UK roads. A third of these were driving in connection with work. When you think about it, it makes sense.
When you’re driving for work, distractions and the pressure of time are at a premium. You’re on a tight timescale to manage meetings and phone calls from the boss; this is before we factor in the fact that employees driving to work spend more time driving in rush hour. They’re more likely to be driving at dawn or dusk when elements can add extra hazard to the journey, such as low sunlight leading to decreased or obstructed vision. Imagine you have a work meeting, the likelihood of you taking the risk increases 3-fold!
Aside from the human cost, the business cost of driving to work is huge. The cost of time wasted sat in traffic is in the tens of millions. When attention wanes, even the most trivial accident can cost employers £8,000 with the metal, staff and time costs factored in to resolve. We’ve all become far too complacent that this is just good business. Period. The financial argument for managing road risk is compelling; the human cost for not managing it is something that doesn’t bear thinking about. Though, if this doesn’t prompt you into action, the legislation sure will.
