Network Rail Aims to Improve Safety among Professional Drivers

During preparations for the LGV theory test, a student driver learns about road safety as it relates to level crossings. The topic is further addressed during the practical skills training the student undergoes. Yet despite covering it a number of times during training, the statistics involving professional drivers and near accidents at level crossings are unusually high. Network Rail hopes to change that by establishing a special safety programme designed to reach out to professional drivers.

Fleet News reports that roughly 20% of the near accidents at Network Rail’s 100 UK level crossings involve commercial vehicles including vans, lorries, buses, and taxis. Network Rail is understandably concerned. Not only do the near accidents jeopardise the health and safety of drivers but, in the case of buses and taxis, the lives of passengers as well.

The new programme will launch initially with Network Rail’s own drivers, who operate a fleet of roughly 7,400 vehicles. It will expand from there. Network Rail fleet director Julia Territt told Fleet News, “Safety is our top priority and with one of the biggest fleets of road vehicles in the country, we want our drivers to lead by example.”

The London-based company will reach out to professional drivers in two ways. First, it will be offering bespoke presentations designed to deliver information face-to-face via the nation’s employers. The presentations will be developed as interactive forums designed to equip drivers with the latest information relating to rail crossings and driver safety.

Network Rail has also put together comprehensive information packages that employers can distribute to their drivers on an as-needed basis. It is hoped that companies will use the materials for their ongoing training programmes long after Network Rail’s bespoke presentations come to an end.

The Safety Challenge

It is no secret that one of the greatest challenges of professional driving is safety. Where large LGVs and PCVs are concerned, safety considerations must be made in light of the fact that the vehicles are larger and heavier than the passenger vehicles these are sharing the road with. Nevertheless, even smaller commercial vehicles need to be driven with a ‘safety-first’ mindset.

Safety should be one of the primary goals of any company offering commercial driver training. Whether preparing a student for the LGV theory test or accompanying a graduate to the PCV practical skills test, the training company owes it to both students and the public-at-large to stress highway safety.

At the HGV Training Centre, that is exactly what we do. Our goal is to graduate the safest drivers in the UK who also know how to do their jobs efficiently and productively. We offer LGV theory test preparation and practical skills training, as well as training for other types of commercial vehicles. You can learn more about the training programmes we offer by taking a few minutes to look around our website. When you are ready to begin your training, just give us a call on our free phone number.

Sources:

Fleet News – http://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/2014/6/3/network-rail-targeting-motorists-who-drive-for-a-living/52574/