Driving for Better Business

Did you know?

• For road traffic collisions, details should be exchanged with all parties involved.
• If details are not exchanged, this should be done as soon as reasonably practicable, within 24 hours or reported to the Police.
• Drivers face a fine up to £5,000 and up to 10 penalty points on their licence, a potential driving ban and a prison sentence of up to 6 months for failing to stop or report an accident or collision.

It is an offence under Section 170 Road Traffic Act 1988 to fail to stop at the scene of an accident. Drivers must report any work-related road collision, incident or near miss in which they are involved, or witness and co-operate with...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know? With more than 4 million vans registered in the UK, it is a common misconception that there is no legislation governing van drivers and van operations. Due to their size and weight, vans can be driven and used for anything – right? Wrong, in fact very wrong. With an increase of roadside stops for vans and the average fine per offence in the region of £972, it doesn’t take long for van drivers and owners to figure out that vans which don’t comply with the rules, regulations, standards and procedures can be a costly experience in fines, let alone additional costs for recovery and repair. To help with making our roads safer and more pleasant places to travel on, a series of driver information cards have been produced to assist van drivers and fleet operators in... Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• A driver can be fined up to £300 or get a court summons if their van exceeds its maximum permitted axle weight.
• Exceeding the manufacturer’s load limit can put serious strain on the vehicle and may invalidate insurance cover.
• Overloaded vans are a common issue in the UK – 89% of vans stopped by DVSA are overloaded.

It’s easy to overload the front axle of a van by removing load from behind the back axle. Think of it like a seesaw! It is the responsibility of a van driver to stay within the weight limits. When loading a van, it is not the size of the boxes/load or how full the van is that matters – it is the weight of...
Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• 56% of van drivers consider themselves overweight.
• 70% of van drivers say work pressures severely impact their ability to drink enough water and have a healthy diet.
• Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, with 1 man dying every two hours.

  Nutrition 27% of van drivers rely solely on sugary drinks or caffeine to get them through the day. Only 76% of drivers take a lunch break and 41% eat their lunch in their van. 37% eat at least 1 portion of fruit or vegetables during the working day. The recommended fluid intake per day for is 2.5 litres for men and 2 litres for women...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• More than four million journeys are made on the strategic road network each day. On average, Highways England record around 196,000 breakdowns per year (536 each day).
• The most common breakdowns are related to tyres, overheating, electrical problems and running out of fuel.

If your vehicle develops a problem or if you break down on the motorway:

1. Put your LEFT indicators on.
2. Move into the LEFT lane.
3. Exit LEFT at the next junction/services, or
4. Exit left into an emergency area or hardshoulder.
5. Put your hazard lights on.
6. Get behind a safety barrier and keep well away from moving traffic.
7. Call Highways England on 0300 123 5000 then a breakdown provider for help.

If you cannot do the above, or in an emergency...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• The speed limit on a motorway is 70 mph (where national speed limit applies). Large vehicles and vehicles towing trailers have a speed limit of 60mph unless other limits are shown.
• If caught speeding on a motorway, a driver could be fined up to £2,500.
• The Red X is there for your safety and means an incident has occurred ahead. Driving under a red X sign is illegal and could result in an automatic £100 fine and 3 penalty points.

When there are three or more lanes, certain kinds of vehicles can never use the right-hand lane. These include vehicles with trailers, speed-limited goods vehicles between... Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• In 2019, there were 60 fatalities involving vans and vulnerable road users.
• 62% of cyclists killed or seriously injured were involved in collisions at, or near, a road junction.
• Post collision, drivers could face financial claims from a vulnerable road user covering their loss of wages, medical expenses and any recovery treatment.

Drivers should take extra care to avoid collisions with vulnerable road users, because a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, or horse rider will always come off worse than them. Drivers should check...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.    

Did you know?

• Our most recent data shows that, on average, 13%* of all fatalities and serious injuries on the Strategic Road Network include weather conditions as a contributing factor to the incident.
• Of these, 78%* occurred in the rain (four times more than any other adverse weather condition). *Source STATS19 Road Safety Data www.data.gov.uk

Top tips for driving in heavy rain and floods: Driving fast through water is dangerous, inconsiderate and can end up being very expensive. It only takes an egg cupful of water to be sucked into an engine to wreck it and...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• Each year, DVSA issue over 2,000 prohibitions to drivers of vehicles which present a road safety risk because of poor load security.
• Where a vehicle’s load is deemed to be in a dangerous condition, the driver can receive 3 penalty points and a licence endorsement.
• Drivers and their employers can be fined up to £5,000 per overloading offence.

The driver is responsible for the vehicle and any load while driving on the road, regardless of who loaded it. The driver is required to ensure the load is secured to the vehicle so it cannot cause a danger to anyone. Overloading changes the way a van...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.  

Did you know?

• Drivers face a non-endorsable fixed penalty of £50–£100 for causing an unnecessary obstruction by parking opposite or within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction.
• The average motorist in the UK spends nearly 4 days every year looking for parking spaces.
• Parking lights must be used during the night on a road or layby on a highway with a speed limit higher than 30mph.

A single yellow line – either painted on the road or on the kerb – means no waiting, parking, loading, or unloading at the times shown on the accompanying sign. A double yellow line – either painted on the road or on the kerb...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know? Towing with a van could:

• Mean you need different driving licence categories.
• Require use of EU drivers’ hours rules and tachographs (although there may be exemptions you can use).
• Overload the towing vehicle beyond its legal and / or physical capabilities.

Vans with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of up to 3500kg can tow trailers up to 7 metres long and 2.55 metres wide. Trailers with a GVW of 751kg or more are required to be fitted with...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.

Did you know?

• Seat belts are simple to put on and save lives.
• The penalty for not wearing a seat belt when driving is currently a £100 fine, rising to £500 if taken to court.
• The use of a seat belt by drivers and vehicle occupants was made compulsory in the UK.
• People not wearing a seat belt are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a collision.

If the vehicle has seat belts fitted, legally they must be worn. Male drivers aged 17 to 59 are most likely not to wear a seat belt. Common reasons why people do not wear a seat belt include...   Learn more and share with your drivers - access all 36 modules of the free Van Driver Toolkit here.