Martin Wedge, managing director at OVL Group, explores attitudes to safety policies.

Ford’s Sync technology – the voice-activated Bluetooth-enabled communication tool – is yet another example of everyday devices that we rely upon to save ourselves from ourselves.

It is a great way of staying in touch legally as even texts received via the system are voice activated – it reads the message to the driver so they can keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Global carmakers have always recognised the fine balance between risk and regulation.

One carmaker experimented with an engine-disabling technology that prevented the car from being driven if the driver was over the drink-drive limit. It would start only when they had blown into a breathalyser-type device on the dashboard and the test proved negative.

A similar device was mooted when cars used for business became part of the 2007 smoking ban – if it detected nicotine or smoke the engine would not start.

Drivers will always take risks. It is in our DNA and no technology can totally save us from ourselves.

There was one headline-grabbing case of the driver who was banned after being caught eating his lunch while moving. Police were alerted to his erratic driving and discovered the panicked motorist had his left hand wedged in a tube of Pringles.

Fleet safety comes down to business policy and corporate culture. Some companies attempt to do more with less – getting their drivers to go the extra mile, take less breaks, and, by definition, turn a blind eye to extra risk when it comes to taking or making calls by hand.

But other fleet managers have policies that ban in-car calls, even hands-free, because of the heightened climate of risk surrounding a potential charge of corporate manslaughter and the associated brand reputational damage.

Others have procedures that allow hands-free use within the law, but all should have audit trails to demonstrate the discouragement of risk as protection for the business.