Excuses for not introducing risk management systems include budget constraints and lack of time.
The findings come from research carried out by driver training group Pro-Drive. The group’s managing director Graham Hurdle said: ‘We talk to companies every day about conducting a fleet risk assessment and the subsequent implementation of a risk management programme and driver training. However, it never ceases to amaze us what reasons companies come up with to justify not doing it.
‘If something goes wrong – for example a driver causes an accident because he or she has been driving too many hours without a break and there are no policies in place – ignorance is not a defence.’
Hurdle said fleets which find themselves under police investigation following an accident involving one of their drivers will not be able to claim they did not know they had a duty of care.
The most common reason for fleets not implementing policy, procedures and training, the research found, is budgets and time constraints.
‘However, when a serious accident happens, time and budget is available immediately,’ Hurdle said. ‘It’s a simple case of companies keeping their fingers crossed and hoping it won’t happen to them.’
In many instances company executives believe they have proper procedures in place without knowing who has done them or where to find them or they mistakenly believe they do not need such a policy because they don’t have a fleet – although drivers use their own cars on company business.
TOP 10 RISK EXCUSES
1. A lack of finances left in the yearly budget
2. Not having enough time to release employees for training
3. Senior managers not having enough time
4. A belief that there is a policy already in place when there is not
5. Managers believing there is an in-house policy when none exist
6. Managers claiming they don’t run a fleet even though staff are
using their own vehicles for business use
7. Saying it is not a priority
8. Having a low accident rate
9. Believing they don’t need a policy
10. Claiming the ‘drivers’ would not want such a policy
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