TRANSPORT Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman has issued an appeal to Fleet NewsNet users, calling on them to take action to make their fleets safer and warning that at-work road accidents are costing business up to £2.9 billion a year.

He claimed that risk management is still not a priority for many fleets and, as a result, firms are putting drivers’ lives at risk and wasting millions of pounds through accidents or higher wholelife costs.

Writing exclusively for Fleet NewsNet to introduce a new report on driving at work, being prepared in partnership with legal advisers Workplace Law, Ladyman said: ‘A surprising number of fleet managers do not think about all the benefits of managing work-related road safety.

‘Employees are a company’s most valuable asset and those who drive for work typically have a crucial role in the company’s performance. A fleet manager simply cannot afford to lose the use of his or her drivers.’

He added: ‘Some fleet managers still think that investment in safety and driver training is money lost from the bottom line rather than good business sense.

However, the financial implications of accidents can be enormous. The estimated costs to industry of at-work road accidents are between £2.6 billion and £2.9 billion a year.’