Fleet Alliance enhances Fleet Risk offering
14 March 2011


In the light of the UK’s first ever criminal conviction and fine for corporate manslaughter, fleet management and leasing specialist, Fleet Alliance, has enhanced its risk management offering to fleet operators to ensure they are effectively managing their fleet risk and are compliant with the latest legislation.

Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings was recently convicted of the death of 27-year-old geologist Alex Wright, who died in September 2008 when a trench in which he was working collapsed. As a result, the company was fined £385,000, equating to 116% of the company’s annual turnover.

Fleet Alliance believes the conviction, although not vehicle related, is a reminder to fleets to ensure they are effectively managing driver risk and meeting duty of care, and it has now enhanced its risk management offering, Fleet Risk, which is available to both existing and new fleet clients, to ensure that fleet users are provided with adequate and essential cover.

“Every organisation with employees who drive for work needs to ensure they are compliant with latest legislation and health and safety guidance, said Fleet Alliance managing director, Martin Brown.

“Managing fleet risk should be top of the agenda for all companies who have employees whose corporate duties involve them using either their own or a company provided vehicle. The benefits, which include fewer accidents, reduced costs and less driver downtime, are well proven, as well as meeting the organisation’s duty of care to its employees,” he said.

Fleet Alliance’s Fleet Risk product plays an integral part in effective, joined-up fleet management as it analyses and identifies the key risks that a business faces in its core day-to-day practices.

It then recommends the key interventions necessary, including bespoke driver training where appropriate, to ensure that the company not only eliminates the risk factors to which its drivers are exposed, but ensures it remains legally compliant.

Fleet Risk comprises three main elements. The process begins with a fleet safety audit to identify where the organisation is most at risk and to advise how the risk can be reduced or eliminated.

It then moves on to a risk assessment of all drivers, including not just those who qualify for company vehicles but those grey fleet drivers who also use their own vehicles on corporate business.

As a result of these two key assessments, Fleet Risk then recommends the interventions necessary to reduce the risk, including the use of training programmes tailored to the needs of individual drivers.

And as a final piece in the jigsaw, Fleet Alliance maintains, monitors and reviews the changes to ensure long term, sustainable improvements and that the full benefits are being achieved.

These can include direct cost reduction through reduced collision, running and maintenance costs; indirect cost reduction through fewer man hours and wasted management time; lower insurance premiums over time due to a reduced claims frequency; reduced environmental impact due to eco-friendly driving techniques; and legal compliance to ensure that everything reasonable has been done to meet duty of care to drivers.

“The Cotswold Geotechnical case should be a warning to fleets to ensure their houses are in order,” said Martin Brown. “But, in reality, risk management should be a key, essential and core ingredient of sound fleet management practice because of the many and quantifiable benefits it can deliver.”

For more information regarding Fleet Risk, or for details of any of our products or services, please contact Fleet Alliance on 0845 601 8407 or email info@fleetalliance.co.uk