Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\FacebookOpenGraph.xslt Roddy Graham's Blog: 22 May 2008
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Roddy Graham's Blog: 22 May 2008

Date: 22 May 2008

Roddy Graham

I see the Government is about to get tougher on road safety. It wants to top the country league tables once again for having the best road safety record. Certainly, a very commendable objective. However...

Road safety

I see the Government is about to get tougher on road safety. It wants to top the country league tables once again for having the best road safety record.

Certainly, a very commendable objective. However, I do have to take issue with its approach.

From what has come out of the corridors of Whitehall, it would appear that 'at work' drivers are going to be key targets.

I can already hear the groans around the industry. We've had the 'Driving at Work: managing work-related road safety' guide, we've had the Corporate Manslaughter Act, whatever next?

It seems the Government will seek to have all 'at work' drivers undergo a sustained programme of continuous driver training. Presumably, employers will be expected to foot the bill for this 'worthwhile' on-the-job training programme.

The road safety minister, Jim Fitzpatrick, has declared that because a third of all crashes involve 'at work' drivers this section of the driving population is firmly in the Department for Transport's sights.

All well and good, but what about the other two-thirds?

What is the point of the DfT targeting 'at work' drivers if it ignores the rest of the driving population?

The maths does not add up, nor does the logic. Improve the statistics but ignore the 66% of crashes involving 'non-at work' drivers.

Do I get the impression that organisations are becoming the scapegoat for Government failings?

We had a good road safety record and we want a better one. Nobody will argue with that objective but take a holistic approach to the problem. Fortunately, we are talking about Government initiatives to be put in place from 2010. Let's hope that the Government takes heed of the feedback from its proposed consultation exercises.

We certainly need to point out the glaring omission in Government's proposed new strategy.

Does anyone else want to say to these idiots - come on, give us a break!



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