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It's been a stormy start to 2014 and some members of the public displayed the inevitable reaction to bad weather, namely to go out in it and get as close to the action as possible while the rest of us stayed warm, dry and safe.
As I watched the news, it was incredible that people were going to the coast to witness the high waves come crashing in.
Some were getting swept off their feet, while one student had to be rescued by the RNLI after getting trapped on a harbour jetty in Aberystwyth while taking photos.
Even as the news programmes preached about safety, they too had their reporters standing precariously close to the shore, so that we could witness how bad the weather was as waves almost crashed onto them.
You may be asking what has all this got to do with road safety?
Whether you are a driver, cyclist or pedestrian, the most important trait in making you a good or bad road user is your attitude, particularly towards risk.
For this reason we can draw comparisons between the people who put their life at risk by standing by the sea when there is a high chance of being swept out, to those who drive in an inconsiderate or dangerous manner.
Their poor attitude not only puts their own safety in jeopardy but others too, which is why 'attitude' is such an important aspect of risk assessing a driver.
If you haven't determined the attitude of your own fleet drivers, I would suggest you profile them soon.
Do you really want to trust your vehicles and company's reputation with drivers that are willing to gamble by overtaking on a bend, or putting their foot down when a level crossing starts flashing?
The other thing that was quite noticeable from the recent storms was how everyone was quick to blame everyone else: home owners were angry for not receiving enough warning about the rising water, the Government blamed the power and insurance companies for taking too long to respond and everyone blamed the Government for the lack of investment and funding cuts.
Blame is another human trait that fleet managers need to be aware of, mainly because it demonstrates a complete lack of responsibility by the person involved in the incident:
"It wasn't my fault that I crashed into the car in front of me. He braked!" (Even though that clearly shows the driver was too close to the car in front)
"It wasn't my fault my car got damaged in a car park. Someone bashed my door!" (Even though the driver squeezed into a tight space)
The harsh reality is that people with poor attitude to risk are more likely to be involved in incidents than non-risk takers. So wouldn't you like to know who yours are?
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