“Brake” is a charity that was set up to bring public awareness on ridiculously light penalties levied against dangerous drivers. This is something that you as a haulier handling delivery work need to keep an eye on, especially if you or your drivers have had a few dangerous run-ins or road accidents.
Brake’s “Name and Shame” Campaign
Drivers all around the UK are drilled to drive safely from the very beginning, but local laws have proven to be quite lenient when it comes to road fatalities. Brake has thus risen to prominence by publicly naming drivers and then pointing out the very light terms imposed upon drivers that have caused deaths due to dangerous driving practices.
For example, Brake has highlighted various fatal hit-and run cases as well as drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol that got away with sentences as short as 8 weeks and the longest up to 2 years. Lawyers for these drivers shield their clients by labelling the fatalities as the results of ‘careless’ driving, which is often enough to drastically cut down sentences to the aforementioned periods of time.
Brake has conducted its own surveys, which unsurprisingly show overwhelming public outrage when it comes to cases like this. 70% of those surveyed want the maximum penalty for hit-and-run drivers to be jacked up to 14 years. A combined 64% also want terms ranging from 5 to 10 years to 15 years and more for those that cause road fatalities while talking on a mobile phone. This is something that drivers handling delivery work are seen doing on a regular basis.
How this Affects Hauliers: Liability
If you run a small operation handling minor delivery work, then it is obvious that you will be ultimately responsible for the consequences of your actions. But what if your haulage business is somewhat larger and you are merely overseeing a network of drivers running to and fro their destinations?
Even if you are not directly responsible for causing a fatality due to dangerous driving practices, you as the business owner can be held liable for the damage caused. This is especially so if you cannot prove that you have done everything reasonably possible to ensure that your drivers are able to drive safely on the road. And even if you do manage to escape sentencing and are not obligated to compensate for damages, groups like Brake will ensure that your brand image will be thoroughly smashed with their name-and-shame campaign.
Thinking Ahead
The solution to these problems is relatively simple and can help you avoid getting into fatal accidents in the first place.
If you are handling the delivery work yourself, then you can avoid all these problems by staying away from alcohol and substances that affect reasoning and cognitive abilities. Make sure to be well rested before driving and avoid pushing yourself when fatigue is starting to take its toll on your mind. And finally, make sure to call the emergency services if ever you are involved in an accident.
If you are hiring drivers to do your delivery work for you, then make sure they are properly screened, briefed and trained. Make sure to seek professional credentials before hiring drivers for the long term and set up tools for evaluating not just their performance but their ability to drive defensively as well. Implement strict protocols about drinking and driving, while random drug tests will help you identify and deal with those under the influence of mind-affecting substances.
All this may sound like a hassle, but it is definitely better to be prepared now than to deal with the soon-to-be-dire penalties that Brake is pushing for in its campaign!
