Kiwis driving work vehicles may have low skills

HSWA: 70% of Kiwis driving work vehicles may have average – low skills

More than an estimated 70 per cent of New Zealand drivers who turn up for advanced driver training have average to poor driving skills – a statistic which could pose a problem for employers under new health and safety legislation.

CEO of New Zealand car leasing and finance company Driveline, Lance Manins, said today that it is important for employers with staff who drive as part of their working activity ¬– such as sales people and community nurses – to understand that just having a driver's license does not cut the mustard.

"The new Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 obliges employers to ensure that staff using machinery and equipment -- including cars supplied by the business -- must be seen to be fully trained in the use of that vehicle.

"This means employers need to do more than rely on the fact that a staff member has a driver's license. If people have some advanced training in handling a motor vehicle, they will be better equipped to react appropriately and avoid dangerous situations – 'workplace' accidents happen on the road too," he said.

Mr Manins said that driver training also helps reduce damaging incidents that don't get reported, such as hitting the kerb with the front wheel and bending a tie rod, which increases the risk of mechanical failure in an emergency situation.

"It's a win for the employer as well because staff are kept safe. Better driving skills mean fewer maintenance costs and a higher value for the vehicle when it comes time to change the car. A certificate that shows a person has completed driver training may entitle the company to more favourable insurance rates," he said.

The managing director of Driveline's partner company TrackTime Driving Academy, Mr Mike Eady, said that most Kiwis turn up for training with the belief that they are the best drivers in the world.

"However, if we put 20 people through a given training programme, more than 70 per cent will be average to poor in skills, and nearly all of them would not be able to avoid an accident in an emergency situation.

"A good 20 per cent of the people on our courses are low in skills and may even need further training at the end of course, if not careful driver management for a period after that."

Mr Eady said that driving different types of vehicle often requires different skill sets.

"A lot of people don't know how to drive a 4x4 ute off-road, including basic skills such as how to engage four-wheel-drive, how to descend a hill safely – because a ute has a higher centre of gravity – and the different tyre pressures required off-road.

"A lot of people are driving utes for work purposes, but few know that while the advisory speed limit for taking a corner might be 85 kilometres an hour, the advisory speed does not apply to a ute with a tonne of dirt in the back. It is important that you understand the car that you are driving – don't presume all cars are the same," he said.

Mr Eady said that most trainees are surprised to discover that it takes about 40 metres before a vehicle travelling 100 kilometres an hour comes to a standstill.

"Regardless of modern vehicles safety features like ABS brakes, the laws of physics are absolute. We show people what can happen and how to deal with it in an environment that is safe and controlled.

"When somebody is preconditioned, they are better equipped to react appropriately in a dangerous situation," he said.

Mr Eady said the advanced driver training teaches people how to drive a modern car, as well as some light maintenance skills like how to identify tyre wear.

"Employers bear the burden of making sure their staff are properly trained in the use of a vehicle, but it is also the employees responsibility to make sure that their equipment is safe to use," he said.

For more information visit http://www.driveline.co.nz/fleet-management

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