Concluding Plenary Session: Findings and Next Steps

Stephanie Pratt, Research Health Scientist, NIOSH

T1.1 International initiatives

• UN Road Safety Collaboration

– Lori Mooren, University of New South Wales

• Policy change and new perspectives on sharing responsibility for road safety

– Matts-Åke Belin, World Health Organization

T1.1 International Initiatives

• Morbidity and mortality should not come at the price of mobility.

• Need to be focused on developing policies based from a scientific understanding.

• A safe systems approach is needed to inform the development of policies.

T1.2 Legal perspectives on fleet management

• Negligent entrustment — when is a license check not enough?

– Paul Farrell, SafetyFirst Systems

• Best practices in fleet risk management: avoid conflict with privacy regulations and driver expectations

– Stanley Underwood North, LeClair Ryan

T1.2 Legal Issues

• The legal concepts with vehicles including fault vs. negligence and personal vs. business use

• Employer strategies to deal with negligent hiring, supervision, retention, maintenance, and entrustment

• Entrustment, make sure you know your driver, provide training, do background checks

• How to deal with privacy issues in and between the EU,US and across the states

T1.3 Labor relations perspectives

• Impact of regulation and deregulation, industry structure, pay structure, and hiring practices on road safety

– Michael Belzer, Wayne State University

• Occupational road safety in India

– Param Preet Ghuman, Employee State Insurance Corporation

T1.3 Labor relations perspectivesImpact of deregulation on trucking safety:• The driver is only one component of the transport system• Increased competition, lower wages, and longer work hours• Higher driver pay is strongly associated with better driver

selection practices and reduced crashes• Recommends further economic analysis and human capital

studies

Road safety in India:• From clinical experience, work stress is crash risk factor for

truck drivers in India• Recommends multisectoral approach

T1.4 Corporate social responsibility

• GRSP: Business, government, and civil society contributing to road safety– Andrew Pearce, Global Road Safety Partnership

• Organizational and technology interventions to improve safe and eco-driving– Paul Davis, Nestlé SA

• Technology and environmental considerations can drive fleet safety– Inder Poonaji, Nestlé SA

T1.4 Corporate social responsibilityGlobal Road Safety Partnership• Business-civil society-government working in

partnership is necessary for managing road safety• Fleet safety management must be an organized

program with long-term (10-15 years) investment

‘Eco-driving’• Can link fleet safety to CSR and marketing activities

which emphasize environmental concerns• Recommends caution with telematics: use only for the

right reasons, with strong involvement and support from local operations managers and drivers

T1.5 Using research to promote policy change

• Occupational light vehicle use

– Rwth Stuckey, Monash University

• Influencing New Zealand commercial fleet managers

– Debbie Stearns, Accident Compensation Commission of New Zealand

T1.5 Using Research to Promote Policy Change

• Having and using data is critical in deciding how to address the problem.

• Occupational light vehicle drivers are an overlooked group that needs more attention in regards to road safety research.

• Collaboration between government agencies and/or private industry is key to leveraging data and resources while working towards a common goal.

T2.1 Fleet risk management

• The rationale for implementing fleet safety programs from a broad government/policy perspective – Roger Bibbings, Royal Society for the Prevention

of Accidents– Paul Gallemore, Wolseley

• Models for fleet safety interventions– Will Murray, Interactive Driving Systems

– Adrian Walsh, RoadSafe

T2.1 Fleet Risk Management• Recommend approach that involves management,

drivers, and other key internal and external stakeholders– Integrate road safety into mainstream occupational health and

safety policies, and manage it on an ongoing basis

• There are ethical, legal, and economic reasons for the implementation of a fleet safety program– Need internal policies and programs to impact organizational

culture/climate

• Various theories and models provide framework for fleet risk management projects and their evaluation, including systems-based approach– More research and data are needed to develop good practices,

and to turn research into practice, and importantly practice into research

T2.2 Driver-based interventions

• Using driver risk assessment methods to develop a crash-free culture – Tony Kaye, Thomas International– Michael Ferrara, Jr., FleetRisk Advisors

• Driver training — balanced overview

– Eddie Wren, Advanced Drivers of America

T2.2 Driver-based Interventions

• Driving for safety is a complex task

• Proven and effective driver training is key

• Predictive risk assessment tools can play an important role in helping to reduce unsafe driving and crashes

T2.3 Use of crash analysis and benchmarking to improve fleet safety

• Crash analysis and benchmarking as tools to improve fleet safety—presentation and discussion– Lynn Berberich, Driver Risk and Safety Consultant

• Evaluating the success of fleet safety initiatives: benchmarking metrics and program elements/ identifying and sharing best practices– Jack Hanley, Network of Employers for Traffic

Safety

T2.3 Crash analysis and benchmarking

• “What gets measured gets done”

• Benchmarking should focus on process and outcomes using both leading and lagging indicators.

• Develop standard definitions including injury, crash, and incident

T2.4 Organizational and technology-based interventions

• Using technology to manage crash risk before the crash occurs

– David Melton, Liberty Mutual Group

• Sustaining safety in hard times/times of recession– Paul Gallemore, Wolseley– Dave Wallington, British Telecom

T2.4 Organizational and technology-based interventions

• Instead of measuring our failures (crashes) we must focus on understanding behaviors that cause them

• Risky drivers can be identified by looking at maintenance of vehicles, brakes, tires etc.

• Video and event recorders have a strong potential to reduce crashes– Pilot test new technologies before implementing

across the fleet• Ensure employees get positive feedback as well as

negative• Develop an effective business case by focusing on

financial, moral, legal issues

T2.5 Driver management approaches

• Effectively managing ‘gray fleet’/non-owned vehicles

– Andy Price, Zurich Services Corporation

• Chain of responsibility: Risk management of contractors, sub-contractors, and spot hire transport in the supply chain

– Will Murray, Interactive Driving Systems

T2.5 Effectively managing ‘gray fleet’ /non-owned vehicles

• Employees and contractors should be treated the same for purposes of risk management.

• Discussion of insurance checks– How do you do it?– Must have safety culture for driver cooperation

• Discussion of routine vehicle maintenance– Company coverage does not mean action on the part

of the employee– Drivers should want to maintain their vehicle

T2.5 Chain of responsibility: Risk management of contractors, sub-contractors, and spot hire

• Complex process of insuring the safety of contractors and sub-contractors – This is a management issue– Users and suppliers must work together

• Discussed use of committees to monitor contractor and sub-contractor incidents and statistics– Develop and implement recommendations to improve

safety and environmental performance

T3.1 Road safety initiatives for workers

• SAFE fleet at Johnson & Johnson—caring for people across the globe

– Joseph Van Houten and Sandra S. Lee, Johnson & Johnson

• Issues in implementing a global driver safety culture– Andy Stubbings, Wyeth– James Dorris, Cummins

T3.1 Road safety initiatives for workers

• Worldwide fleet management program including mobile phones prohibition, management accountability in performance standards

• Challenges working in a global economy: legislation, roadway signage, and insurance varies from country to country

• When implementing a new fleet safety program take a phased approach by country to address the local issues

T3.2 Protecting drivers in emerging markets

• The Fleet Forum ‘Fleet Safety Toolkit’

– Rob McConnell, Fleet Forum

• A comprehensive approach to vehicle safety

– Ezana Wondimneh, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (USA)

T3.2 Protecting drivers in emerging markets

Fleet Forum: Risk mitigation for staff and contractors of humanitarian agencies– Important: senior management commitment, and

donor education (include fleet safety as line item in procurement rules)

Vehicle safety standards: 30 countries have formal agreement to work together to harmonize vehicle standards– Recommend to international partners: a national

action plan with dedicated human and financial resources

T3.3 Regional focus I — Latin America and China

• Strategies to decrease the accidents and costs in a private fleet company

– Miguel Angel Gonzalez Osuna, FEMSA

• The current status of road traffic safety work in China and its countermeasures

– Zhao Rui Ha, State Administration of Work Safety, China

T3.3 Latin America and ChinaLatin America• The road infrastructure add significant risk factors to occupational

crashes – Technologies that balance load and liquid loads reduce risks

• Integration between road safety, family, and the community • Better safety outcomes by paying drivers a salary not by the mileChina• Poor traffic safety awareness is the leading cause of traffic crashes

and poor vehicle condition is second.• The rate of crashes decreased over the past few years. • A large scale effort to increase roadway safety, through

infrastructure improvements. • In the next year electronic stability control will be mandatory in all

new cars.

T3.4 Regional focus II — Vietnam and India

• Case Study – Vietnam

– Greig Craft, Asia Injury Prevention Foundation

• Road crashes involving heavy vehicles in Bangalore, India: challenges and strategies for prevention

– G. Gururaj, National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences

T3.4 Regional focus II — Vietnam and India• Vietnam: Two-wheelers a large part of vehicle fleet – AIPF raised $ to

build helmet factory and mounted campaigns to raise awareness among public and policymakers

– Employer influence important: Some companies made helmets mandatory years before required by law.

• India: Almost 90% of workforce in unorganized sector, but survey of road users in Bangalore found more than 70% of traffic related to work

Discussion points:

• To convince policymakers to act, important to link road safety to economic development and equate RTI losses to GDP.

• Where truck transport sector unorganized, safety improvement requires action by governments to create some level of regulatory structure

• When safety advocates or researchers talk to fleet owners, important to collaborate to design specific plan of action

T3.5 Regional focus III — Africa

• Occupational road safety in South Africa

– Jace Naidoo, Eskom

• Road traffic safety: A big challenge in the developing world — a Uganda (East Africa) case study

– Ronald Ssebunya, National Road Safety Concern, Uganda

T3.5 Regional focus III — AfricaSouth Africa – Eskom (public utility):

• Coal transport: increased road risk in recent years with increasing demand for coal in SA and globally– Eskom’s tasks: 1. reduce number of coal trucks on

the road, 2. create a culture of safety on the roads– Achieved through: specifying standards for

purchasing vehicles, identifying rail options, using conveyers, improving road conditions, requiring contractors and subcontractors to implement safety measures, prohibiting transport of workers in the cargo areas of open vehicles

T3.5 Regional focus III — Africa

East Africa (NGO focus):• Nature of transport and drivers in Uganda is diverse:

– Motor bikes common – 50% of Ugandans (not trained)– No organized institutions and companies are planning and

organizing transportation system• Occupational safety, especially on roads, is not a priority

in developing countries– Some progress: National Road Safety Concern [Uganda] now

conducts training for fleet drivers and managers in large corporations

• Improving road safety will require:– Political will within developing countries– Effort by international aid agencies to place road safety on

development agenda and include it in projects

Overall conclusion

• Conference has generated a lot of energy and impetus for occupational road safety, and a wide range of ideas and objectives to work towards around the globe over the coming weeks, months and years