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Bosses urged to cut road journeys in bad weather

With severe winter conditions forecast this winter, RoSPA is urging bosses to ensure employees do not make unnecessary road journeys.

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA occupational safety adviser, said that about 20 people are killed and 250 seriously injured every week in crashes involving someone driving, riding or otherwise using the road for work purposes.

He said: "Employers should ensure they have systems in place to carry out risk assessments to judge if journeys are really necessary, especially during winter months when we see an increase in road accident rates.

"Meetings may be able to be rescheduled or held by using video links or teleconferencing. Even a simple telephone call will suffice on some occasions. A safer mode of transport such as rail travel could also be considered.

"Employers need to be thinking about this issue now in the light of the forecast of prolonged periods of severe weather this winter."

For further information visit: www.rospa.com/roadsafety/morr/