The largest independent vehicle management company in the UK
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One of Britain’s largest insurance brokers has launched a premium-reducing comprehensive risk management solution to fleets and the garage trade.
Smart & Cook is promoting Fleet Support Group’s one-stop shop web-based RiskMaster product as a comprehensive solution to businesses managing the occupational road risk posed by their staff.
Geoff Kirk, associate director at Smart & Cook, Harrogate, said: “Fleet risk management is one of the most significant areas of exposure faced by businesses. Many corporate health and safety strategies fail to include occupational road risk, but, businesses face huge risks in this area. Implementing RiskMaster will assist them to comply with the raft of health and safety legislation impacting on at-work driving.”
Similarly, garages and car dealerships that operate a vehicle pick-up and collection service on behalf of customers could find themselves breaking the law if they have fail to put in place a measures to risk assess their drivers.
RiskMaster has been developed over seven years by Fleet Support Group and provides a framework of effective monitoring of driving at work, culminating in employees being given a ‘Permit to Drive’, which is regularly reviewed.
Embracing, an at-work driving policy document, risk assessment, continuous performance measures including vehicle and driver licence checks, RiskMaster enables businesses to compile a ‘Driver Operating Life Report’ for each member of staff from such data which is continually used to assess individual drivers in their driving-at-work activity.
Mr Kirk said: “RiskMaster changes an individual’s driving culture by demonstrating they that have a clear responsibility for their actions when driving. Drivers become aware of the need to commit to change which, by doing so, influences not only their own well-bring but that of others.”
Apart from the moral benefits, companies have a duty of care towards their at-work drivers as outlined in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and financial savings, including reduced insurance premiums, accrue and any issues arising out of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
Mr Kirk said: “Companies that introduce safety-related initiatives to improve their occupational road risk management can benefit from insurance premium reductions. Over time, evidence suggests that safety-focused strategies more than pay for themselves in financial savings.
“All employees who drive on business should complete a risk assessment that builds up into a live record of their driving ability. All at-work drivers face risks including those offering a pick-up and collection service in the garage trade as they frequently find they will be driving vehicles unfamiliar to them.”
Smart & Cook provides insurance brokering solutions to companies running from two to 5,000 vehicles as well as many garages.
Fleet Support Group chairman Geoffrey Bray said: “The biggest single problem for anyone operating vehicles is the person sitting behind the wheel. We have to manage drivers differently and that is why RiskMaster has been created. RiskMaster is at the cutting-edge of managing occupational road risk and we are delighted that Smart & Cook believes its adoption by clients can improve their fleet safety.”
Fleet Support Group (FSG) is the largest independent vehicle management company in the UK and looks after approximately 50,000 vehicles.
The well-established organisation based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, has gained an enviable reputation within the industry by continually concentrating on delivering a consistent, quality service embracing full vehicle acquisition and disposal, vehicle outsourcing, fleet management, risk management and work-related road safety, maintenance management, accident management, breakdown recovery, short-term car rental and truck management.
Within the FSG team, there is significant industry experience and qualifications across the range of services provided. This in turn is supported by an in-house IT operation which is continuously upgrading the internal systems and applications to ensure that, by innovation and product development, FSG leads the field in the provision of vehicle management.
For further information contact: FSG chairman Geoffrey Bray on 0844 8000 700
Smart & Cook Limited is a member of Venture Preference, a subsidiary of AXA UK. It is the UK’s second largest SME broker with 1,500 staff and £500m of premiums based at more than 40 locations across the UK. In addition to Smart & Cook, VP is made up of commercial brokers, Layton Blackham, Stuart Alexander and The Davis Group. The combined group is led by Stuart Reid, chief executive. They provide professional insurance broking, risk management services and financial advice.