Motor fleet insurance specialist, Gauntlet, is encouraging fleet managers to focus on risk areas that affected fleet management in 2017 and get the right protection in place in 2018.
The first scenario highlighted by the Leeds-based national motor fleet insurance broker affected the self-hire market, where hired vehicles were tragically used to kill and injure members of the public in both the Westminster Bridge and Borough Market terrorism incidents.
The self-hire firms that unwittingly found themselves in the news headlines risked claims being made against their insurance policy, if acts of terrorism were not excluded and if the claims could not be picked up by the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB), and paid out by the funds in the shared levy to which all motor insurers contribute.
Additionally, these firms suffered reputational damage via association with these incidents – a fate any HGV business, or bus and coach operator could suffer.
Gauntlet reminds fleet operators that its risk management and health and safety teams can help protect self-hire firms and fleet operators, ensuring correct procedures are in place, to try to prevent a vehicle being used in an attack. Its access to many insurers also means it has policies tailored to the needs of self-drive clients, as well as passenger fleet operators and hauliers, despite the increased risks.
Gauntlet has also partnered with a specialist legal expenses insurer whose policy includes cover that provides crisis communications support, should reputational damage occur for any reason, not just terrorism.
The second area on which to focus is haulage driver shortages. The CPD requirement has resulted in the retirement of many older trained drivers, whilst recruitment of new driving blood has never been more difficult. When recruitment does occur, Gauntlet says top quality training is essential, to quickly get drivers out on the road, involved in as few claims incidents as possible, if the cost of premiums is to be controlled.
Gauntlet offers hauliers and HGV drivers a range of insurance policies that cover both older and younger drivers economically, even if they are relatively inexperienced. Having its own health and safety specialists in-house means it can also help clients create and implement safe procedures, for when the vehicle and driver are out on the road and back in the yard. Gauntlet E-learning modules are available for those requiring health and safety training.
An essential service for many clients is Gauntlet Driving Monitor, which provides a driver with a number of interactive modules to complete, either in the office or at home, to test their awareness, reactions and behaviours out on the road. This tool analyses the driver’s profile and quickly improves them, making it far less likely that they will be involved in a road traffic accident.
The third lesson from 2017 relates to speeding. New speeding fines were introduced on April 24 2017 and are extremely punitive. New speeding fines are banded in three groups; band A, B and C. In band A, driving 31 to 40mph in a 30mph zone, incurs a fine of around 50 per cent of the driver’s weekly income and three points.
Doing 56 to 65mph in a 40mph zone increases the fine to 100 per cent of the driver’s weekly income and either 4 to 6 points on the licence, or disqualification for 7 to 28 days. Driving at 41mph in a 20mph zone, 51mph in a 30mph zone or above 100mph in a 70mph zone is a Band C offence, which means a fine of 150 per cent of weekly wages, plus either 6 points on the licence, or a disqualification period of 7-56 days.
Naturally, for fleet operators, totting up licence points is a big issue in a sector already struggling to recruit drivers, whilst disqualification could have devastating impacts on a business, if it goes one driver down. Again, Gauntlet Driving Monitor is a huge asset, as it allows drivers to understand their driving foibles and amend their behaviour, if one of these bad habits is speeding.
Gauntlet can also advise on other training that drivers could undergo, or point to monitoring systems that will enable a fleet manager to study their drivers’ speeds on the road.
“Focusing on three of the new situations that emerged in 2017, and taking positive action to contain them during 2018, will be to many fleet managers’ advantage,” says Gauntlet MD Roger Gaunt. “Gauntlet has all the tools to assist with this mission, helping to keep drivers and the public safe, whilst also protecting its clients’ reputation and bottom line.”
