This week is annual national Road Safety Week – 21 to 27 November.
Coordinated by road safety charity Brake and sponsored by Specsavers, the initiative is this year asking people to ‘Make the Pledge’ to drive less and do everything they can to protect themselves and the people around them.
Brake’s pledge asks everyone to be Slow, Sober, Secure, Silent, Sharp and Sustainable. The vital area for employers is in ensuring their employees are able to stay Sharp. This part of the pledge covers making sure that all drivers have their eyesight tested at least every two years, which is where employers can definitely make a difference.
Employers can use the week to raise awareness, or partner with local schools, community groups and road safety professionals to promote safer roads. For example, Canter Levin & Berg Solicitors teamed up with Merseyside Fire & Rescue to run an event with pupils at Litherland High School, with interactive road safety sessions and a crash-extraction demonstration by the fire service crew.
Many employers use the Week as a springboard to launch year-round road safety programmes. Chris Hughes, risk manager, Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions, says: “Getting involved in Road Safety Week really helps us generate awareness about road safety year-round and get the message across to employees and our community. There are so many ways to take part – we would urge all companies to do so and help make roads safer.”
Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances at Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, said: ‘We support Brake’s initiatives and are deeply involved in Road Safety Week. We have worked hard to make it as easy as possible for employers to implement an eyecare policy for drivers. We hope that this year’s Road Safety Week may spur employers into action to make available eyecare that, strictly speaking, they should already be providing.’
Employers can find out more, make their pledge, and encourage employees to do the same at: www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/pledge
More information on driver eyecare can be found at: www.specsavers.co.uk/corporate
