A new survey by Geotab, analysing data from over 1 million commercial vehicles across Europe, reveals that driver safety records deteriorated in several major European markets throughout 2023 and the first half of 2024.
Distance driven per collision decreased significantly in France, Germany, Portugal, and the UK.
Geotab’s analysis showed a 19.12% decrease in the distance driven per collision in the UK in 2023, from 920,000 miles to 740,000 miles.
The largest drop occurred in Portugal (-30%), followed by Germany (-27%), and then the UK (-19%).
Although Italy and Spain showed some small progress, the overall results were still concerning.
The higher risks are not linked to more driving after lockdown, either. The number of trips and the time spent driving stayed about the same during this time.
These statistics strengthen the EU Court of Auditors’ argument that road safety progress is “barely moving,” potentially jeopardising the EU’s target to halve road deaths by 2030.
These concerns have grown due to new laws that suggest lowering the minimum age for HGV drivers.
In October 2024, the European Parliament approved a landmark law that will allow 17-year-olds to drive HGVs under supervision.
The European Transport Safety Council and others argue this will increase risks, citing data showing higher collision rates among younger HGV drivers.
This lack of significant progress across Europe suggests that there is room for improvement to enhance road safety conditions across the region, with more focus needing to be placed on improving commercial vehicle safety in particular.
Factors contributing to commercial vehicle accidents
Commercial vehicle accidents are complex events often resulting from a combination of factors.
It is up to drivers and fleet managers to take the necessary precautions to reduce the likelihood of these factors resulting in an incident.
Driver-related factors play a crucial role in many commercial vehicle accidents. Several key issues contribute to this:
Routing
Commercial vehicles venturing down incorrect routes can pose a significant risk due to their size. Narrow residential streets, low bridges, or roads with weight restrictions become hazardous obstacles.
This can lead to an increased risk of collisions, obstruction, and traffic disruption. Maneuvering in confined spaces raises the likelihood of striking parked cars, buildings, or other vehicles and creating traffic congestion.
HGVs and commercial vehicles can also damage roads and bridges by colliding with overhead structures (bridge strikes) if they go down unsuitable routes.
Sat nav applications for HGVs, trucks & vans use vehicle weights and dimensions to calculate safe and efficient routes based on the specific commercial vehicle being used in order to avoid collisions with overhead structures and unsuitable roads.
Fatigue
Long hours, irregular schedules, and sleep deprivation are major contributing factors to driver fatigue, significantly increasing the risk of accidents.
Driver management and logistics monitoring tools play an important role in ensuring drivers are monitored throughout their journey so that they are working to reasonable schedules and taking necessary breaks.
Using dedicated delivery route planning and route optimisation can also be essential tools for reducing driver fatigue.
By carefully planning the sequence of deliveries and optimising the routes taken, companies can ensure that drivers are not spending excessive time on the road or making unnecessary detours. This can significantly reduce the amount of time drivers spend behind the wheel.
This can help to reduce fatigue and improve overall safety.
Additionally, route optimisation can have the added bonus of helping to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, which can save companies money and reduce their environmental impact.
Distracted Driving
Mobile phone use, eating, and other distractions divert the driver’s attention from the road and increase the likelihood of errors.
Where possible drivers should avoid such distractions and ideally use a navigation system that uses spoken navigation instructions.
Speeding
Exceeding posted speed limits or driving too fast for conditions reduces reaction time and increases the severity of accidents.
Vehicle-specific navigation applications with speed alerts help drivers stick to speed limits.
Aggressive Driving
Tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and other forms of reckless driving create a hostile environment and increase the risk of collisions.
Lack of Training/Experience
Inadequate training on vehicle operation, safety procedures, or adverse driving conditions can leave drivers unprepared for challenging situations.
Poor Judgment/Decision-Making
Errors in assessing situations, such as following too closely or misjudging gaps in traffic, can lead to accidents.
Vehicle-related factors also play a crucial role in many commercial vehicle accidents. Several key issues contribute to this, including:
Mechanical defects through a lack of maintenance
Neglecting regular maintenance and vehicle service schedules can lead to component failures, such as brake failure, tire blowouts, faulty lights, and other mechanical issues.
Completing daily walkaround checks using a specialised application helps to identify issues before they become an issue and ensures that a vehicle is roadworthy.
Improper Loading
Overloading, unbalanced loads, and unsecured cargo can affect vehicle handling and cause accidents.
The DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness
The majority of these points are raised in the DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, which explains the responsibilities and systems involved in maintaining vehicles in a roadworthy condition, regardless of operating conditions, fleet size, or vehicle type.
Using Transport Management Software to improve road safety
Transport Management Software offers a range of features purpose-built to improve the overall safety and efficiency of a journey, particularly for commercial vehicles used for deliveries or collections.
Such safety-boosting features include walkaround checks, defect reporting, and vehicle inspection scheduling.
They help operators improve fleet operations for safety and long life. They also ensure compliance with regulations and enhance road safety. This is important to address the increasing number of accidents involving commercial vehicles. Stream can be combined with a telematics platform to further enhance fleet (and driver) compliance and safety. Teletrac Navman is integrated with Stream to enable key telematics and vehicle tracking information from Teletrac Navman’s DIRECTOR and TN360 products to be viewed natively in Stream.
