Operators urged to contribute to safety enquiry

Fleet operators are being urged to contribute to a new enquiry into road safety by the Commons Transport Committee.

The committee is calling on interested parties, including fleets and road risk training companies; to submit written evidence before 18 February 2008, on areas of road safety they feel need addressed.

The committee believes that significant progress has been made in cutting road deaths since 2000 but a quarter of all accidental deaths are still the result of road crashes. This figure rises to 80% of accidental deaths among young people aged 15-19.

The committee will look into what further policies can be introduced to reduce the risk of death and injury between now and 2010, which is when the current target period comes to an end.

In particular, the inquiry will look at ways to further reduce the incidence of drink driving and how casualty reduction targets can be used to focus professional activity.

It will also consider how approaches to reducing road risk compare to those adopted in other modes of transport and will investigate whether there is a particular problem caused by shortages of appropriately trained and skilled staff.

More detailed guidance on giving evidence to a select committee is available online at www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/witnessguide.pdf