Driver trainer company encourages better driving

Welsh employers are being encouraged to give a higher priority to work-related road safety for those who drive cars or vans for business purposes, by a south Wales-based driving training company.

Barry-based Professional Driver Training (PDS) is teaming up with the South Wales Police and road safety partnership Roadsafe to put on the 'Driving for Better Business' event to give businesses an important insight into the legal implications involved when managing work-related road safety.

Taking place on the 29th September at South Wales Police's Driver Training Unit in Cardiff, business leaders will hear from guest speakers including Gareth Morgan, Head of the South Wales Police Driving School and Hazel Padmore, a criminal and civil law expert regarding driving for work, in addition to Driving for Better Business champions Tesco and BT, who will speak about their experiences as employers.

Director of Professional Drivers Services Kath Bevan said: “Every day of the year more than 150 vehicles driven on company business crash. Every year there are 14,000 road deaths and serious injuries involving people at work. Business pays for this. With the Road Safety Act on the statute book and the advent of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act in April 2008, the issue of Health and Safety in the workplace – the business vehicle – is something business employers are no longer able to ignore.

"We are putting on this event to promote and raise awareness of the importance Road Safety in the work environment as well as proving an invaluable insight in to the legal ramifications if something negative was to happen within an organisation in relation to driving whilst at work."

RoadSafe’s mission is to reduce road deaths and injuries through building partnerships between the motor industry and related companies, traffic engineers, the police and road safety professionals, promoting the safe design and use of vehicles and roads and encouraging education and innovation. The charity delivers the Government-backed ‘Driving for Better Business’ campaign, which is aimed at raising awareness of the importance of work-related road safety, in the business community and public sector by using ‘business champions’ drawn from these communities to promote the business benefits of managing it effectively.

Gareth Morgan of South Wales Police added: “Many businesses are unaware that if one of their employees is involved in an accident that they can be held liable if their work force do not have the right training required to be on the roads. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Professional Driver Services as we continue to raise awareness of the importance of road safety and the benefits driver training courses can provide an organisation.”

Established in 2002, PDS is one of only 18 Driving Standards Agency (DSA) approved National Fleet Diploma Training Organisations in the United Kingdom. The company employs a team of expertly trained and highly experienced staff and is one of only 6% of driver training organisations in the UK who has instructors qualified to the DSA’s grade 6 level - the highest possible level of achievement.

To book a place at the event or for more information contact 0871 200 2217 or email rebecca.ashton@pdsuk.co.uk

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