Keeping Safe on the Road
Information on keeping safe while driving for work
It’s a well known fact that, here in Aotearoa New Zealand, our driving record is not great. As we head into the colder winter months, vehicle safety should feature prominently in our consideration of health and safety at work.
The 2022 calendar year saw nearly 3,000 crashes that resulted in death (N=374) or serious injury (N=2,471) and an additional 11,216 crashes that ended up in minor injuries. During the same year, there were 82,332 road injury claims with the ACC and 4,280 hospitalisations across the country related to traffic injuries.
Perhaps not surprisingly, men feature overwhelmingly in these statistics. As with previous years, those aged 15-24 and 85+ are most likely to be affected. Māori are also disproportionally affected by these statistics.
Work-related vehicle incidents
While driving in general presents a significant health risk for all of us, work-related driving / vehicle use can be particularly hazardous.
Data analysed by WorkSafe indicates that, for the 2022 calendar year, there were:
29 fatalities
1,023 injuries resulting in more than a week away from work
1,524 incidents
2,821 notifiable injuries, illnesses, and/or serious harm events
158 investigations into potential breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act (2015) relating to vehicle incidents
Given such outcomes, it is essential anyone using a vehicle for work - whether as a driver or passenger - is aware of the risks and takes steps to keep themselves and their colleagues safe.
Business obligations
When someone is using a vehicle for work purposes, the owner of or senior manager(s) for the business or organisation need to ensure they are doing whatever they can to ensure drivers and passengers are safe and well.
Whenever a worker is on the road as part of their role, that vehicle is considered to be their workplace…This applies to any vehicle being used for the purpose of work, including personal vehicles, whether the worker is being paid an allowance or not.1
While individual workers have a legislated responsibility to take steps to keep themselves safe as drivers or passengers, businesses need to actively engage with their staff to develop systems, strategies, processes, and policies to support workers’ health and safety when driving.
MBIE provides an overview of employment responsibilities related to work vehicles.
Key interventions for businesses
Australia’s WorkSafe Victoria has identified key interventions businesses should follow to manage risks associated with work-related vehicle use. These include:
Provide appropriate safe systems of work and monitor, review, and - if needed - revise these regularly.
Ensure regular vehicle inspections, servicing, and maintenance activities are undertaken by suitably competent persons in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations.
Ensure pre-operations checks are conducted daily to check essential components such as tyres (including pressure) or indicators, and detect issues such as oil leaks.
Any defects should be addressed as soon as possible by qualified, experienced personnel.
Implement policies that do not allow untrained, unlicensed, and/or inexperienced staff to operate vehicles.
Leverage the ACC and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Your Safe Driving Policy tool to develop a new or review an existing policy.
Implement a system to ensure people are competent to conduct the work.
This should include instructions, information about the work, mentoring and assessment, toolbox training, and refresher training (even for experienced employees).
Establish appropriate rules and standards for safe road use (including speed limits for travel and manoeuvres) taking into account any load factor of a vehicle.
Communicate all safety information to drivers and others (e.g., load information for those responsible for loading and driving vehicles) to enable them to perform their work in a way that is safe and without risks to health.
Work-related vehicle safety
Vehicle checks
As noted above, regular checks of vehicles used by staff - whether they are supplied by a business or a personal vehicle used for work purposes - are an important step in protecting staff from harm.
Before getting behind the wheel you should ensure:
the Warrant of Fitness and car registration are up-to-date
vehicle tyres have enough tread (by checking the tread-depth indicators)
the windscreen is clean and free of obstruction, check the wipers are working properly, and ensure there is enough wiper fluid in the tank(s); and
the lights, including brake, reversing, and headlights, as well as all four indicators.
Your business should have a system for undertaking regular vehicle checks (e.g., an e-checklist or similar tool); these may form part of a regular health and safety audit or its completion may be a requirement as part of your role. Use this tool or system and follow the specific requirements of your organisation to ensure the vehicle you are using for work is road-worthy.
Safe driving
As noted above, there should be training materials available from your employer, whether learning modules, fact sheets, or other resources that give you the information you need to help you drive safely.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has useful tips for safe driving.
Regardless of the time of year it is essential you:
follow the directions of the police and road patrol and/or traffic management personnel
follow all road rules
manage/monitor your fatigue - ensure you do not get behind the wheel if you are feeling tired
Given the colder weather and our fast-approaching winter, here are some additional tips for driving in autumn and winter.
Before you leave
plan your journey; check the route you need to take to ensure you prioritise safety over convenience
check the weather forecast ahead of time and adjust your travel plans accordingly
consider whether the travel is ‘need to do’ versus ‘nice to do’
factor in break/rest times, especially when travelling longer distances
ensure you communicate with colleagues, letting them know when you’ll be leaving, where you’re going, and when you expect to return
When driving
drive slower than you normally would
avoid sudden braking or turns
accelerate smoothly and brake gently
maintain a safe following distance
during winter/inclement weather, double the ‘two second rule’
use your headlights judiciously
dip your headlights in fog, rain, or snow
Accidents
In the event of any emergency, dial 111.
Your first priority is your own safety and well-being, as well as that of your passengers and anyone else involved.
Breakdowns
Your business should provide you with information on:
what to do when you have an accident
who to call for roadside assistance; and
who to contact for general servicing and maintenance and any repairs after an accident.
Reporting
Follow any internal processes your business has for reporting accidents, incidents, or near-misses (e.g., logging it in an online health and safety register).
You should also provide feedback to your employer, Health and Safety Representative, or, if appropriate, Health and Safety Committee if you have feedback for how processes or policies could be improved and/or you have specific concerns regarding your or your colleagues’ health and safety.
Finally, you can contact WorkSafe if you have any concerns or would like further guidance or advice.
Useful resources
Waka Kotahi - Driving Safely
Cartrack - Fleet Compliance Checklist
National Road Safety Partnership Program - Vehicle Safety Factsheets
ACC & NRSPP - A Guide to Applying Road Safety Within a Workplace (2013)
WorkSafe Victoria - Work-related Driving
NZ Police - Driving and Road Safety
Bibliography
Accident Compensation Corporation (2024). Road Injury Statistics.
Environmental Health Intelligence New Zealand (2023, December). Road Traffic Injury Hospitalisations.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (2024). Safety — Annual Statistics.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (2024). Driving to the Conditions: Winter Driving.
WorkSafe (2024). Data Centre: Data Collected and Reported by WorkSafe.
WorkSafe Victoria (2023, 14 March). Staying Safe When the Road is a Workplace.
WorkSafe Victoria (2023, 14 March).