FLEETS and employers must introduce tighter controls on the road for their drivers or face legal action, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has warned. In a move to get firms to take more responsibility for staff using vehicles for work, it has joined with 17 leading companies in a 'get tough' call for action.

A declaration signed by supporting companies reads: 'In appropriate cases, where road accidents involving 'at work' vehicles have been caused by a failure to manage occupational road risk, for example by setting drivers unsafe schedules, the police and health and safety enforcing authorities should work together to secure the prosecution of offenders under health and safety legislation.'

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA's occupational safety adviser, said: 'If the law affected the employer in this way it would make them take the safety of their drivers more seriously and could possibly prevent hundreds of accidents every year.'

RoSPA has organised a conference on managing occupational road risk, which will take place on March 24 at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel. Call 0121-2482000 for details.