A mixed fleet of over 2,000 vehicles ranging from company cars to heavy goods vehicles has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to crashes.

Part of the strategy involves Morrison Utility Services brining driver training in house and appointing two advanced driving instructors, who are also experts in fleet driver training, to identify and train high-risk drivers.

“We looked very closely at an outsourced option,” explained Jeremy Harrison, director, Morrison Plant Services. “In the end we decided that we needed a solution which was tailored specifically to our needs. Having our own dedicated in-house resource gives us the advantage of two dedicated driver trainers who can become imbedded in our safety culture.

“They are each accountable for results which we did not feel we could achieve using external driver trainers.”

The pair will teach and assess up to 1,000 company drivers through classroom sessions, on-road driving assessments and instruction.

“Our goal is for no accidents, certainly zero blame accidents,” Harrison told Fleet News. “We are self-insured for our own damage…and the costs are too high! Vehicle accidents are at a level that, for us, is unacceptable.”

The driver trainers will also carry out post-accident investigations to identify the cause and deliver training to prevent repeat episodes.

The company said it anticipates that the trainers will be completely self-funding within a year thanks to a drop in insurance costs.

“Our investment in the initiative is driven by our determination to drive down vehicle incidents and reinforce our safety culture,” said Harrison. “This is a long-term investment in accident prevention that we will drive through until we have a zero accident rate.”

Morrison received support from its insurer, which contributed both financially and practically with advice from underwriters and claims specialists.