Leapfrog Public Relations Agency

Stalbridge Linen Driver Training

Number of accidents falls and insurance claims are slashed

Linen hire and chefswear specialist Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services has slashed the cost of insurance claims and dramatically reduced the number of accidents involving its drivers following the introduction of an innovative company-wide driver training scheme.

All 140 drivers of the company’s delivery vehicles and company cars took part in the scheme, which offers up to 11 hours of driver training, hazard perception tests, vehicle checks and regular driver assessments.

As a result, figures released show a huge reduction of almost 50% in the number of accidents in 2009, as compared with the previous year, with even greater reductions forecast for 2010.  In 2008 there were 60 incidents involving commercial vehicles, and 30 involving company cars, out of an estimated six million miles per year, yet in 2009, those figures had dropped to just 28 involving commercial vehicles, and 19 involving company cars.  This works out at just six accidents per million miles for commercial vehicles and 16 accidents per million miles for company cars.

The cost and number of insurance claims has also plummeted from 90, costing £118,000 in 2007/8, to 47 costing £72,000 in 2008/9.

“This has proved to be an incredibly successful scheme which has resulted in significant cost savings for the business as a whole, and given all our drivers a much greater understanding of road safety and of potential hazards,” commented Phillip Martin, Driver Trainer at Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services.

“Even though the majority of accidents were minor collisions which took place usually when reversing, on business premises and even in our own factory yard, and at speeds of less than 5mph, they are still recorded as an accident and as such are subject to an investigation and possibly an insurance claim,” he added.

“When viewed in the context of the total amount of driver journeys completed by our employees every year, the number of accidents is still very small, but anything that can be done to improve driver skills and further reduce the accident rate is still a worthwhile and positive step towards greater overall road safety.”

Phillip pointed out that none of the accidents recorded in 2009 occurred at high speed or involved either pedestrians or bicycles.

“With up to 150 vehicles on the road making daily deliveries to our customers, we take our road safety responsibilities very seriously and it’s testament to all our drivers’ commitment to the scheme that we have been able to make such dramatic improvements,” he added.

Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services is a specialist provider of linen and chefs’ wear, and laundry services, for many of the UK’s leading hotels and restaurants.  Its head office is in Shaftesbury with regional depots in Milborne and Sturminster Newton, and further afield in the West Midlands and Glasgow.  It employs 596 people across the UK.