Author: Fuel Card Services

Autumn has officially announced itself, with the Met Office forced to issue a yellow weather warning for rain as the remnants of a storm batter parts of the UK.

Drivers, in particular, have been urged to take extra care on their journeys today (September 24^th 2019), with the potential for standing floodwater and even a risk to life set to remain until 23:00.

Treacherous conditions on the roads

Heavy downpours, gusty winds and thunderstorms could make conditions on the roads especially treacherous during rush hour, which is when many fleet drivers are likely to be commuting home.

Although this weather front that comes from what remains of the Bermuda Hurricane Humberto will eventually die away, it is likely to be followed by another band of wind and rain for the coming days.

Offering advice for motorists unable to avoid going out in inclement weather, IAM RoadSmart’s Richard Gladman said the most important thing to do is keep a braking distance of at least four seconds between yourself and the vehicle in front, as this should allow time to stop in the event of an emergency.

He also recommended:

• Checking windscreens and wipers prior to each trip
• Ensuring headlights are on if the wipers are, as a general rule of thumb
• Being prepared for aquaplaning, and not to make any sudden steering motions should it occur
• Not driving over any road covered in water unless absolutely certain of the depth.

“Take extra care and if possible, avoid driving through standing water. If you’re in any doubt about the depth or surface underneath a flood, then it’s best not to take any chances,” Mr Gladman concluded.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “We wholeheartedly agree with this advice and urge everyone to be especially careful during this period of poor weather. While many of our drivers may not be able to avoid being on the roads, they can take as many measures as they can to keep themselves safe.”

Fuel Card Services and the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) will be in attendance at an exciting event in Croydon this week.

Entitled ‘Reducing fuel use and minimising environmental impacts’, we feel the name says it all.

Protecting business and environmental interests

The half-day workshop will cover the environmental impact of fleet operations and highlight the actions organisations can take to monitor and reduce their adverse effects. It covers FORS Standard Bronze requirement O2 and Silver requirement S3 Fuel, emissions and air quality.

Moreover, the session will also see discussions on the steps businesses can take to reduce their fuel usage and emissions.

Our Major Accounts Manager Rachel Pearson will be in attendance and on hand throughout the day to answer any questions.

This event will take place in Croydon on September 18th from 09:00 to 12:45 and is, unfortunately, fully sold out. That said, further events will be taking place in the coming weeks and months, covering a wide range of topics specific to UK fleet operators.

If you’d like to take part, please get in touch with your account manager to find out more. However, please note that practitioner workshops are only open to FORS members.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “Fleets up and down the country could benefit from reducing their fuel consumption, while we all stand to make gains when companies take action to limit their environmental impact.”

A significant proportion of UK motorists would be willing to pay to park at work if the money they were spending could be passed on good causes, new research has revealed.

According to Motorpoint, one in five drivers would be willing to pay up to £10 per month.

Benefits for drivers, businesses and charities

Paying a monthly donation to a charity in exchange for a reserved parking space in close proximity to work was seen as a popular choice among UK car owners.

Mark Carpenter, CEO of Motorpoint, said his own business has recently launched a charity parking scheme just like this and it’s already proven extremely popular among staff.

He stated: “The cost is relatively modest per month, in our case only £10, but the benefits to local good causes can be considerable and have the potential to make a difference to the less fortunate in our society.”

Mr Carpenter added that more businesses should be encouraged to follow the lead of Motorpoint and establish similar schemes. Overall, the company’s own charity parking scheme is expected to raise in excess of £5,000 over the next 12 months.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “It’s a win-win for businesses, drivers and charities, as this type of scheme helps to support a range of great causes while empowering businesses to support their local communities and helping busy drivers to reduce the stress of their daily commute.”

Distraction is an ever-present risk for drivers, so taking the time to recognise this fact and do something about it is important when it comes to keeping our roads safer in the future.

Indeed, GEM road safety author Sandra Macdonald-Ames has highlighted six of the most common distractions for drivers and what you should do to avoid them.

Don’t let distraction spoil your driving

Ms Macdonald-Ames explained: “There are so many potential demands on our attention, some inside the car, some on the outside and others occurring inside our heads.

“There is the potential for us to allow any distraction to take our minds off the central task of driving – with potentially disastrous consequences.”

Here are her six top tips to avoid distractions:

1. Leave your phone alone – Smartphones are everywhere nowadays and it pays to be connected, but when driving this can be a real problem. Turn off your phone if possible and don’t be tempted to check it.
2. Plan journeys in advance – Knowing where you are going and how you’ll get there means you don’t have to spend time looking at maps. While sat-navs are great for directions, looking up your destination on Google Street View ahead of embarking can be a good way to stay distraction-free.
3. Preset your playlists – We all know what it’s like to need a change of tunes, but by switching our attention to finding a new song, you run the risk of becoming distracted.
4. Don’t eat and drive – Grabbing a quick snack can be tempting on long journeys, but eating and driving means you have to take your attention off the road and hands off the wheel. It’s something to be avoided.
5. Take regular breaks – Fatigue can be a real cause of distraction for drivers, so plan in regular stops to ensure you stay fresh when behind the wheel.
6. Keep your passengers occupied – Chatty passengers or children in need of constant attention can be distracting, so give them something to do that doesn’t involve you taking your attention off the road.

Ellie Baker, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, comments: “Drivers need to have their attention on the act of driving at all times. It’s a complex task and one that’s potentially extremely dangerous, so always be aware of when your mind begins to wander and don’t lose focus behind the wheel.”