The majority of drivers believe themselves to be as good as or better than their peers. Despite this belief the majority of drivers accept that some aspects of their driving aren't as they should be and could be adjusted.

Unfortunately, they also believe that many of these imporvements or adjustments are unnecessary. There's the popular underlying belief that our Highway Code and the requirements for our driving test are applicable only to learner drivers. The majority of drivers also admit that they wouldn't pass a driving test without redressing their driving 'habits'.

Without the compulsion to undertake a further driving test the majority of drivers perceive no requirement to change their driving 'habits'. This is despite the evidence of some twelve million minor shunts sand bumps each year and despite the evidence of the deaths and injuries that occur each and every year on our UK roads.

Drivers regsard these 'accidents' as a part of life and are therefore unavoidable. They also believe, or prefer not to believe, that by their own ineptitude they may become one of the 'accident' statistics. If they're unlucky enough to be involved in a collision, that collision will probably be the fault of someone else.

This is the culture of our modern driver, but a culture that's been superimposed upon them by previous generations. Whilst as a society we've become more aware and more imposing regarding the dangers that effect us in other aspects of our lives, we've to date been blasé about safety on our roads. We've always, to some extent, regarded road collisions to be just accidents, unavoidable misfortunes.

This couldn't be further from reality. If drivers were to show a little more care and consideration to others, these 'misfortunes' would diminish considerably.

As with any other aspect of human behaviour, there are, however, the few who take matters to an extreme. Those individual drivers who take this care and concern to almost zero tolerance manifest their intolerance in a number of ways, they:

- seem to regard every other road user and every obstruction
as a threat to their 'right of passage';
- deliberately force their 'right of passage' by intimidating others;
- become verbally or physically abusive with language and gestures;
- are absorbed in their own 'magnificence' as drivers;
- are exalted by their 'creative progress';
- are likely to become participants in 'road rage'; and
- rarely perceive any danger or wrong in their behaviour.
They see themselves as 'the normal ones'.

Fortunately, these drivers are the minority, although
perhaps an increasing minority. They do, however,
create enormous risks for both themselves
and others. They're the drivers at greatest
risk and are very likely, in the short or
long term, to become victims of their
own misgivings.

It's the responsibility of the driver and the vehicle owner/operator to ensure that that vehicle being used for the purpose intended conforms to, at least, legal minimum requirements.

Duty of care.

The laws and guidelines pertaining to health and safety that should be adhered to by both the company and their employees are exhaustive and complex. They include training, technical requirements, bio-hazard protection, machine guarding, protective clothing, etc, etc.

As a general guideline, the company has a duty to protect their employees, as far as is reasonably possible, against foreseeable hazards. Their employee has a duty, as far as is reasonably possible, to protect him/herself by adhering to their company rules and guidelines within the allocated task. Failure to comply by either party may result in prosecution.

This duty of care also extends to company vehicles. The company has a duty to ensure that the:

- vehicle is suitable for the intended use;
- vehicle is loaded correctly for the intended use;
- vehicle is taxed for the appropriate use;
- vehicle has a valid MOT or vehicle inspectorate certificate;
- vehicle has the correct level of
insurance;
- driver has the correct
qualifications for that
vehicle's usage; and
- driver's licence is currently valid
and of the correct classification.

These are legal requirements. The company also has a 'moral duty of care' to ensure that their vehicle is continuously in a 'suitable usable condition' and the driver is medically capable of the intended task.

Once their vehicle leaves the company premises, the onus for fulfilling the above requirements falls to their driver. If the vehicle fails in any of the pre-going requirements their driver is jointly responsible for those failures, as he/she is the supervisor of that vehicle. If that driver fails on any driving licence or medical requirements, the responsibility is solely his/hers.

That driver also has the sole responsibility of ensuring that vehicle is driven in such a manner, as far as is possible, to deliver that vehicle and its cargo, to its intended destination without causing damage to that vehicle, or causing damage to any other road user, or to their vehicle.

Failure of that driver to comply with this requirement could result in a prosecution for negligence from either the civil authorities or from that company.

This degree of care is no more and no less than that expected from an employee in other areas of their working environment. This degree of care also extends to the responsibility of accident reporting and procedure.

If you're involved in a collision (accident) - even if you're only a witness to one, you're involved - which causes damage or injury to any other person, vehicle, animal, or property,

- STOP;
- provide your name and address, that vehicle owner's name and address,
and that vehicle's registration number, to anyone having reasonable
grounds for requiring them; and
- if you don't give your name and address at the time of that collision (accident),
YOU MUST report that collision (accident) to the police AS SOON AS
REASONABLY PRACTICAL, and in any case, within twenty-four hours.

If another person is injured and you don't produce your insurance certificate at the time of that collision (accident) to the police, or anyone having reasonable grounds to request it, YOU MUST:
- report that collision (accident) to the police AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,
and in any case within twenty-four hours; and
- produce your insurance certificate for the police within seven days
to a police station of your own choice.

You should:
- try to prevent that collision (accident) developing further by warning others,
- if necessary, arrange for the emergency services to be called, and then
stay at the scene until they arrive;
- move any uninjured people to a safer area;
- if a vehicle carrying dangerous goods is involved, keep away from
that vehicle and not smoke nor use a mobile phone in the immediate area;
- provide first aid to anyone who's injured, within recommended procedures; and
- inform your company as soon as possible as they may have a joint responsibility.

Overview.

Without stating the obvious, both driver and passenger safety is in the first instance the responsibility of the driver. It's the responsibility of that driver to ensure they're fit for their task in hand.

As we're aware, long journeys are tiring and the way to combat the fatigue is to start the daily routine as fresh as possible.