HSA urging employers to make employees aware of summer driving hazards

Thursday 11th July

The Health and Safety Authority is today (Thursday 11th July) urging employers to make employees aware of summer driving hazards. During the summer months more tourists, caravans, agricultural vehicles and seasonal traffic bring new hazards to negotiate on the roads.

The HSA has published information for employers and employees on its website to remind them of key seasonal tips for safer work related journeys over the coming months.

Deirdre Sinnott, Senior Inspector with the Health and Safety Authority says that anyone who drives for work should be aware of new dangers.

“Extra vigilance is needed for those who drive for work especially during deliveries and collections, on rural roads and near popular tourist and sport destinations. Reversing and manoeuvring feature in many reported incidents and members of public have been killed or injured by reversing vans and trucks. We would ask employers to draw our summer driving tips to the attention of their employees who drive for work.”

Injury and fatality statistics show that over the last number of years almost half of deaths and injuries at work have involved vehicles. 

Summer driving tips can be viewed at http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Vehicles_at_Work/Driving_for_Work