Fleet Safety
Workplace related road crashes are the most common cause of death, injury and absence from work in Australia.
WALGA's RoadWise has developed a Fleet Safety Resource Kit to assist Local Governments in developing and adopting fleet safety policies. A copy of the Kit can be downloaded from the Resources section of this website or by contacting your Regional Road Safety Advisor. Advisors can also provide more information and assist Local Governments with implementing fleet safety into the workplace.
Adopting Fleet Safety Policies
Adopting fleet safety polices can not only result in lowered costs (vehicle damage, insurance and productivity) but also provides a safer work environment for employees.
A number of Local Governments already have fleet safety policies or are considering whether to adopt the fleet safety recommendations included in the Fleet Safety Kit.
Local Governments can contact their Regional Road Safety Advisor to discuss fleet safety and obtain further information.
High Occupancy Vehicle Policy Guide for Local Governments.
The National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP), together with WALGA RoadWise and a number of industry partners, have developed a High Occupancy Vehicles Policy Guide for Local Government. Originating from the National High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Working Group, the Policy Guide aims to address safety practices relating to HOVs, the diversity in their use and the challenges they pose within Local Governments.
A HOV is an on-road vehicle which carries nine to 30 passengers. Common types of HOVs include passenger vans, mini-busses and tour busses. These vehicles operate across Australia in various terrain and organisational settings, with Local Governments collectively managing a significant fleet of HOVs used widely in the community. Identified as an emerging road safety issue, these vehicles have an increased potential for injury or fatality in the event of a crash, as they carry a larger number of passengers, tend to be older vehicles with limited safety features and an increased likelihood of rollover.
A survey conducted by WALGA in 2020 identified that WA Local Governments own a variety of HOVs which are used in a diverse number of ways in the community. The survey also identified that only a small number of Local Governments have a specific HOV policy, while some have no fleet policy at all. The Policy Guide was developed to address recommendations from the survey to develop safety-related guidelines, model policies, templates and checklists to assist Local Governments to address the safety risks of HOVs.
The Policy Guide outlines minimum requirements for the safe use of HOVs. Its purpose is to prevent injuries and fatalities related with the use of HOVs, whether it be during use by staff, when leasing the vehicles for commercial/private use or when subcontracting volunteers to drive the vehicles managed or owned by the Local Government. Requirements for maintaining HOVs and managing the safety risks associated with mass passenger transport are outlined in the Policy Guide.
The Policy Guide is intended to be used as a template for best practice at the time of development and considered alongside other standards and policies defined by the Local Government. This Policy Guide does not override legislation.
The Policy Guide can be downloaded from the National Road Safety Partnership Program website. If you would like further information or assistance establishing a fleet or HOV policy, please contact your Regional Road Safety Advisor.
Resources
To obtain any of the following resources, visit the Resources section of this website:
- Local Government Fleet Safety Resource Kit
- ESP Vehicles in Australia
- Sample Policy for Small Fleets
- Car Safety Features Matrix
- Sample Incident Report
- Best Practice Guidelines Table
- Model Policy Template
More resources are also available through the Resources section or by contacting your Regional Road Safety Advisor.