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Warwickshire County Council - Employer of Choice Awards 2003
New Mobile Phone Rules from December 1st 2003
"White van man" is safer than Company Car Drivers shock!
| Warwickshire County Council - Employer of Choice Awards 2003
Highfield St James is proud to announce that we have won a Commendation in the 2003 Employer of Choice awards made by the County Council. This is in recognition of our "excellent work-life balance policies" which have been implemented at the company during the last year.
In a ceremony held at the Corus Hotel in Honily, Warwickshire in November 2003, the Chair of the County Council Councillor Jill Dill-Russell presented the awards to a wide range of companies with the premier award going to GAP Clothing in Rugby.
We at Highfield St James are extremely pleased to be associated with the award and also by association with the other winners including a company of the calibre of GAP.
Information about the awards can be found by contacting Merle Bayliss at Warwickshire County Council on 01926 412738, or merlebayliss@warwickshire.gov.uk or visit warwickshire.gov.uk. | | Top |
New Mobile Phone Rules from December 1st 2003
THE Department for Transport (DfT) has published the long-awaited rules which will enforce the ban on using a hand-held mobile phone while driving.
From December 1, it will be illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving.
However, the legislation states that, providing a phone can be operated without holding it, hands-free equipment is not prohibited by the new regulation.
It is the actual holding of the phone which will be the offence, with drivers penalised for all activities associated with making or receiving calls, sending text messages, accessing the internet or using video phones.
The legislation also covers other electronic devices such as palm pilots and personal organisers - or anything that needs to be held while driving.
It will be illegal to use hand-held phones in traffic jams and at traffic lights. However, if the mobile phone is in a cradle, drivers will be able to push a button to activate a hands-free system, as long as they do not pick up the phone to do so.
On the question of whether employers can be guilty of an offence if their employees use a hand-held phone while driving, the DfT says: 'The new regulations apply to 'anyone who causes or permits any other person' to use a hand-held mobile phone while driving.
'The department considers that employers would not be liable just because they supplied a telephone or because they phoned an employee who was driving.
'However, employers would probably be liable if they required their employees to use a hand-held phone while driving and might also be liable if they failed to forbid employees to use such phones on company business.'
What is banned? - Holding a mobile phone in your hand or between your ear and neck
- Holding a palm pilot, or any other electronic device
- Sending text messages, video links or internet connections while driving on the road
- Holding a phone in a traffic jam while the engine is running or at traffic lights
Fleet News publication has launched "PhoneSafe" campaign to make drivers and fleets aware of the new legislation.
According to latest research from the Association of British Drivers (ABD), 40% of motorists are still unaware that use of hand-held mobile while driving is to be banned. Mobile headset manufacturer JABRA and the ABD carried out the research to assess the impact the impending legislation had made.
Other key findings of the research included the fact that 17% of drivers questioned admitted to using a hand-held mobile while driving.
A quarter of respondents who were aware of new legislation said it would not stop them from using a hand-held mobile while driving.
And many drivers who are aware of the legislation are still confused over what hands-free options are legal.
The ban will make Britain's fleet drivers liable to face a minimum £30 fine if they are caught using a hand-held mobile while they are in control of a vehicle.
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"White van man" is safer than Company Car Drivers shock!
THE archetypal 'White Van Man' has a better safety record than the average company car driver, it has been revealed.
Much-maligned panel van operators are involved in fewer accidents than people driving company cars, according to Professor Peter Cooke of Nottingham Business School. In a nationwide survey on light commercial vehicle trends, 70% of companies questioned believed the accident record of their van drivers was as good as, or better than, that of staff with fleet cars.
He said: 'We found this aspect of our research to be very interesting. White van man turns out to be a careful and considerate road user after all. 'But I believe this information has far greater significance than merely dispelling a wide-held belief - it is a potential cost-saver for businesses that are under consistent pressure to cut overheads.' Most of the companies surveyed included vehicle cover as part of the insurance for their general business operations. 'I think a little time spent analysing how their premiums are made up might yield some worthwhile cost savings. I am convinced many companies could get better insurance deals - especially as only 5% of the firms we spoke to had specific insurance packages for their commercial vehicle fleets.
I would advise organisations to exercise more care in their insurance and underwriting - it's obvious many are paying a lot more for insurance than they need,' he said.
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