Safety Topic - Road Rage
None of us are guilty of road rage are we?
In reality, we all get frustrated and we all can get a wee bit... well... aggressive behind the wheel. Some, sadly, take it to another level. Fair to say, we have all been on the receiving end of road rage.
As an employer, we have a few responsibilities we cannot ignore, especially when someone is driving a company vehicle let alone a branded one. Do you have a driving / vehicle policy that captures your expectations with road rage? What about what your worker should do if they are on the receiving end?
Do you have road rage?
It is very tempting to turn this into a quiz... how would you score?
You have a hard time controlling your emotions while driving.
You frequently get outwardly angry while driving.
You take risks, drive aggressively, and have trouble following traffic laws.
You make a conscious effort to interfere with, intimidate, or endanger other drivers.
You have a history of driving violations or accidents caused by aggressive behaviour.
Spare a thought for our truckies. The silly and at times frightening things they have to deal with
daily is both scary and disappointing.
A simple reminder - trucks do not stop quickly. Please don’t cut them off thinking you have
enough room. You don’t!
What clients have dealt with
Client workers being punched out at traffic lights.
Client workers punching other motorists at traffic lights.
Attempted truck hijacking by gang members.
Gang members being knocked unconscious at peak hour traffic (standstill) on Auckland motorways.
Another motorist approaching client worker with a hammer and hitting the driver door ‘encouraging’ the worker to come out of the truck.
Poor driving habits by workers - speeding, not indicating, not stopping at stop signs, giving other motorists the ‘bird’, all whilst in company branded vehicles.