There is no doubting the fact that road accidents can have a majorly disruptive effect on people’s lives. That is why one Australian university has decided to undertake new research that looks into the prevalence of work related traffic injuries. Most people think of road traffic accidents happening on private personal journeys, but the fact is that millions of people have to use the roads every day in order to carry out their jobs. The Monash University Accident Research Centre aims to identify which workplace behaviours are the most effective when it comes to promoting a culture of road safety. Greater road safety means that more road traffic accidents and injuries should be prevented. In Australia, road accidents are the leading cause of work related deaths. Darren O’Connell, an insurance specialist, explains:
“Approximately 27 per cent of work-related vehicles are involved in crashes each year. This equates to around 1.4 million work-related vehicles involved in crashes every year, based on Australian Bureau of Statistics data. Road traffic injuries can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. These incidents can take a huge personal toll on the individuals involved, their families and their co-workers within the organisation. There can also be very significant flow-on effects to an organisation’s revenue.”
“They can lead to lost productivity, compensation claims and higher insurance premiums. It is clear that there is still a fair amount of room for improvement when it comes to the risk management approaches applied to some fleet and vehicle operations. The findings of this study will deliver valuable direction for both business and the insurance industry to make work-related vehicle use safer in the future.”
When you have been in an accident, the last thing that you want to have to deal with is a troublesome car accident claim. That is why it is important to seek out the services of road accident claim specialists who will be able to offer an accurate synopsis of the circumstances that one is facing. Dr Sharon Newnam, the research project’s Chief Investigator at the Monash University Accident Research Centre, believes that many workplace managers are unaware of the factors within their organisations that are likely to lead to reductions in work-related road traffic injury and deaths. She said:
“This study will not only identify the individual-driver, supervisor and organisational-level factors associated with work-related road traffic injury. It will also establish, for the first time, an occupational translation taskforce to ensure the research findings are adopted into workplace practice and, thereby, directly contribute to reductions in work-related road traffic injury.”
One thing is for certain in that it is impossible to prevent every single road accident. However, it is important to ensure that the correct backup procedures are available and in place when an accident happens. A road traffic accident is a traumatic event and support from professionals can make all the difference when recovering from physical or psychological traumas. Ultimately, any research that helps to cut down on accidents has to be a good thing.
About the Author – Sarah Makinson is a freelance blogger who contributes regularly to a number of different consumer sites, including What’s My Claim Worth.
