Press Releases

DriverFocus makes tangible commitment to help increase work-related road safety in EU.

The European Road Safety Charter is an appeal to all civil society organisations to participate in the ambitious yet possible to halve the number of traffic deaths in the European Union between 2001 and 2010.

In 2007, 43,000 people died in road traffic accidents in the European Union - this is equivalent to over 300 fatal air crashes involving medium-range aircraft. Some 1.7 million people were injured, some of them severely. If you think you will not be involved in a collision, then think again! According to EU statistics, one out of three people will be injured in a traffic accident at some point in their lives. Up to the age of 55, traffic collisions are the most common causes of hospitalisation. Clearly, the dangers of road traffic are all-pervasive and concern everyone. From a national point of view, the economic damages generated by traffic accidents were estimated at €200 billion, corresponding to approximately 2% of the European Union’s Gross National Product (GNP).

Is this the price we must pay for mobility? The European Commission says NO! It is ambitious yet possible to halve the number of traffic deaths in the European Union between 2001 and 2010.

Meeting this objective is a joint challenge. It can only be met if the European Union, its Member States, civil society organisations and of course, all citizens get fully involved in their respective spheres of responsibility.

As an advocate of best-practice work-related road safety practices, DriverFocus is a willing signatory of the European Road Safety Charter.  Beyond its day-to-day activities, DriverFocus will commit the necessary resources over the next three years to:

• Provide a free, online driver self-assessment to 1,000 drivers
• Actively encourage at least 50 employers to join Brake’s Fleet Safety Forum
• Assist the RSA and HSA in distributing relevant guidance to 500 employers

Further information on signing up to the European Road Safety Charter can be found at: http://www.erscharter.eu/

BT Safe Driver of the Year 2008

Dublin, December 18, 2008:

BT's 6th annual Safe Driver of the Year competition was recently hailed as a great success by participants, organisers and observers.

The competition, which consists of online filtering rounds and a finals day, is seen as an excellent way of encouraging good practice for all BT drivers, and assisting them to do their best to be the safest users of our roads. The competition generates publicity and communications helping to raise awareness of road safety amongst the wider BT population and is a very cost-effective way of promoting and developing the knowledge, attitude, behaviour and skills of participants.

This year's winner has driven away with a trophy and £5,000.  A BT Business development specialist for Medway customer service team, the top prize was seized from nearly 4,000 BT people who had entered the competition following its launch earlier in the year.

BT safety advisor for travel and transport Tony Holt said: 'The day itself was great and a good reward for everyone who got through to the final. For the winner to come away with the first prize of £5,000 and a trophy was magnificent.  He was very surprised, but pleased, to have won'.

Trophies and cash prizes were also awarded to the runner-up who won £2,500, and to third-place who was awarded £1,500. The rest of the 30 finalists who attended the event - held at a race track at Rockingham, Northamptonshire - received £100.

Holt said: 'I think it was one of the best Safe Driver of the Year events so far. All the competitors, guests and instructors really enjoyed the day, which is a positive incentive to encourage our drivers to be safe on the road at all times. We're already looking forward to the 2009 competition'.

Speaking about DriverFocus FleetFit, Holt added: ‘while confirming the high-standard of the 30 finalists compared to average drivers, FleetFit once again succeeded in objectively hand-picking the overall winners from the Stage 1 shortlist of over 300 drivers’.

This year BT is also arranging for a DVD of the event to be produced. 'Once it's completed, we will publish a copy online', Holt added. 'To encourage participation, we will be asking all managers to play the web version of the DVD to their teams at the launch of the 2009 competition'.

The annual Driver of the Year competition is open to all BT employees and offers participants a chance to win prizes at each stage of the competition. It aims to assess individuals' knowledge of good driving practice, the Highway Code and BT's health and safety policies.

Commenting on the event, Ron McNamara, Managing Director of DriverFocus said “it is great to be involved in this annual and innovative event, which helps to highlight BT's ongoing commitment to proactive driver risk management.”

The event is organised by driving support and safety organisation Peak Performance, in conjunction with DriverFocus and Interactive Driving Systems. The Ford motor company supplied the vehicles used by the finalists in 2008 and the top prize was sponsored by insurers Zurich.

BT itself is no stranger to awards for safe driving and in 2008, it added to its collection by picking up the prestigious Brake Fleet Safety Award for Excellence (large fleet category)!

For press queries please contact:
DriverFocus 01 2311 400 or info@driverfocus.ie

About DriverFocus
DriverFocus was established in 2006 to deliver Driver Risk Management solutions based on innovative technology, validated psychology and best-practice risk management.

For more information, please visit www.driverfocus.ie
 

DriverFocus wins Most Promising Start-Up Award at Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Enterprise Board's 2008 Awards.

Dublin, 10 September 2008: DriverFocus yesterday evening secured the Most Promising Start-Up Award from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Enterprise Board, at a ceremony in County Hall, Dun Laoghaire.

Established in 2006, DriverFocus helps employers manage their drivers’ wellbeing and skills by identifying – and then training - low, medium and high-risk drivers. DriverFocus’ unique, web-based program FleetFit™, accurately assesses 12 driving-related cognitive skills, compares each driver against their peers and allows organisations to prioritise time-consuming and expensive on-road training.

Ron McNamara, founder and Managing Director of DriverFocus commented: “with rising transport bills, employers are increasingly looking to minimise insurance, training and fuel costs, while meeting business objectives and staying compliant with duty-of-care legislation. Our FleetFit™ program is a very powerful online tool that provides objective metrics on driving-related skills and this allows organisations make better informed decisions, saving both time and money.

About DriverFocus:

DriverFocus is a two-year old Dublin-based company that helps employers manage ‘Driving for Work’ by providing driver-focussed products and services.

In 2006, DriverFocus partnered with CogniFit - the world leader in computerised assessment and training of cognitive skills - to deliver in Ireland and the UK, state-of-the-art, web-based Driver Assessment & Training programs to prioritise, complement and enhance classroom/online/in-vehicle driver training.

For press queries, please contact Ron McNamara on (01) 2311 400 or email ron.mcnamara@driverfocus.ie or visit www.driverfocus.ie

For information about Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Enterprise Board, please contact Michael Hayden on (01) 4948400 or email michael.hayden@dlrceb.ie
 

‘Driver Wellbeing’ Survey Report 2008
Current Policies & Practices Managing ‘Work-Related Road Safety’ (WRRS) in Corporate Ireland Survey

Dublin, January 28, 2008:
 
DriverFocus today releases the first national survey report of its kind into current policies and practices managing ‘Work-Related Road Safety’ in top Irish companies.
The study was commissioned by DriverFocus and conducted by Rigney Dolphin Group among Health & Safety and Human Resource officers, from ‘The Irish Times Top 1000 Companies’ with at least 50 employees. 855 such companies were contacted and the findings are based on 100 completed company interviews.

By way of introduction to Work-Related Road Safety, it is estimated that one-third of all road fatalities and serious injuries in the UK involve someone who is driving for work.1 Other WRRS research there has found that company car drivers have about 30-40% more accidents than ordinary drivers and for those driving 40,000 kilometers or more per annum, the risk is actually greater than working in construction3.  Here in Ireland, official RSA statistics show that in 2005, 46 fatalities and 511 injuries resulted from collisions involving buses and trucks4 – which represent only one group driving for work. When company car drivers (including those in receipt of vehicle or mileage expenses) taxis, vans, couriers and others are considered, the scale of the problem to Irish businesses and society is clear.

Key findings from the ‘Driver Wellbeing Survey Report' include the following:

• It would appear that there are differing views on ‘driving for work’ practices among large Irish companies. 
• A sizeable minority – 42% - of top Irish businesses that participated in this survey, currently do not include ‘driving for work’ clauses in their Health and Safety Management policies.
• A similar number – 40% - do not perceive ‘driving for work’ as a risk in their company. 
• Almost one-third (31%) of companies surveyed advised they ‘never’ provide driver training to employees.
• Almost three out of four (72%) of respondents expressed an interest in using CBT to either train, or prioritise the training, of their drivers.

Commenting on the findings, Ron McNamara, Managing Director of DriverFocus said “this survey highlights the need for clear guidance on what is expected of companies with employees who drive for work. The organisations that assess and train such employees, tell us that a good Safety, Health & Environmental management policy with clear objectives on improving driver safety, aids compliance with duty of care legislation and when coupled with appropriate driver assessment and training, the advantages extend to lower operational risk, reduced costs, improved employee wellbeing and helps them to demonstrate a commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).”

To receive your copy of 'Driver Wellbeing Survey Report', please click here.

For press queries please contact:
DriverFocus 01 2311 400 or info@driverfocus.ie

Note to Editors
Footnotes: 1-4 – sources are noted at the end of the ‘Driver Wellbeing’ Survey Report

About DriverFocus
DriverFocus was established in 2006 to deliver market-proven, innovative driver-orientated products and services, utilising proven technology to enhance a driver's skills, experience and wellbeing.

DriverFocus partnered with Cognifit - the world leader in computerised assessment and training of cognitive skills - to deliver and support in Ireland and the UK, state-of-the-art, web-based Driver Assessment & Training programs to complement and enhance conventional driver training.

For more information, please visit www.driverfocus.ie

About Rigney DolphinRigney Dolphin Group, established in 1990, employs over 800 members of staff delivering customised and effective client management solutions. From its head office in Waterford City and with centres in Dublin and Dundalk, Rigney Dolphin provides a range of services to both the SME and Corporate Sectors including:

• Market Research
• Inbound and Outbound Contact Centre Management 
• CRM Solutions, Lead Management and Fulfillment
   

BT Driver of the Year 2009

Alan Duff, of the BT Operate disaster recovery support team, has won this year’s BT Driver of the Year competition - and driven away with a trophy and £5,000. He seized the top prize from a total of 3,890 BT people who had entered the competition earlier in the year. Winning this year’s finals - held at Rockingham Motor Sport Circuit in Northamptonshire - was third time lucky for Alan, who has got through to the final stage of the competition on two previous occasions.

Alan said he was delighted with his win, although he added: “I enjoy driving - but I prefer safety and courtesy on the road to driving at speed.”

The annual Driver of the Year competition is open to all BT employees and offers participants a chance to win prizes at each stage of the competition. It aims to assess individuals’ knowledge of good driving practice, the Highway Code and BT’s health and safety policies.

The event is organised by BT in conjunction with Zurich Insurance who sponsor the top prize of £5,000, driving support and safety organisation Peak Performance, Interactive Driving Systems are associated and DriverFocus provide a web-based event on cognitive assessment of drivers.  The Ford Motor Company supplied the vehicles used by the finalists.

After the event, Anthony Holt, BT Health & Safety said, ’introducing DriverFocus cognitive assessment for the Top 250, ‘Round 2’ drivers this year, allowed us to go beyond assessing driving knowledge by measuring driving-related cognitive skills against age and gender-related norms, prior to selecting the ‘Final 30’ for Rockingham. This uniquely blended approach of evaluating drivers is innovative, equitable, challenging and helps us manage related costs’.

Ron McNamara, Managing Director of DriverFocus added, ‘BT is recognised as one of Europe’s largest fleets and a leading champion of work-related road safety.  Being selected by BT to help identify its safest drivers as part of the annual BT Driver of the Year competition, was a very significant achievement for us and we are delighted with the results and positive user feedback’.

About BT: BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include networked IT services, local,national and international telecommunications services, and higher-value broadband and internet products and services.  BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale. More information at www.btplc.com

About DriverFocus: DriverFocus was established in 2006 to deliver market-proven, innovative, technology-based products and services to enhance a driver's skills, experience and wellbeing.  DriverFocus has partnered with Cognifit - the world leader in computerised assessment and training of cognitive skills - to deliver and support in the UK and Ireland, state-of-the-art online Driver Assessment & Training, to prioritise and enhance traditional defensive / advanced driver training.  More information at www.driverfocus.ie

 

DriverFocus FleetFit™ has won the 2007 ‘Idea Of The Year Award' (Road Category) from the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (C.I.L.T) Ireland. The Award, sponsored by Irish Distillers, was presented by Joe Walsh, FCILT, President of CILT International at a special awards ceremony on Thursday, 29 March, at DIT, Aungier Street, Dublin.  The awards are presented to the originator of an idea, which the judges consider to be the most innovative and which could make a significant contribution to some aspect of transport, logistics or road safety in Ireland.

 

Minister for Transport launches DriverFocus service