One in three road collisions in England involves someone driving for work. This places occupational road risk among the highest dangers for the highways sector workforce. A new document now sets out unified rules for managing this risk.
The Supply Chain Safety Leadership Group (SCSLG), which includes representatives from National Highways’ supply chain, developed the common intent document with National Highways. It targets suppliers operating on the Strategic Road Network (SRN).
Driving for Better Business and fleet standards
The document requires all suppliers to register with the Driving for Better Business (DfBB) programme. Fleets must complete risk assessments and enforce strict driving policies. Future fleet vehicles should meet Euro NCAP Gold safety ratings, with mandated safety equipment fitted.
Healthy drivers and behaviour monitoring are priorities. Compliance with the Highways Passport scheme forms part of maintaining safe drivers. The document treats occupational road risk with the same importance as risks on construction sites.
Reporting and ongoing improvement
All work-related road incidents must be reported within one working day. Lessons learned are to be shared across the supply chain to prevent recurrence. The document encourages suppliers to engage with innovation and align with emerging safety standards.
Managing occupational risk across supply chains
Mark Cartwright, Head of Commercial Vehicle Incident Prevention at National Highways, said this initiative is a commitment rather than a one-off measure. He emphasised the importance of well-managed fleets and holding suppliers to high safety standards for road risk as for site risk.
Nick Holt, Managing Director at WJ Group and SCSLG Serious Risk Lead for Occupational Road Risk, described the document as a significant step. He said consistent management of occupational road risk will raise standards, protect people, and improve safety on UK roads.
National Highways supports the launch with a series of communications including posters, social media content, and presentations. Supply chain partners are urged to embed the messaging internally and demonstrate their commitment to the initiative.
Explore more: Visit our Health & Safety section for the latest updates on workforce protection, site safety, and best practice across the highways sector.
