City of York Council is encouraging businesses to consider the dangers that their employees face on the roads  by launching a specialist information pack about occupational road risk.

The aim is to ensure that businesses have the necessary policies in place and have carried out the required risk assessments, and demonstrate a duty of care towards employees who drive. With a third of all deaths on the road involving a vehicle being used for work purposes, managing risk on the roads should be given as much consideration as managing risk in the workplace itself.

Tom Foxton, road safety project officer for City of York Council, said: "We want to make sure that businesses place occupational road risk at the top of the agenda and take their responsibilities seriously."

Among the issues tackled by the information pack is driver fatigue, which is the root cause of up to one in ten crashes on all of Britain's roads (around 23,000 a year).  An estimated 300 people are killed every year when the driver of a vehicle has fallen asleep behind the wheel, compared to 400 who die as a result of drink driving. Driver fatigue affects all drivers, but drivers of commercial and fleet vehicles are at a much higher risk of suffering from tiredness because of the increased hours that they spend on the road.

At least four separate pieces of legislation regulate this area and a number of recent legal cases have highlighted the responsibilities that businesses face. The outcome of certain cases has resulted in large payouts for employees, one of whom is expected to receive more than £1 million.

The pack includes a five-point plan for businesses; a guide to risk assessment; a guide to relevant legislation and the business case for safer driving. Copies are being sent to employers in York, and can be requested by emailing road.safety@york.gov.uk or telephoning (01904) 551331. Businesses can also obtain more information and advice by calling this number.

It will be formally launched at the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce business lunch at the Next Generation sports club off Hull Road, York next Wednesday 1 August.