RSSI unveils new road safety initiative to increase driver safety

14/02/2018

RSS Infrastructure (RSSI), a subsidiary of Auctus Management Group, is proud to unveil their latest initiative to reduce the number of accidents / incidents that occur whilst driving. The company has been actively supporting Network Rail with their mandate to ensure that ‘Everyone [returns] Home Safe Everyday’ by deploying various measures to increase safety within the sector.

RSSI and Network Rail have identified that there is an industry wide issue relating to team members, both passengers and drivers, not using their seatbelt when in a moving vehicle. This resulted in Network Rail creating a specific section on driving related behaviour within their ‘Life Saving rules’. These rules are as follows: “Never use a hand-held or hands-free phone, or programme any other mobile device, while driving” and “Always obey the speed limit and wear a seat belt”.

The law requiring all drivers to wear their seatbelts came in to force 30 years ago, on the 31 January 1983. The statutory implications of the Act helped to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents for everyone who uses the roads.

The company is supporting Network Rail in their endeavour to raise awareness for the importance of wearing a seat belt by unveiling their new seat belt covers. The covers have been constructed out of the same high-visibility material used for Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE). The rationale for this is firstly symbolic as it demonstrates to the person getting into the vehicle that the seat belt, as with the PPE clothing, is there to help buy clomid us protect and save lives. Furthermore, the reflective nature of the material acts as a reminder when in a low visibility environment that the seatbelts have been fitted and are available for use. The vivid colour and reflective material of the seatbelt covers also helps to advertise their use to other colleagues and the wider public, which will hopefully result in usage levels increasing within the wider driving community and ultimately reduce injuries.

RSSI were also the first company in the UK rail sector to integrate the Driver Awareness Warning System (DAWS) into its fleet. The move was sparked by increasing industry concerns over the transportation of workers to site. The warning system is a dash-mounted device, which focuses on the driver’s retina and measures their ‘blinking pattern’, sounding audible warnings if signs of drowsiness or inattention are detected. In conjunction with DAWS, the RSSI fleet of Mercedes Benz vehicles have been equipped with a market-leading armoury of safety features, including electronic stability, brake assistance, parking sensors and flashing hazard warning lights, which react automatically under emergency braking.

All vehicles have been fitted with the latest telematics to monitor drivers speed, location, braking, fuel consumption, mileage and emissions as well as real-time traffic updates, out of hours/unauthorised vehicle use and excessive driver hours alerts.
These initiatives will hopefully look to change the driving culture within the UK and ultimately ensure that the ideas and principles behind Network Rail’s “Everyone Home Safe Every Day” campaign are achieved.