As we head toward the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, fleet managers need to consider the effect this could have on their drivers the day after an important match. Later nights, possibly drinking, and emotional responses to the outcomes of games all culminate into a potentially dangerous situation for drivers. When it can affect those that drive for your company, this requires intervention on an organisational level.
The CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says manage this risk by addressing them directly with drivers. “Make drivers cautious to drive after a night celebrating or commiserating. Spread awareness that these nights can still often be reflected in one’s BAC the next day. On average it takes one hour for each unit of alcohol to pass through the body depending on various factors. Open channels of communication allow drivers to more effectively manage these risks.
“Along with this, implement additional strategies to manage the risk that drinking during sports events may bring to the workplace. This includes drug and alcohol programmes that contain policies such as testing drivers upon arrival each shift. Demonstrate the importance of not drinking and driving by joining MasterDrive in their initiatives against this, including signing the pledge launched last October.”
While alcohol presents a major challenge, it is not the only heightened risk of which drivers need to be aware. “Watching matches may lead drivers to stay up later than usual especially when watched in social settings. Recent research suggests driver fatigue can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence. Drivers often underestimate the danger of driver fatigue which is why awareness campaigns are so important.
“Another potential risk to consider is changes to driver behaviour as a result of the outcome of a match. This places the onus on fleet managers to be aware of results that can potentially negatively impact moods and possibly even their aggression levels. This will help empower fleet managers to manage this risk proactively.”
With so many daily risks facing fleet managers already, the World Cup may seem insignificant. “Unfortunately, however, it can have an impact on your drivers with BAC levels still above legal limits, increased fatigue and changes to driver behaviour. In addition to all of these, look out for other changes that may be as a result of matches and manage these proactively,” says Herbert.