FTA driver fatigue campaign wins top safety award

FTA Press Release
01/07/2003 The fatigue awareness campaign that AWAKE produced for the Freight Transport Association has been recognised by the presentation of a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award. The presentation was made to FTA President John Allan by Baroness Helene Hayman, a former transport minister and trustee of the awards scheme.

The FTA Driver Fatigue Campaign was launched in 2001 and is ongoing. The campaign was designed to both draw attention to the potential dangers of lorries being driven by tired drivers and to suggest measures to avoid the situation. As such driver best practice was identified and information and advice provided to drivers and managers by means of posters, leaflets and pocket cards. Material was distributed to drivers at both their home depot location and during specific exercises with the co-operation of various police forces, at motorway service areas and other roadside locations. In addition every FTA member has received a copy of the FTA Guide to Driver Fatigue. Demand for this item has been so strong that it has now been permanently added to FTA’s portfolio of sales publications.

AWAKE said: "We are delighted that our campaign for the FTA has been recognised by this prestigious award. The Awake team worked hard to produce a set of materials which would convey the right messages in an effective manner, and we are pleased that the campaign and our efforts have received the recognition they deserve."

FTA is presently working on new ways to develop the campaign and increase public and industry knowledge of fatigue and how to recognise it, prevent it, and increase road safety. The association is looking at extending the campaign to cover drink, drugs and mobile phones.

Receiving the award FTA President John Allan said ‘We are delighted that our work in this important area has been recognised and honoured. Lorries are involved in less accidents per vehicle mile than any other category of vehicle. However, when an accident does occur involving a lorry then it tends to be more serious. Our FTA campaign has been designed to protect the interests of all road users both inside and outside of the transport industry.’

On behalf of the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards Baroness Hayman said: ‘We now know that some twenty per cent of motorway crashes are caused by fatigue, the significant effort being made by FTA to counter this through this campaign is heartening and well worthy of recognition through this award.’

http://www.fta.org.uk/news/pressreleases/archive/20030711FTAdriver.htm