European Transport Safety Council call for employee drug testing and employee alcohol testing for HGV drivers to reduce fatal accidents.

A report from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has claimed that Commercial Vehicle drivers should be subject to specialised drink driving enforcement as they are more likely to be involved in a collision that results in a death – based on kilometres travelled – than other motorists.

The report called “Drink Driving in Commercial Transport” identified that even though commercial drivers were less likely to drink and drive than private motorists, the size and weight of lorries, trucks and buses meant crashes involving such vehicles were more likely to result in a fatality.

Based on these findings, the RTSC have called for alcohol ignition locks to be installed in the vehicles of first-time drink driving offenders found significantly over the limit to help reduce the chance of reoffending in the future.

The ETSC cited research collated by the European Traffic Police Network it found the percentage of all commercial and private vehicles driving journeys associated with alcohol ranged from 0.2 per cent in Norway to 8 per cent in Cyprus.

In the UK the ETSC found that for every 200 million miles travelled by HGVs they are involved in three fatal crashes, while buses and coaches are involved in four. The equivalent figure for cars is less than two.

According to the Road Collision Facts 2008, published by the RSA, 82 commercial and public service vehicles were involved in a fatal crash that year, compared to 234 cars. That year, 279 people were killed on the roads.

In 2001 the European Union recommended the allowable blood alcohol limit for commercial drivers be reduced to 20mg per 100mg of blood. While European states are free to set their own limits, the EU said a 50mg limit should be the highest allowable.

The UK and Malta are the only countries in the EU to still have an 80mg limit.

Among the other recommendations in the ETSC report is that testing for drink driving form part of every police checkpoint for driver behaviour and that all collisions dealt with by police lead to a mandatory alcohol test for the drivers.

This recommendation is subtly different to the approach being taken by the Department of Transport.

Forensic Resources one of the UK’s leading employee alcohol testing and employee drug testing services agrees that the blood alcohol limit needs to be reviewed but emphasises the importance of testing HGV drivers on a regular basis whether the limit changes or not.

Abi Carter Director of Forensic Resources Ltd said “It’s important that employers regularly test for alcohol and drug abuse within the workforce to assure accidents do not occur. The findings from the ETSC demonstrate the significant effects that a HGV accident can cause compared to a private driver and if alcohol is the stimulus this then testing and screening of employees needs to be introduced on a regular basis”

If you require further information on blood alcohol testing, employee alcohol testing, employee drug testing or employee screening services please give on of our forensic experts a call on 02920 647 043 or visit our website Forensic Resources Ltd.