AFI Christmas Opening
As we approach the festive season, we wanted to let you know that AFI will be closing for Christmas and New Year. Our last working day will be Friday 19th December, and we will reopen on Friday 2nd January.
During this time, our office and services will be unavailable, but we’ll be back in the new year ready to support you and hit the ground running for 2026.
Thank you for your continued support throughout the year. We wish all our members a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
If you need anything before the break, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
FLEET SAFETY FOCUS – DRINK AND DRUG IMPAIRMENT
We know in the majority of cases that the initial causation of a road incident is often to do with the driver’s performance, with some form of drug or alcohol impairment being a common issue.
It’s a misconception that the risks are limited to recreational drugs – while they clearly do play a part, it’s also important to recognise that self-prescribed and over the counter drugs can also impact on driver behaviour and performance.
Even prescription drugs can impair you to a significant degree. There has been a staggering 400% rise in drug driving since March 2020, compared with 250% for drink driving in the same period.
Also, while drink-driving fatalities fell by 14% between 2022 and 2023, drug driving deaths rose by 38% during the same period. Drug driving includes those on prescription drugs.
It’s vital that as an organisation, and as a manager or owner, you are confident that your employees understand the impact and the risks of drink and drug driving – not only to themselves, and to other road users, but also to the livelihood of the company they are driving for.
So how confident are you that your drivers are not drink or drug impaired?
Have you got a clear and coherent policy that sets out your expectations, and the ramifications for drivers found in breach of your standards?
Are you sharing these key messages with your drivers? Our fleet safety focus can help.