Thursday, September 20, 2007

Road Safety Measures for Organizational Excellence

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) / World Bank joint report, road traffic injuries were the 11th leading cause of death. Without appropriate action and multi stakeholder participation the report estimates that by 2020 this will outpace AIDS, Malaria and War as the world public health challenge. The private sector in India has been involved in multisector and safety initiatives because of the risks posed by the issue to core business activities and also an understanding that the factors driving the road safety facility require a total systems approach engaging all stakeholders. The Global Road Safety Partnership is a typical example of multi stakeholder partnership and Cooperation.

It is interesting to know that good road safety measures adopted and implemented in an organization have a close association in enhancing the operational efficiency of an organization and also creating a brand image for the organization. Better Road safety measures have a close relationship with employee satisfaction and productivity. Safety of an employee is a primary concern of any organization and a prerequisite for this task is a reliable knowledge about the effectiveness and efficiency of the Road Safety measures adopted by an organization and addressing the discrepancy existing in the system. The fact that the employees are safe on the roads while traveling to work and the fact the employees can relax while traveling to work in the morning have a close association with their productivity. .The Employees traveling for their daily work chores will have a strong feeling for their organization and it can act as a catalyst in building their commitment towards their organization.

From an Organization’s perspective implementing better road safety measures makes economic sense. Companies are not immune from the real cost of crash / accidents involving staff whilst driving in their own time for personal and private business. Added to the personal suffering of employees and families, organizations can suffer tremendous financial loss through downtime and lost production.

An improved approach to road safety and responsible driving by the individuals of an organization can lead to an enhanced public image. It can also serve as a value addition and can act as a corporate Social Responsibility initiative seen in the context that the organization is interested in promoting the safety of its employees apart from ensuring the safety of the general public. Road Safety Initiative for an organization is a Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative and also a unique opportunity to bring together an area of core competence and concern with a more Universal Social objective.

In addition to the individual benefits of enhanced safety through Good Road Safety measures an organization will see a reduction in their overall fleet fuel costs, vehicle incident rates, downtime, insurance premium and general maintenance costs. It will also enhance the operational efficiency of the Fleet Management system in an organization. It is also important to share the success of an organizations road safety initiatives and larger aspirations to stakeholders. This will create an enabling environment of sharing knowledge for a Social objective.

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