Shut out the stress
These days it barely feels like a day goes by when we’re not in a rush to get somewhere, or driven to distraction by the delays caused by road works and traffic congestion.
We all know that feeling stressed behind the wheel is not good for our health, however new research from the TTC Group now suggests that drivers who suffer stress are more likely to be in a road traffic accident.
Every year RAC patrols are called out to deal with around 20,000 accidents involving business customers and clearly the consequences can have a significant impact on your business as well as your health. If you rely on being able to drive for your business, even a minor shunt can take you off the road for a day or two while the vehicle is fixed, costing you and your business.
The warning came in April as part of Stress Awareness Month, but there are ways to cope with pressure and reduce the chances of having a collision, according to the road safety organisation which educates 330,000 road users each year to reduce road casualties.
TTC Group’s Adrian Hide says the daily commute, traffic jams, being late for an appointment along with being exasperated at the bad driving of others all pile on the anxiety and make driver decisions rushed.
And business drivers who think about their next meeting are also at risk of a deterioration in their motoring standards, he warned.
Adrian said it was important to leave work stress outside of the car once you shut the door, fasten the seat belt and turn on the ignition. Motorists should re-focus their mind back onto the road once it wanders to work and family events.
Adrian said:
“Be the better driver, turn off that mobile phone, maintain a good distance away from the vehicles in front and behind to give you a protective safety bubble to avoid hazards and leave early to give yourself more time.
“Use safety and smoothness as your measuring stick and you will, over time, become safer and less stressed while driving.”
To further improve your driving behaviour you could use RAC Telematics, you get real time tracking and reporting on any device and you could even reduce your fuel bills by up to 15%. And, if you are involved in an accident we’ll be able to tell exactly what happened with a 92% accuracy rate on crash detection – even at speeds of just 5mph. This could really help you to drive down your insurance premiums and protect your business against fraudulent claims involving your business vehicles.
Watch this video and see how RAC Telematics could help your business click here
If you’d like to talk to us please call 0330 159 1174 or visit rac.co.uk/business/telematics today.
