New van driver handbook published
Date: 21 April 2008
A new van driver handbook has been published that will help couriers and other drivers of light commercial vehicles operate safely.
The FTA Van Drivers' Handbook, by the Freight Transport Association, is an easy-to-use reference guide that will help van drivers remain legally compliant.
It contains information about legal requirements, drivers' hours, licences, offences, speed limits, parking and loading, driving in towns and on motorways, dangerous goods, and driving abroad.
It also offers advice on operating courier vans, including safe use of the vehicle and theft prevention, and a pull-out guide on the 'van driver daily walk-around check'.
Lawrie Alford of the FTA stressed that van drivers such as couriers tend to be safe, saying: "Van drivers come in for a great deal of unfair criticism regarding driving standards.
"However, Department for Transport accident statistics show that the van is the safest vehicle on UK roads – on a mile-for-mile comparison, vans are involved in just 24 accidents per 100 million vehicle-kilometres."
The guide will help them to remain safe, he added.
The FTA is one of the UK's largest trade associations and represents the interests of around 12,000 companies.
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