Download our free tips posters below. Print and display them so that your drivers will be reminded of the key considerations when driving on rural roads.
See our full range of fleet safety posters here.
Of all the on-road fatalities in 2018, the majority occurred along rural roads¹. It’s important for your drivers to be reminded of the unique hazards that rural roads present, and the best ways to mitigate the risk they pose.
- Know your limit point. Bends in the roads can hide hazards, so knowing your limit point and adjusting your speed accordingly will help you stop in the distance that you can see to be clear ahead.
- Watch for manure. This could mean that there are animals ahead or that you’re approaching the entrance to a farm or fields. Both mean that there could be increased levels of farm traffic and livestock on the roads so drive carefully.
- Only overtake when it is safe to do so. Rural roads are not always straight or safe places to overtake, so avoid the manoeuvre unless it’s necessary and you can see the road ahead is clear.
- Look for the signs. A lamppost or finger post sticking out as you approach a bend might mean there’s a hidden junction ahead – reduce your speed until you can see the hazard.
- Give way to vehicles coming uphill on single-track roads whenever it is safe to do so. Let others pass by pulling over to the side in a designated spot.
- Watch your limit of vision on hills and bridges. Dips in undulating roads can hide hazards and you may need to stop before you reach one.
While not all business drivers will drive on country roads, ensuring that those who do are aware of these hazards can help to reduce the number of incidents they’re involved in.
Our online fleet risk management portal, CHOICES, includes e-learning modules that cover key areas of UK fleet driving, including rural roads. Contact us to find out more.
¹Source: Reported road casualties Great Britain, annual report: 2018, Department for Transport, 2019
