New Van Drivers’ Handbook from FTA

The Freight Transport Association has published the latest issue of the FTA Van Drivers’ Handbook, sponsored by Ford – the essential guide to ensuring the safe, legal and efficient operation of vans and light commercial vehicles. The 78 page handbook is designed to give the van driver a quick and easy reference guide in order to stay legally compliant, together with practical advice and information on the daily operation of the vehicle.

The book devotes individual chapters to drivers’ legal requirements; customer care; defensive and green driving; safe use of the vehicle; drivers’ hours and records; licences; offences; speed limits; parking and loading; driving in towns; motorways; dangerous goods; theft prevention; and driving abroad. It also gives a pull-out guide on the van driver daily walk around check. This last item is an important facility, providing valuable guidance to the driver as to what he should be looking for during his daily inspection of the vehicle.

FTA’s Sector Head - Automotive & Leasing, Lawrie Alford said, ‘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. That compares well with HGVs at 39 accidents per 100 million vehicle-kilometres and with cars at 67 accidents per 100 million vehicle-kilometres - almost three times more than vans.

‘The van is the ubiquitous workhorse of the UK economy, with versatile and novel variations of vehicle design providing mobile and economic efficiency. Hence the spectacular growth in van sales in recent years.

‘The majority of van drivers are not full time drivers, but driving represents an essential element of enabling them to do their job. As such, the new FTA publication provides anybody driving a van with need-to-know information in order to keep them safe and legally compliant.’

The FTA Van Drivers’ Handbook is available online from Shopfta at www.shop.fta.co.uk or tel: 08717 11 11 11, price £6.00 for FTA members or £6.90 for non-members, with discounts available for multiple copies.