Newslink October 2021

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News ‘‘ In 1997 46 people were killed in crashes that involved towing, with 238 other ‘serious’ incidents... by 2019 these figures had fallen to 96 serious incidents and just two fatalities Continued from page 10 The second reason is that, if an accident were to occur, the council or employer could be liable for damages. Ensuring staff are trained in their use can mitigate against any future legal claims. It is the same principle with towing a trailer. If you are trained, you are safer. And if you are trained but do have a crash, at least the employer can point out it has done all it can to keep you safe – thus possibly avoiding a health and safety or corporate manslaughter charge. It is, in many ways, the sentiment that has driven fleet driving programmes in the past; keeping drivers safe while driving for work is good for them and good for the business. I appreciate that the above might not be enough to help bring B+E trainers out of their current malaise, so I have some potentially good news. At the start of this row MSA GB was contacted by the National Trailer and Towing Association (NATA) to seek our views. As you can well imagine, NATA was seething about the government’s plan and was reaching out to driver training bodies for support. This was something I and my colleagues at NASP were more than happy to offer and between us we have floated the idea of a ‘Certificate of Competence’ to the DVSA. It would be a midway point between what we have now and the old system, a way of proving that a driver has taken some kind of formal training on towing trailers/ caravans. It would give members of the public something to aim for and, in the case of an employee, would prove that an organisation has their wellbeing at heart – as well as provide that bit of legal cover in the event of a damages claim. We are a long way from such a certificate at the moment, the nuts and bolts have still to be thrashed out, however, we are pushing DVSA to at least consider the idea. See page 12 for more on this. One thing to stress: as far as MSA GB 10 ‘‘ and NASP are concerned, such a certificate of competence would only be signed off by a fully qualified ADI. The benefit of this to our members in the B+E sector is obvious: at present, some of those operating in this area are not ADIs. This often comes as a surprise to members, however, the current law as it stands still allows training in the sector without any qualification, in much the same way that anyone can lead fleet driver programmes as long as they have a full driving licence. The Certificate I’ve mentioned here would at least go some way to close part of that loophole in the law. The DVSA’s view at present is that it may like to get involved, perhaps overseeing registered B+E trainers’ work in a similar way to how MoT stations are approved by DVSA (ex-VOSA) officials. Watch this space for more details. This may be the answer in the long-term. In the short-term, we have to hope there are no major road safety consequences from this decision. Let’s face it, it is unlikely to have a great impact for some time. I don’t think many of today’s learners will rush out to 1997 buy a trailer or caravan and start driving around, do you? It is more likely that over time – say, the next five-10 years – we will see a gradual increase in trailer-related incidents. This will be a shame. The bar chart below highlights just how well we’ve done on reducing traffic incidents involving trailers. The chart shows that, in 1997, after steady rises of incidents in the previous five years, 46 people were killed in crashes that involved towing, while in total 238 incidents were classed as ‘serious’, meaning victims received hospital treatment in varying degrees. By 2019 these figures had fallen to 96 serious incidents and just two fatalities. In other words, the B+E training and testing community has helped keep many, many people alive – indeed, hundreds over the period, while potentially thousands were stopped from receiving life-changing injuries. That’s a stat to be proud of, and it is shattering that its significance has been swept away in the desperate search for more LGV drivers, no matter how important those ‘knights of the road’ are to the wider economic picture. More reaction: see pgs 25 and 27 plus Minister’s response on page 12 The chart above shows all incidents involving cars towing trailers/caravans since 1992 to 2019. Each bar for a year represents fatalities, serious incidents and minor ones, with a final bar totalising the numbers. The chart peaks on the sixth set of bars (1997) and immediately starts to fall away as the impact of training and testing is felt NEWSLINK n OCTOBER <strong>2021</strong>
For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com The view from the sector: Consultation was a sham We have received the following letter from a member affected by the end of the B+E test. The sentiments are typical of the many calls we have received at Head Office. Dear Editor, Stunned. Shocked. Dismay. Disbelief. All of these words sum up my feelings after Friday’s email from Government announcing the end of B+E Testing. But mostly, numb. Numb sums up my state of mind and feelings most accurately. I qualified in 2000 as an ADI and since 2002, B+E training has been my specialty, a niche if you like, and my main source of income. Building a successful business takes time, as we all know; maintaining an excellent reputation requires consistency, dedication and hard work. I would like to think I had achieved all of that over the years and then, with one email, shattered. Really? Yes, like a magic trick, it’s all gone in the blink of an eye. We all knew change was afoot. Would instructors be signing off reversing and uncoupling manoeuvres? Would there be a CBT-style system introduced if, God forbid, the Department for Transport did scrap the test? I can answer that question. No. None of the above. The biggest shock however, over and above losing my income overnight, was the speed of the decision. When have any of you known a government decision made so quickly? Within days of the consultation finishing. Never?? Which begs the question, was the consultation a complete waste of our time, a sham, a smokescreen, a total joke, because the decision to scrap B+E had already been made way before we knew anything about a consultation. The only bit of genius in this decision was to release the news at 4pm on a Friday just before a weekend, where it easily gets lost. So what next? Pray for a Government U-turn? It’s been known! I believe that is called your wildest dream though. To go from three to four tests per week to none overnight is like driving into a brick wall; you stop instantly and hope there are no injuries. There will be many casualties in our industry after this decision. I doubt there will be enough people clambering for training now there is no legal obligation to do so. There will be some, sure, but probably not enough to justify keeping 25k-worth of car and trailer sitting on the yard, ready and waiting. I think what’s next will need a little more time to work out. I just need the numbness to wear off a bit first. Steve Thomas ADI, Raglan Driver Training NEWSLINK n OCTOBER <strong>2021</strong> 11
Page 1 and 2: msagb.com Newslink The Voice of MSA
Page 3 and 4: For all the latest news, see www.ms
Page 8 and 9: News TRAILER TRAINERS TRASHED The p
Page 12: News: B+E testing Minister responds
Page 19 and 20: Click here for more details
Page 22 and 23: Special feature: Vehicle lights Day
Page 24 and 25: Special feature: Vehicle lights Con
Page 26 and 27: Feature: Changes to the L-test The
Page 28 and 29: Regional News MSA GB Training event
Page 30 and 31: Regional News DVSA: Can they do mor
Page 32 and 33: News DVLA survey finds drivers blin
Page 34 and 35: News Former CDE dies, aged 72 Robin
Page 36 and 37: Q & A with Janet Stewart Former MSA
Page 38 and 39: Membership Members’ discounts and

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