Our June Freight People forum on the subject of effective incident and collision investigation was full of top tips from industry experts – Andrew Drewary from Road Safety Smart, Mike Colborne from Tarmac and Lime and Phil Hoyle from GBB (UK) Ltd.

Attendees left with a clear understanding of why companies benefit from both a reputational and financial perspective from carrying out a full investigation to examine the route cause of any incident, as opposed to a focus on the claim and blame. Unless internal staff have received training, incident investigation is often best carried out by an external expert impartial investigator, as opposed to relying on insurers. Of course, the two can and should work hand in hand.

Mike Colborne, Health & Safety Advisor for Tarmac and Lime and a fleet compliance and crisis management specialist explained how paying for such investigations is a worthwhile investment and how Tarmac & Lime have benefited.

Phil Hoyes from GBB(UK) Ltd, a qualified collision forensic investigator who regularly examines vehicles to verify consistency of alleged accidents explained how today’s modern equipment has over 150 sensors providing invaluable data, which does not lie and can establish the facts.

Information gathering is key, with the ‘golden hour’ following an accident playing an important role in establishing the facts. Of course, there may be ‘privileged information’ and Charlotte Lemaire, Criminal Motor Defence Lawyer once again warned against the peril of failure to protect ‘legally privileged’ information.

For further information and advice on impartial incident investigations, contact Freight People Sponsor Andrew Drewary from Road Safety Smart.