Yorkshire business powering ahead to stop road fatalities
THERE are around 1.3m road fatalities around the globe each year but aiming to reduce this number, Yorkshire business Interactive Driving Systems is powering ahead with its growth plans.
The Huddersfield headquartered firm, which specialises in managing driver safety, is tapping into new markets and developing its products.
Plans are in place to continue the company’s success with investments in new management leadership tools and online technology to help managers and drivers address potentially dangerous driving habits.
The business, which has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, has offices in the USA, Mexico, Poland, Holland, New Zealand and has recently opened a site in Brazil. Its clients include Asda, E.ON, Pfizer, BT, Nestlé and Royal Mail.
Managing director, Andy Cuerden, said: ‘Using the road is the most dangerous activity that most people engage in and has approximately 1.3m road fatalities around the globe each year.
“We are proud to support client and partner organisations in over 70 countries whose employees are required to drive for work purposes.”
According to the firm, which employs a team of 20 in Huddersfield and another 10 in offices around the world, more than 1m drivers and their managers have been engaged in road safety programs in 45 languages through online risk assessment and coaching modules in Virtual Risk Manager.
It is set to invest in driver and management level tools covering a number of subject areas and in data protection and IT security.
Research director, Dr Will Murray, said there is a lot of growth in Europe and beyond for Virtual Risk Manager.
He said: “Approximately 2,000 people die on the roads each year in the UK but in countries such as India and China, the figures are more like 100,000 a year.
“Therefore, we are doing an increasing amount of work in these places to bring these numbers down, including the launch of Virtual Risk Manager two-wheeler to address the growing number of motor-cycle injuries and fatalities.
“We will continue to develop existing products and develop new products and are absolutely confident we can move forward in helping to reduce the road safety burden and help organisations cut their costs and protect their people.”
The firm pioneered the use of multi-media and online tools, including the world’s first defensive driving CD-ROM in 1996, working with the British Armed Forces, Zurich Risk Engineering, the Institute of Advanced Motorists and Driving Standards Agency.
It also has links with University of Huddersfield – through research programs such as the European Regional Development funded Driver Risk Assessment and Monitoring Project – and has close working relationships with several organisations, including the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and Huddersfield-based road safety charity Brake.
