Operator safety ratings

Crashes

Print version: Crashes (PDF, 122 KB, 2 pages)

Operator safety ratings will provide a fair and accurate indication of both the safety of an operator’s fleet and the operator’s compliance with land transport safety legislation. This infocard outlines the impact of certificate of fitness (CoF) inspections on an operator’s safety rating. It is one of a series aimed at encouraging excellence in the Operator Rating System (ORS).

Safety ratings are based on data collected on an operator and the operator’s vehicles and drivers. The data is generated from three types of safety related events that can occur during a rating period. The safety related events are:

• Certificate of fitness (CoF) inspections
• Roadside inspections
• Offences - driver and operator convictions and infringements

Crashes involving an operator’s vehicle are also recorded as an event in the operator’s Operator Rating System (ORS) history but will not form part of the calculation of the safety rating.

The first rating period will initially be six months, but will increase to 24 months over time.

Why consider crashes?

Crashes have lethal potential and are, in most cases, avoidable.

How will crashes be taken into account in the safety rating?

Any crash attended by the Police will be recorded as an event in an operator’s ORS history. While crashes will not form part of the calculation of the safety rating, any offences associated with the crash, and attributed to the operator, will form part of the safety rating calculation, once fault is confirmed. Operators will also be informed of the number of crashes that have been recorded in their ORS history when they are notified of their proposed safety rating.

Why bother recording crashes?

Recording all crashes assists in identifying road safety trends and will help operators manage their road safety risk.

What if an operator is ‘at fault’ in a crash?

Offences which contribute to a crash or are identified during subsequent investigation, will be recorded against the operator once fault is confirmed. (Refer to infocard Offences.) To achieve an excellent ors rating there needs to be a proactive and consistent commitment to vehicle and driver safety all year round.

To reduce the chance of being involved in a crash:

• choose the most appropriate vehicle for the job
• implement a comprehensive maintenance programme to ensure vehicles are safe and legal at all times
• drivers should inspect vehicles before every trip (refer to Roadside inspection guidelines for heavy vehicles)
• have a system in place to report vehicle faults and action repairs
• put in place a safe driving policy (refer to Developing a safe driving policy)
• ensure schedules and rosters are achievable within the law (refer to Work time and fatigue)
• identify and avoid fatigue (refer to Factsheet 24: Fatigue)
• drivers must be appropriately licensed and trained for their job
• monitor near misses, minor crashes and complaints
• address offending. Information about driver demerit points is provided by the transport organisation register online (toro).

For more information

• talk to a vehicle standards advisor or transport regulatory advisor at your nearest NZTA regional office
• T 0800 822 422
• www.landtransport.govt.nz/commercial/operator-rating-system

Page updated: 10 March 2009