Road traffic accident — driving for work
The most common serious work risk there is: fatigue, distraction and vehicle condition against planning, telematics and modern vehicle safety.
5 threats 13 barriers 3 consequences safety-critical barriers marked
Use this template free. Copy “Road traffic accident — driving for work” into your own workspace and adapt every barrier — no credit card.
Start free with this template →Threats & preventive barriers
Each threat is a credible pathway to the top event; its barriers interrupt that pathway before control is lost.
Fatigue on long journeys
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Journey planning & driving-hours limits
Socio-technical · 75% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
Schedule pressure squeezes rest stops
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Overnight-stay policy for long trips
Socio-technical · 65% effective · Owner: HR Director
Distraction (phone use while driving)
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Do-not-disturb-while-driving policy
Behavioural (human) · 60% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
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Telematics with coaching feedback
Continuous · 70% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
Vehicle defects
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Preventive maintenance programme
Socio-technical · 80% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
📅 Vehicle inspection · quarterly keep-alive task
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Pre-drive walkaround checks
Behavioural (human) · 60% effective · Owner: Driver
Severe weather conditions
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Trip-deferral policy in severe weather
Socio-technical · 70% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
Inexperienced or unassessed drivers
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Driver assessment & defensive training
Behavioural (human) · 75% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
📅 Defensive-driving refresher · annual keep-alive task
Consequences & recovery barriers
Once the top event happens, recovery barriers limit each consequence.
Serious injury or fatality
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Modern vehicles with active safety (ADAS) ★ critical
Passive (hardware) · 85% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
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Seatbelts, airbags & crashworthiness
Passive (hardware) · 90% effective · Owner: Fleet Manager
Third-party harm and liability
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Fleet insurance & claims handling
Socio-technical · 70% effective · Owner: CFO
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Incident response & legal support
Socio-technical · 70% effective · Owner: Legal Counsel
Repeat accidents from unlearned lessons
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Post-accident investigation & learning
Socio-technical · 70% effective · Owner: HSE Manager
Copying this template gives you a fully editable bowtie: barrier owners arrive as role suggestions, escalation factors sit on their barriers, and keep-alive activities are scheduled from the moment you copy. New to the notation? Read what the bowtie method is or browse the practical guides.
Use this template free. Copy “Road traffic accident — driving for work” into your own workspace and adapt every barrier — no credit card.
Start free with this template →