This report outlines the results of a study of severe road traffic accidents in Norway, triggered by drivers at work. The aim has been to examine whether and to what extent risk factors of these triggering drivers and their vehicles can be traced back to work-related factors. The study is based on data from the Accident Analysis Groups (AAG) of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA), reports from The Transport Accident Investigation Board Norway (AIBN) and interviews with nine experts. The quantitative analysis of AAG data shows that too high speed for the circumstances, failure to use seat belt and insufficient information gathering were the most important risk factors in fatal accidents triggered by drivers at work. The qualitative analysis of reports from AIBN and expert interviews uncovered the following work-related factors considered central for traffic safety: follow up of drivers' speed, driving style and use of seat belt, pay systems, safety culture, risk assessments, procedures/work descriptions and training. The AIBN reports and the interviews indicate that the following framework conditions influence traffic safety: time pressure, competition, type of transport, accident investigations/inspections. The majority of the interviewees held that work-related factors with potential implications for traffic safety are insufficiently monitored in controls and inspections.

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Traffic accidents account for between 20% and 40% of work-related accidents in industrial countries, and research indicates that road transport companies often have little focus on organisational safety management (OSM). There is thus a huge and largely untapped road safety potential in improving the safety of people who drive in their work, by focusing on OSM. Road transport companies in European countries are often small, however, with limited resources in terms of time, financial resources and competence on road safety. The main aim of the present article is therefore to develop an OSM strategy for small road transport companies. Based on a systematic literature review, taking Norwegian research as its point of departure, the article concludes that four measures seem to be most realistic for small goodstransport businesses, and that these measures seem to have the greatest safety potential. These four measures can be arranged on a ladder, where businesses start at the lowest and most basic level, before proceeding to the next step. While our stepwise safety-ladder approach has not been validated, it is expected that further research would confirm the value of the strategy proposed.