The Journey Is Part of the Job: Plan the Return Before Departure

Progress begins by removing unnecessary exposure

The journey to a worksite can be one of the most hazardous parts of the assignment. The safety decision starts before anyone takes a key: is travel necessary now, can the work be done remotely, or can a safer mode of transport be used? A trip avoided also avoids road exposure, fuel use and pressure on the driver.

If travel is necessary, the person approving the work should treat transport time as part of the job. A delivery deadline that assumes perfect roads, no rest and an immediate return is a weak plan. Build a realistic schedule that protects both the outbound and homeward journey.

Plan the whole route, including the return

Identify the route, distance, road condition, weather, daylight, high-risk locations, secure stopping points and reliable communications. Confirm where the driver will rest, refuel and obtain help. Consider people outside the vehicle, especially at schools, markets and other busy roadside areas.

A journey plan needs an owner and a way to adapt. Record who knows the route, expected arrival, check-in points and overdue response. Agree what the driver will do if the route closes, visibility falls, the vehicle develops a defect or arrival will be late. A plan that only covers departure is incomplete.

Make fitness and vehicle condition real controls

Before dispatch, confirm that the driver is licensed and competent for the vehicle and load, fit for duty, and able to complete the trip without unsafe fatigue. Account for the work already done that day and the time needed to travel home. Sleep loss cannot be corrected by urgency or a signed form.

Check tyres, brakes, lights, mirrors, restraint systems, load security and any task-specific equipment. Defects that affect safe travel need repair or a different vehicle before departure. Every occupant should have a working seat belt. Cargo must not shift, obscure visibility or block an emergency exit.

Protect the right to slow, stop or change course

Conditions change during travel. Give the driver explicit authority to stop at a safe place when tired, unwell, distracted, or facing unsafe weather or road conditions. A supervisor should respond by changing the plan, not by pressuring the driver to recover lost time.

Check-ins should confirm wellbeing and progress without encouraging phone use while driving. If a check-in is missed, use the agreed escalation process. After arrival, confirm the journey has closed; before a return trip, reassess fitness, time of day and route conditions. Safe work ends when people reach home safely.

Team discussion

For your next work journey, who has checked whether travel is necessary, what would make the driver stop, and how will the team know that every traveller has arrived safely?

Editorial note: This independent Worksite Safety Hub article provides general learning. Local transport rules, journey-management procedures, legal driving limits and emergency arrangements take precedence.

Further reading

IOGP guidance on journey management covers safety before, during and after travel. The World Health Organization’s road safety report sets out the wider public-health context. These sources support the general principles above; site-specific requirements remain authoritative.