Driving Dangerously
Jan 1, 2010
Recently published research by Brake, the national road safety charity and Green Flag provides a clear warning for employers whose staff drive as part of their employment duties.
The research shows that at-work drivers are more likely to tailgate other vehicles, speed at 80 mph or more on motorways and exceed 35 mph in 30 mph zones, than other drivers. At-work drivers surveyed reported that they felt under pressure to rush to their next appointment putting their own and others’ lives at risk.
As a high proportion of road fatalities involve at- work drivers, Brake is calling for tough penaltries to be brought against employers who pressurise their employees to drive unsafely. With the implementation of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, there is clear potential for organisations to be found guilty and for individual managers to be prosecuted for gross negligence manslaughter in cases of at- work driving road fatalities.
All companies with at-work drivers are advised to:
- Have in place policies and procedures for at-work driving
- Risk assess all at- work driving activities including managers, delivery drivers and employees who use their own vehciles on company business
- Have records available for the servicing and mainteance of company vehciles
- Check driving licences annually to ensure drivers will be covered by the insurance policies
- Review the policies and procedures at least annually and montior drivers’ performance in terms and accidents and vehicle damage.
