Interface

Winter 2022 17 In another recent report, Fleet News published concerning data released by eet management provider Total Motion, based on hundreds of thousands of ‘spot’ checks carried out on company cars, vans and grey eet vehicles, over the past 14 years, which suggest that grey eet work- related road risk was on the increase. It found that the proportion of grey eet vehicles with illegal tyres – less than 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre – has more than doubled year-on-year. One-in-15 grey eet cars (6.4%) was found to have illegal tyres based on a sample of 3,000-plus vehicles, compared with 3.1% the previous year. Just 1.6% of the 6,000-plus company cars checked had illegal tyres. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE e Alphabet research has revealed that 33% of eet managers have little to no knowledge of corporate duty of care to employees that drive company-owned or leased vehicles. In fact, only 45% considered themselves very knowledgeable on the topic. While the majority conduct regular driver risk policy reviews (81%), some businesses don’t have a driver risk policy in place at all (4%) or haven’t reviewed their policy in the last 12 months (15%). All businesses have a legal duty to actively manage health and safety in the workplace and ensure they have policies and procedures in place to reduce work-related risk to both employees and members of the public. When travelling for business, vehicles are considered a place of work and must be well-maintained, taxed, insured, hold a current MOT, and be ‘ t for purpose’. Businesses should also conduct regular driving licence checks, risk assessments, and training to help manage and reduce driver risk. Overlooking aspects of duty of care or not keeping adequate records can have signi cant legal, nancial, and reputational consequences. When asked about driving training and accident management by Alphabet, the vast majority of eet managers said they have a driver training programme in place (88%). However, more than one-in-10 businesses (12%) with eets larger than six vehicles said they did not conduct any form of driver training and a further 10% o ered training less than annually. Similarly, while most eet managers said they keep records of accidents that take place in all vehicles on business travel, rather concerningly, 8% of respondents said they do not record details of accidents involving company vehicles and the gure doubled to 16% for private vehicles. To help eet managers feel empowered and identify areas for improvement, Alphabet has shared its ‘Driver Risk Essentials checklist’ to highlight some of the necessary assessments and measures required to manage the risks of vehicle- related operations. DRIVER RISK CHECKLIST REGULAR CHECKS: Ensure all drivers hold a valid UK driving licence for the right category of vehicle they are driving. Check employees are t to drive. Consider things like eyesight, medical tness, right to work, accident records, disquali cations or conditions on their licence. Understand how far your drivers are travelling each year and complete risk assessments. Ensure drivers using private vehicles are aware of their responsibility to insure their vehicle for business travel, not just commuting. DRIVER TRAINING Regularly assess drivers and provide training online and in person, as well as practical training where needed. Review your driver risk policy and ensure all employees are aware of the policy and their own responsibilities to promote a safety-conscious culture. SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE Ensure all vehicles used for business travel are roadworthy and t for purpose to protect drivers, other road users and the environment. Carry out frequent checks and keep detailed records of insurance, MOT, and road tax, for privately owned vehicles used for work purposes. RECORD-KEEPING AND RETENTION Keep detailed records and signed documentation from drivers. An audit trail will help ensure nothing gets overlooked and evidence appropriate policies and procedures are in place. << “Far too many employers are still unaware that they retain responsibility for their employees’ safety and conduct when they’re travelling for work purposes, even if they’re using their own car.”