“Company car drivers figure very highly in road accident statistics”

Did you know . . ?

• Ten drivers die on Britain’s roads every day (source: www.directgov.uk)
• UK business loses £2.7bn per year as a consequence of at-work traffic accidents (source: www.hse.gov.uk)
• 65% of road traffic accidents involve a vehicle driven on company business (source: www.ukroadsafety.co.uk)
• The average cost of repairing a crash-damaged vehicle is between £750 and £4500 (source: RoadSafe)

Employers’ responsibilities
Under laws already in place, employers are required to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees at work. A vehicle used on company business is considered to be a place of work and the employer therefore has a duty of care for those who drive as part of their job. No company wants any of its employees to be involved in road collisions. Yet, government figures show that company car drivers figure very highly in road accident statistics.

Employers have a responsibility to ensure that procedures are in place to encourage safe and responsible driving. Measures could include things such as:

• Reminding employees to drive within the speed limits
• Regular reviews of workloads and routes
• Encouraging a safe speed culture

Employers have a responsibility to ensure that employees are able to manage their time effectively without feeling they have to speed in order to reduce their journey times to hit deadlines. Furthermore, it is vital for employers to know who is driving each company vehicle at all times.

Slower speeds – the benefits
Encouraging your company’s drivers to drive at slower speeds results in:

• More time to foresee danger
• Improved fuel consumption – resulting in cost savings
• Fewer collisions – resulting in lower repair costs
• Lower insurance premiums – resulting in cost savings
• Reduced stress levels – resulting in less time off work, higher staff retention, motivation and commitment
• Reduced wear and tear on tyres, brakes and clutches – resulting in lower vehicle maintenance costs
• Less time spent on related administration – resulting in time and cost savings
• Improved morale and company image – could result in better customer service And more importantly …
• Less death and injury on our roads and peace of mind that you have taken positive action to ensure this

“Employers have a responsibility to ensure that employees are able to manage their time effectively”

Penalties
If one of your company’s vehicles is caught exceeding the legal speed limits:

• A Notice of Intended Prosecution will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle – your employer
• The registered keeper of the vehicle will be given 28 days to provide the details of the driver at the time of the offence
• Responsibility for naming the driver at the time of the offence lies with the registered keeper of the vehicle. Failing to respond can lead to prosecution.

Be prepared

• Keep a logbook in all your vehicles to record:
  • the date, time and duration of each journey
  • the name of the person driving
  • the destination and mileage
• Ensure that all drivers maintain the logbook
• Provide all drivers with details of the national speed limits and the legal speed limits for the vehicles in which they are driving
• Encourage staff to refresh their driving skills
• Visit the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership’s website at www.dorsetsafetycameras.org.uk for information on road safety, speed enforcement technology and safety camera locations

National speed limits


The Dorset Safety Camera Partnership constitutes a partnership between Dorset County Council, Borough of Poole Council, Bournemouth Borough Council, Dorset Police, Dorset and Somerset Strategic Health Authority, Highways Agency, Her Majesty’s Courts Service and the Crown Prosecution Service.

For further information, advice or to request a presentation for your company/fleet drivers, please contact the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership via email on info@dorsetsafetycameras.org.uk