With the seasons changing, driving conditions in the UK are becoming more dangerous.
In 2021 alone, there were an estimated 27,450 killed or seriously injured road accident casualties, according to the latest government statistics. Even though this figure was lower than in previous years, traffic levels are increasing in the wake of the pandemic.
If you’re a business owner with a company fleet, it’s crucial to keep your employees safe on the roads. To give you some direction, we’ve outlined your responsibilities alongside a few suggestions to promote road safety.
Who is responsible for employee driver safety?
Ultimately, the driver will be responsible for completing each journey safely.
However, if you own the fleet of vehicles, you’ll need to make sure they’re in good working order. Cars with mechanical faults might quickly become a safety hazard, especially when it comes down to issues with tracking, steering, and tyre pressure.
As the weather gets colder, the roads become riskier for drivers. As long as your staff are aware of the necessary precautions for driving in winter conditions, your duties revolve solely around maintaining the vehicles.
How should company cars be maintained?
Just like every car on the roads in the UK, you’ll need to book an MOT online once a year for your company cars. An MOT is not just a legal requirement but should also provide valuable information on the overall health of your vehicle.
With this in mind, you’ll be able to organise appropriate servicing and repairs as necessary. We’d recommend using a trusted garage for your entire fleet to make administrative processes more straightforward.
Do company cars need different insurance?
You’ll be responsible for insuring vehicles on behalf of your employees.
After doing some research and seeking quotes, you should quickly be able to find a policy that covers all the cars in your fleet. This simplifies the entire process for both parties.
If your staff use their own private vehicles for business, you’ll need to make sure that they have ‘commuting’ included on their policy. Many UK drivers take out insurance known as SDP: social, domestic and pleasure. However, this won’t cover your staff if they have an accident on the way to the office or an external meeting.
How should road safety be encouraged?
If you’re not a driving instructor, it’s not your responsibility to tell your staff how to drive.
However, to promote and encourage overall road safety, you might choose to host training sessions, workshops, or awareness courses. Along with being an enjoyable, collaborative activity, this would also eliminate the potential for anyone to feel singled out or questioned.
Above all, you must ensure that vehicles are properly maintained to stay safe and efficient all year round.