Licence Bureau has published three key tips on remaining road safety compliant as seasonal driver numbers continue to rise.
With demand for home delivery soaring – research by GlobalData suggests more than half of UK consumers are now shopping online and digital spend is forecast to increase by 29.6% between 2019 and 2024 to £15.7bn – the firm wants of the implications for businesses and drivers alike.
Malcolm Maycock, managing director of Licence Bureau, explained: “Organisations should not forget that under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work, including whilst driving for work, of their employees – temporary or otherwise.
“It really is a situation all businesses need to be switched on to.”
This is particularly the case for cars and panel vans up to 3.5 tonnes, which do not legally have to adhere to any regulations around driving hours, leaving businesses even more exposed to potential compliance issues.
Maycock continued: “The fact that most of these vehicles sit outside of any operator regulatory framework also gives rise to further challenges with many drivers wanting to ‘cash in’ during the busy spell by working long days and potentially exposing themselves to greater risk.”
In response, Licence Bureau has issued key guidance on how to advance road safety compliance:
- Driver Licence checks – to cover off and document licence status and entitlement to drive; date validity; endorsements or points; and licence category coverage
- Vehicle status – to ensure up-to-date records of vehicle details from basic registration details and MOT certificates/renewal dates to service schedules are in place
- ‘Business use’ insurance cover for grey fleet drivers – request insurance certificate copies from drivers to ensure ‘business use’ is in place – this is typically exempt from ‘standard policies’ which cover social, domestic and pleasure use, as well as for driving to and from a permanent place of work.
Maycock concluded: “Even during peak season when there are different pressures on businesses across the country, there is simply no excuse not to remain compliant.”
