Many businesses with company vehicles think it’s their driving employees who are responsible for managing any road traffic offences they incur, and don’t
consider the impact an employee’s conviction can have on the employed s operations — or their finances.
Increased insurance premiums, the costs of covering absences from work for court appearances or even recruiting and training new drivers can all mount up to significant sums.
Companies also have obligations in terms of duty of care to employees who are driving as part of their job, while Health and Saety regulations regard a company vehicle as an extension of the workplace.
But perhaps most important of all, if a company driver does get a notice of prosecution, our early intervention may make the difference in levels of fine, avoiding disqualification or even jail time. It’s just about really knowing the law — and it’s not as black and white as people think.
In any one year, drivers commit 240,000 road traffic offences while working.
SPEEDING is the most common offence – figures from 2018 show there were 189,109 prosecutions across the UK that year, of which 4,206 drivers were subsequently disqualified.
There were 168,964 prosecutions for having NO INSURANCE with 2,329 disqualified. Other disqualifications were as a result of:
• FAILING TO PROVIDE DRIVER INFORMATION (240 out of 93,394 prosecutions)
• DRINK DRIVING (32,280 of 34,534 prosecutions)
• CARELESS DRIVING (773 out of 12,257 prosecutions)
Over 5,000 drivers were disqualified for licence irregularities (including not having one) and there were even 230 disqualifications for failing to comply with a traffic sign.
Upto date figures aren’t even available for DRUG DRIVING and MOBILE PHONE offences, but numbers are thought to be significantly on the rise.
And don’t forget, under Road Traffic law, Company Directors from the offender’s employer can be held responsible for their drivers and have their personal licences endorsed.
And that’s why fleet management software specialist ODO is working with Auriga Advocates’ Auriga Fleet dept. As well as fleet managers, we’re lawyers and driving offence specialists.
Together, we provide the policies, help organisations manage their drivers and offer fleet training to educate drivers about driving offences and road safety as well as the consequences they bring for their employment – and for then personally.
All of this reduces the risk of prosecution for road traffic and health and safety breaches.
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