Health and safety issues for company drivers

26 June 2006:

Employers are being put at risk by company drivers ignoring health and safety advice and driving unsafe or illegal vehicles on company business, research reveals. The latest Vehicle Monitor Survey, by vehicle management company Total Motion, which inspected over 2000 company- and privately-owned vehicles used for business purposes, found that 18% of the vehicles were un-roadworthy and 35% were not properly maintained.

Checks on drivers showed that 6% had invalid licences, 3% had no tax, and 12% of those using private vehicles were not properly insured. About 81% of all drivers admitted to not carrying out the recommended weekly safety checks on items such as tyres, lights, fluids and glass.

Most businesses do have policies and procedures in place, but the results show that drivers are failing to adhere to them. Almost half the drivers (42%) said that even if they were monitored on making the basic safety checks, they would tick to say they had done them without actually doing so.

For further information:

Contact: Business Link Wessex
Tel: 08454 58 85 58
Email: [gareth.pugh@businesslinkwessex.co.uk] for Business Links "No-Nonsense Summary of Health & Safety legislation"