According to driving for work laws UK, any work-related journey made during working hours counts as driving for work. It doesn’t matter if it’s not usually a part of an employee’s regular role, or if it’s only a short journey – it counts as driving for work. That means you, as the employer, have legal responsibilities to fulfil, and you need to be able to prove that you’re taking that seriously.
The best way to do that is with a driving for work policy. This will detail your organisation’s expectations and rules for any employee who drives for work, and is the best way to demonstrate your organisation’s commitment to managing risk for drivers as required by the Health and Safety Executive.
There are helpful and easy-to-use resources available to help you, including this driving at work policy template UK which covers all of the key areas, and will keep you up-to-date with any changes to legislation that you need to be aware of, by sending email updates each time there is a change in legislation.
What is the company driving policy in the UK?
A company driving policy is your organisation’s way of proving that you are taking all possible steps to reduce and manage road risk for your employees.
The chances are some of your employees will:
- drive a vehicle FOR work
- drive while AT work, regularly or occasionally
- drive between locations while working
- drive a private vehicle – theirs or someone else’s
Your Driving for Work policy will only be effective if your drivers buy in to it. It has to be realistic, consistently applied, and reinforced on a regular basis.
If any of your employees are involved in a road traffic incident, you must be able to show that you have did everything you could to manage risk for them and other road users. That means having policies and risk assessments in place, evidence of driver training, obeying drivers’ hours laws, and making sure your employees only drive if they are fit to do so.
Your organisation’s safe driving policy for employees should cover the journey, the vehicle and the driver. It’s also really important that it’s regularly reviewed and updated when necessary – driving laws and the challenges faced by drivers are constantly changing, so your driving for work policy needs to take this into account.
That’s why using a Driving for Work Policy Builder is so helpful. As well as providing a robust framework for your policy, it will also update you on any changes to driving legislation – so you never have to worry that your driving for work policy is no longer fit for purpose.
What are the effects of driving for work?
Anyone who drives for work will face risks – it’s inevitable. There are risks for every driver every time they drive for work. In the same way, when a driver starts his working day, how they feel and whether they are fit to drive will affect how they deal with these risks, and the employer should do all they can to make this easier and safer for their drivers.
If you manage drivers, there are plenty of things you can, and should, be doing to make sure that the risks posed by any work-related driving hazards are managed effectively. If you want to do more to prove that you value driver safety in your organisation, some great ways to do this are:
- Having a detailed and legally compliant driving for work policy
- Carrying out a gap analysis and driving at work risk assessment
- Benchmarking your fleet against your competitors to see where you need to improve
- Using a Fleet Confidence Footprint tool to avoid complacency in your road risk management strategy
- Using fleet safety accreditation schemes to demonstrate your commitment to best practice and the highest legal standards.
The ultimate goal for any driver safety manager should be to reduce the risk of collisions and eliminate the danger your drivers pose to other road users. It’s a continuous process of improvement, but it doesn’t have to be complicated – there are plenty of free, online resources available to help you.
What are the new driving laws for 2023 UK?
Driving laws are constantly being updated as the challenges faced by drivers change. Because of this, it’s really important to review your driving for work policy and risk assessment regularly to make sure they take these changes into account.
Examples of new UK driving laws in 2023 include the new 20 mph limit in Wales on approximately 35% of roads, and the expansion of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in London.
You might not think these affect your organisation – but if any of your employees drive through these areas, you need to make them aware of these changes. If they need to change their route because of the new legislation, it’s important that their scheduling reflects this to avoid unnecessary time pressure.
What are the driving safety tips for employees?
Sharing resources and driving safety tips with your employees is a great way to improve safety within your organisation.
The best way to start is by making sure your own knowledge is up-to-date. There are plenty of driver safety resources available – including podcasts, videos and articles – for anyone in charge of managing driver safety.
And sharing these resources with your drivers has never been easier. The Driving for Better Business Fleet Safety Focus offers monthly updates for driving managers on key areas of road risk, with a link to share those resources directly with your drivers.
Your driving for work policy should state what your organisation is doing to manage driver safety and road risk. It’s your way of stating exactly what your rules are for drivers, and what they can expect from you in return – it’s crucial to managing driving risk effectively. Using a policy builder framework is the best way to make sure that your policy is legally compliant and covers all of the key areas.
Simon Turner
Campaign Manager
Driving for Better Business
