Drivers must wear seat belts or face a fixed penalty fine or increased penalty of being taken to court. Endorsements will also be disclosable to insurance companies and may lead to increased penalties. The law requires a seat belt to be worn unless an exemption applies to your driver. What are the exemptions?
Updated March 2026 This legal update is brought to you by Nathan Taylor-Allkins, Criminal Defence and Road Transport Solicitor and Partner at Woodfines LLP For many fleet managers and owners of commercial vehicle companies, one of their most valuable assets, if not the most valuable, is their staff. However, keeping employees safe while driving
This week’s guest article comes to us from Stefan Szrama GCGI, Road Safety Professional and Health, Safety and Environment Lead. Enlisting into the British Army in 1988, Stefan completed 24 years’ service including time working as a Senior Specialist Vehicle Instructor at the Defence School of Transport (Europe’s largest driver training school). His final
This month's legal update on vehicle roadworthiness, for those who manage drivers, comes to us from Mike Hayward of Woodfines Solicitors. DOES YOUR DRIVING FOR WORK POLICY COVER VEHICLE ROADWORTHINESS? Fleet vehicle roadworthiness I'm constantly impressed by my neighbour who does a walk around check of his car before each and every journey.
An expert panel at the Health and Safety Event 2024 discussed managing driver behaviour – and it all starts with a robust driving for work policy. Driving for Better Business launched its Driving for Work Policy Builder, a comprehensive, interactive tool for creating and reviewing a robust policy for work-related driving in the session
Investigating minor incidents can prevent serious collision At the Health and Safety Event 2024, Driving for Better Business staged a mock trial which outlined the case against a van driver and his employer for causing serious injury by dangerous driving. It highlighted many of the organisational and driver errors which can contribute to collisions.
Does your Driving for Work Policy stand up to scrutiny? Having a comprehensive and up to date driving for work policy is the essential first step for any employer with staff who drive for work. It is effectively a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Once you have a
Licence checks - how often do you check your drivers? Managing road risk starts with checking your drivers are qualified for the vehicle they are using. Most recruitment processes involve all kinds of checks – does the person have the necessary skills, qualifications, references required for the role? Unless the candidate is a vocational
Tyre safety - driver and employer's responsibility With over 1 million new cars being registered each year by fleets and businesses, fleet car tyre safety is important for both safety and economic reasons. Many incidents can be avoided on the roads by carrying out just a few simple tyre checks as part of the
Does your organisation need a driving for work policy? This year, thousands of health and safety experts visited The Health & Safety Event – the UK’s largest gathering of those responsible for running a safe and efficient workplace. One of the major draws at the event was our Driver Safety Theatre, where the question,
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