Policy Statement

Hyde Group Ltd is committed to managing their road risk and delivering its legal and moral obligations regarding employees driving for work to ensure they get home safe and well at the end of each day. Driving for work refers to any work carried out on behalf of Hyde Group Ltd that involves an employee driving a vehicle and covers all journeys other than to and from the employee’s normal place of work, except where drivers have a company vehicle and take the vehicle home.

Many vehicles used for work journeys are supplied by the employer, but there are also vehicles used for work that are owned, leased, or hired by individual members of staff. These are called “grey fleet” vehicles and drivers. Hyde Group Ltd has the same duty of care under health and safety law to grey fleet drivers as they do to employees who drive company owned, leased, or hired vehicles.

Hyde Group Ltd requires any employees who drive for work to comply with safe driving guidance and always follow the Highway Code. There is no requirement or expectation that an employee, regardless of their position, will break any road traffic law while driving on work journeys. There is no business activity that justifies placing an employee or other road users at risk of a road collision.

All employees who drive for work on behalf of Hyde Group Ltd have a legal duty, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, to comply with this driving for work policy while doing so.

Non Compliance

Employees who drive for work will be responsible and held accountable for their own actions when driving for the purposes of work. Should Hyde Group Ltd receive information or discover that an employee may have breached this policy, an internal investigation will be carried out which may lead to disciplinary action being taken, including the possibility of termination of employment.

Non-compliance includes but is not limited to the following: Driving whilst Unfit to do so through drink or drugs (Inc Prescribed Medication) – Driving without Due care and attention or Dangerous Driving – Use of Mobile Phone or other Handheld electronic device whilst driving – The Removal or Tampering with any Monitoring / Tracking devices or equipment in company owned, leased or hired vehicles – Smoking in a company vehicle or a vehicle used by employee for work purposes (Grey Fleet) – Fail to report damage or a collision within the required timescales as per Policy.

Upon discovery or receiving an allegation, your Supervisor and Contract Manager will be notified.  A request will be made to the Fleet Manager to provide Tracker and Camera footage at the time and date of alleged discovery or allegation to provide evidence of your vehicle status and or driving standards at that time and or to mitigate or disprove any wrongdoing.

If evidence is found of driving outside of company policy, HR will be notified and an investigation will commence.

Policy Monitoring

This policy was last reviewed on 25/02/2025 by Adam Howson , Fleet Manager .

Hyde Group Ltd reserves the right to amend policy requirements relating to employees who drive and vehicles which are being used for work purposes at any time.

This policy will be formally reviewed and updated by on at least an annual basis, or sooner if deemed appropriate, or by reasonable request.

Data Protection & Privacy policy to be included here – Including how & why camera and tracker information is stored, and that it can be made available to third parties if legally required to do so.  Speak to Legal team regarding this.

Driving Licence Checks

The Road Traffic Act 1988 states that as well as it being an offence for a driver to drive without a valid licence, it is also an offence for a person or organisation to permit a driver to drive without a valid licence. All employees who are engaged in work-related driving must:

• be holders of a full current driving licence, valid in the UK, for the category of vehicle which they are driving (including automatic or manual).
• Drivers should have at least 2 years driving experience to drive our commercial fleet vehicles, hired vehicles up to 3500kgs and Personal vehicles (Grey Fleet) on business if carrying passengers. Terms and conditions apply and a driving assessment may be required.
• notify their line manager immediately if their licence has expired, been suspended, revoked, or cancelled, or has had any limitation placed upon it.
• notify their line manager immediately of any driving endorsements or prosecutions, including any that are accrued while driving a private vehicle, as this could affect any relevant insurance policies in place.
• notify the DVLA immediately of any changes to their name or address.
• allow their licence to be checked on a regular basis – You will be required to sign an annual mandate permitting the checking of your driving licence at least every 12 months.

Hyde Group Ltd will carry out driving licence checks for all employees who drive for business purposes. Employees are required to provide their details as required to facilitate the checking of their driving licence against the DVLA database by our nominated third-party supplier.

Please Note: Employees with 6 points or more will be checked every six months to monitor the associated risk in line with our insurers.  An employee with a previous conviction for Drink, Drug or Dangerous driving will be referred to the insurer for a decision as an increased excess liability is typically applied of £1000 and over.  Drivers may face disciplinary action if offences are committed whilst driving a Hyde Group Ltd company owned, leased or hired vehicle.

Fitness To Drive

A person’s fitness to drive can be affected by a medical condition, by temporary illness and by the environment in which they work, drive and live. Health impairments – including stress, sleep disturbance, migraine, flu, severe colds and even hay fever can lead to unsafe driving.

Sometimes, the treatment for these conditions can also impair driving. Employees must be cautious and ensure they are fit to drive before embarking on any work journey.  If an employee feels they are not fit to drive for whatever reason whilst driving a company or Grey Fleet vehicle for work purposes, they should stop the vehicle in a safe place and notify their supervisor immediately.  If their work day has not yet started, then HR policy regarding notification of illness would be required.

Eyesight

All Employees driving for work are required to meet the minimum DVLA eyesight standards which require drivers to be able to read an unfamiliar number plate from a distance of 20 Metres (about 5 car lengths).  Eyesight tests are recommended every two years for all drivers of company vehicles.

Employees not meeting the standard will being suspended from driving company vehicles by Hyde Group Ltd on company business until they can evidence through an opticians report that they meet the minimum required standard.

If glasses or contact lenses are required, they must be worn. It is recommended spare glasses/lenses are carried with you when working.

Medical Conditions

Employees should only drive when fit to do so. They should report to their manager any new condition, or a change in their health and wellbeing which may affect their ability to drive safely. Employees should make themselves familiar with Notifiable Conditions which must be reported to the DVLA.

Please see link to DVLA:  https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving

Impairment

Driving under the influence of drink or drugs is against the law. It is extremely dangerous and can seriously impair judgement and reactions leading to an increased risk of incidents and vehicle collisions.

In the UK, it is illegal to drive if certain legal drugs impair your ability to do so. This law also applies if you exceed specified limits of certain drugs in your blood without a prescription. It’s vital to consult your Doctor or Healthcare professional if you’ve been prescribed any drugs such as amphetamine, clonazepam, diazepam they could impair your ability to drive. Remember, even if these are prescribed, they can still impact your driving capabilities.  It is also important to remember that even legal drugs can impair you to a significant degree, with drug driving now more prevalent than ever.

Employees must not drive or attempt to drive whilst impaired or consume alcohol or any unlawful drugs in the workplace during work time or during a period prior to work where they may still be under the influence of alcohol and drugs effects which may carry over to the working hours.

Employees should also be mindful that many prescription medicines can cause drowsiness and affect the ability drive. If you are prescribed any drugs or medication, you should inform your doctor that your job entails driving and ensure that you are aware of any restrictions on driving that are advised when taking the drugs or medication.  Even legal drugs can impair you to a significant degree so please read any notes accompanying such medicines carefully and advise your line manager immediately, if you think your driving may be affected.

Any employee found to be knowingly driving whilst impaired through drink or drugs or consuming drugs or alcohol at work, will be referred to HR and their actions deemed as gross misconduct through the disciplinary process which may lead to termination of employment.

Fatigue

Employees should ensure they are sufficiently rested before the start of each shift, as well as taking adequate rest breaks during a journey – typically a 15-minute rest for every two hours of continuous driving.  It is also recommended that you stay hydrated to avoid fatigue.  You are responsible for your own actions and must always drive with due care and attention.

Whilst it is not an offence to drive tired, if tiredness is suspected to be the cause of a collision or damage caused to a company vehicle, this will be investigated by your line manager and may be referred to HR and you may be held liable for any damage caused.  The police can also investigate all aspects relating to your driving if due care or dangerous driving are suspected; for example; In a fatal incident, the driver could be charged with death by dangerous driving or death by careless driving, with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Why is lack of sleep so dangerous?

• It impairs your ability to think quickly and make sound judgements, increasing the risk of errors.
• Your planning and reaction time slows down leading to a higher risk of having a collision.
• Sleep deprivation affects your overall wellbeing and can lead to various health problems.

Did you know?

• 1 in 5 accidents are caused by tiredness.
• Peak times for fatigue-related crashes are within the hours of 02.00-06.00 and 14.00-16.00.
• Sleeping just 4-5 hours a night for a week impairs performance to the same extent as being legally over the alcohol limit.

Wellbeing

All kinds of personal stresses can affect your ability to concentrate and drive safely. Financial worries, health issues, relationship problems and family situations such as a new baby can all understandably have a hugely distracting effect.  If a personal situation is affecting your ability to concentrate while driving, please talk to your line manager in the first instance, if necessary, we can provide support for you through our wellbeing programs which can offer advice and ongoing support.

https://hyve.hydehub.co.uk/media/2w3f3tti/employee-toolkit-stress-and-resilience-support-tools-april-2023-final-sb-review-2-002-002.pdf

https://hyve.hydehub.co.uk/hr/benefits/health-and-wellbeing/employee-assistance-programme-eap/

https://hyve.hydehub.co.uk/hr/benefits/health-and-wellbeing/headspace-free-mindfulness-app-for-staff/

https://hyve.hydehub.co.uk/hr/benefits/health-and-wellbeing/mental-health-first-aiders/

Driver Competence

In addition to holding a valid licence, employees must also be deemed competent to drive and given the necessary skills to drive in a safe and secure manner considering the potential range of vehicle types they may drive and activities they may conduct. This is specifically important for activities involving use of commercial vehicles, towing and individuals who drive long distances on company business.

Hyde Group Ltd may occasionally require employees to undertake additional training or refresher training as required, including theory tests, practical assessments or skills training exercises.

Please do not start a driving task if you are unsure as to what is required or if you have not had the relevant training. Inform your line manager, who can advise accordingly.

Vehicle Roadworthiness

All Hyde Group Ltd company owned, leased or hired vehicles must always be roadworthy, are safe to drive and in a clean and well maintained condition.  You as the driver are responsible for ensuring the vehicle is roadworthy, clean and presentable whilst in your custody and control.  Failure to do so may lead to disciplinary action being taken and or dismissal.

Regular Vehicle inspections will be carried out by both line managers and the Fleet Manager, any vehicle not maintained to the required standard will be reported and the driver may face disciplinary action and any damage found unreported, the driver will be charged a minimum of £250 excess for repairs. If the driver is found to be at fault, they may be recharged the £250 excess from their salary and we will claim through our insurer for the repair.

Please note: If the driver is found to have been negligent in their actions, they could be recharged up to 100% of the repair costs or total lease cost in the event of a total loss. This will also be recharged through their salary as agreed with contract manager depending on amount owed.

Drivers must conduct daily walk around checks of their vehicle to ensure there are no safety defects. A helpful aide is to remember the acronym POWDERY:

• Petrol (Fuel)
• Oil – Check instrument display for warning lights or sounds
• Water – Washer fluid and Coolant
• Damage – Is there any new damage to any part of your vehicle
• Electrics – Check your lights are clean and working correctly
• Rubber – Check your tyres for cuts, bulges and at least 1.6mm visible tread (across 3/4 of the width of the tyre)
• You – Are you fit and well to drive?

Check the windscreen for any damage. Small chips can be repaired, however, they can quickly become large cracks which then obscure your view and become dangerous.  Therefore, please contact our Fleet management provider in the first instance so they can advise as to the best course of action.

All new defects and/or damage must be reported immediately to your line manager. If safety-critical defects are found then the vehicle must not be used until those faults or defects have been rectified and our Fleet management provider will arrange an alternative vehicle for you as soon as practicable.  Non-safety-critical defects should be rectified at the earliest possible opportunity.  Again, please contact our Fleet management provider to arrange for repair.

Driving a vehicle with major defects is a serious offence and can result in harsh penalties for both the driver and the company.  The penalties a driver may receive for driving a defective vehicle will range depending on the type and severity of the offence. Any such penalties are the responsibility of the driver. If the vehicle’s condition causes the driver to have a collision, they could face additional charges and penalties.  The company may also face prosecution if a vehicle is not roadworthy which can result in hefty fines and or prosecution at Court.

Safe Loads

Insecure loads pose a significant risk to other road users and incidents involving insecure loads can easily result in loss of life or life-changing injuries. The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and the police have powers to issue fines to any driver in charge of a vehicle that is overloaded or if the load is insecure.

The load on a vehicle is not just restricted to goods being carried. The load is anything being carried on and in the vehicle including tools, equipment, machinery, load restraint equipment, signage, raw materials, samples, and baggage. All can be classified as being part of the load being carried and must be safely and securely fixed to and/or in the vehicle.

Employees required to drive for work purposes will attend and comply with any training provided around safe and secure loads. They will check and ensure that ‘their load’ is within load limits and securely fastened before commencing a journey, and then again during a journey when any part of the load has been moved or removed. They should report any incident and or near miss to their line manager immediately, that involves the safety and security of their load.

For your safety, the carriage / storage of tools and equipment in the drivers or passenger area is strictly prohibited.  Employees found doing so may face disciplinary action.

Vehicle Cleanliness

As drivers of company vehicles, you are Brand Ambassadors of Hyde Group Ltd, therefore the cleanliness and condition of your vehicle is not only representative of us as a company, it also reflects on you as the employee when driving on public roads and when attending customers homes.  It is an extension of you, the same applies to the condition of your company uniform you wear.

Therefore, drivers are responsible for maintaining their vehicle to a high standard of cleanliness both internally and externally.  The dashboard area must be kept clear of loose items including paperwork, food and litter and/or tools and equipment.

Vehicles should ideally be cleaned once a week where possible, however, it is accepted that during winter months, this may be less due to weather conditions, however, all lights, number plates and windows should always be kept clean and unobstructed as per the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The rear of the vehicle must always be kept organised free of loose debris and maintained in a clean, organised, and presentable condition.  Vehicle inspections will be routinely carried out at Tool Box Talks, Training events and on site by Trade Supervisors and the Fleet Manager.  Health and Safety officers may also conduct ad-hoc inspections whilst on site and any breaches of policy will be referred to the Contract manager in the first instance.

Vehicle Security

When driving a company-supplied vehicle for work purposes, employees are held responsible for its keys and security.

Vehicle keys should never be left unattended in public and, when at home, keys should be kept out of sight and out of reach. Keys should be kept away from the front door to prevent remote vehicle theft where possible.

Vehicles must always be locked with deadlocks when not in use and any security device fitted to or supplied with the vehicle must be activated. Vehicles should be parked in a place that is well lit and where possible, the use of security patrolled car parks, or those covered by CCTV are preferred.

For the Safety and Security of all Hyde employees and vehicles, Hyde Group Ltd vehicles are fitted with trackers, advanced telematics and windscreen mounted forward and rear facing cameras.  Please see privacy Policy regarding usage, storage and access request process from third-parties.

Cameras are equipped with AI technology which will identify and record all road signs, markings and pedestrians whilst driving as well as all traffic movements to the rear of the vehicle. The device is fitted with a speaker which will provide audible warnings drivers are overspeed or for harsh acceleration and braking activity detected.  This is to prompt drivers to adapt their driving style which in turn will keep them safe as well as other road users.  Footage recorded by the device is cloud based and can only be downloaded by the Fleet manager and approved users upon request.  All footage will be treated as confidential and only used in the event of a vehicle incident or if an allegation of poor driving is received.  By having cameras in the vehicle, it allows Hyde Group Ltd to mitigate any false claims against drivers where insurance claims are made, as this can provide evidence they either were or were not at fault.  They will also be used to develop driver behaviour and as a training tool to improve driving standards, prevent incidents and reduce our insurance claims.

Trackers are fitted to vehicles to monitor the location of the vehicles and to provide the ability to be found in the event of a vehicle being stolen.

Telematics are used on the vehicle to provide the Fleet Manager with accurate data including fuel usage, engine idling, speed, harsh acceleration and harsh braking.  All of which result in an increase of wear and tear and higher maintenance costs.

For information on Privacy policy and GDPR, please see link.

Hyde Group Ltd will not be held responsible for any thefts or damage to personal belongings in a company vehicle.

Engine Idling

Hyde Group Ltd is committed to protecting air quality by reducing the environmental impact of their operations in relation to engine idling by employees in company vehicles or in private vehicles being used on company business.  Vehicle exhaust emissions from idling vehicles contributes significantly to air pollution which impacts on health, economic growth, and quality of life.

The driver of any vehicle being used on company business will:

• Use the vehicles Auto stop/start function to turn the engine off when a vehicle is stationary in traffic or similar
• not use the engine to pre-heat the vehicle unless necessary due to safety considerations or weather conditions.
• always turn off the engine when on a break, loading or unloading.

Engines may remain switched on to perform a pre use walk around checks, for the safety of the vehicle occupants, or when unforeseen emergency circumstances arise.

Private Use Of Company Vehicles

Private use of a Hyde company owned, leased or hired vehicle is strictly prohibited and will be monitored by vehicle telematics and tracking technology.

Any breach this policy will result in the usage being submitted to HMRC and the taxable deductions will be calculated for the entire year, payable through salary and are based on the retail price of the vehicle.

No company-supplied vehicle may be raced, rallied, or otherwise used in a non-business- related, off-road environment.

Smoking, Vaping or any other tobacco based products are strictly prohibited in all company owned, leased or hired vehicles.

Only Authorised passengers (such as colleagues, contractors, and authorised visitors are to be carried in company supplied vehicles, this includes Grey fleet usage whilst at work.

Animals are prohibited from all company vehicles including Grey Fleet vehicles when being used for business purposes

Warning: Any removal or attempt to disable such devices will result in disciplinary action which may result in dismissal.

Towing

Employees required to tow a trailer or equipment must be suitably trained and must ensure their driving licence category is valid.  A Driving licence check will be carried out annually for anybody required to tow a trailer or equipment.

Drivers must have received full training and be competent at correctly hitching the trailer, checking the trailer before use, including tyres, electrical and brake connections, ensuring loads are safe and secure when Manoeuvring or reversing the trailer. Drivers who do not have the required trained, must not tow a trailer or equipment for business purposes.

Employees towing a trailer or equipment should familiarise themselves with the relevant changes in speed limits and permitted motorway lanes while towing, along with the permitted weight limits for their vehicle/trailer combination. They should also remember to allow additional time for slowing down and Manoeuvring their vehicle when towing.

Journey Planning

Where road journeys are required, driving during the higher-risk periods of 02:00-06:00 and 14:00-16:00 should be minimised or avoided altogether. Journey routes should be planned to use the highest quality roads, such as motorways and dual carriageways where possible, remembering the speed for light commercial vehicles is restricted to 60mph on dual carriageways.

No employee should be required to drive continuously for more than 2 hours without at least a 15-minute break. Breaks and break locations should be planned in advance. Where employees are planning to travel a long distance to a work location at the beginning or end of the day, or if travel time risks making the working day unreasonably long, employees can discuss with their manager the requirement to arrange overnight accommodation to avoid driving tired.  You safety is paramount so please do not drive tired.

Safe Driving

Employees required to drive for work purposes must familiarise themselves of the requirements and any updates to The Highway Code, and that they are considerate to other road users and understand their responsibility for the safety of themselves and other road users.

Employees who drive for work are required to apply safe driving behaviour and techniques to help reduce their risk of collisions and incidents. When driving, they should remain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, stay alert and ready to anticipate changes to road and weather conditions.

Think about your stopping distances when driving a 3500kg vehicle loaded with tools, could you stop in an emergency?!

Employees driving for work must not engage in incidents of road rage or intimidation of other road users, you are Brand ambassadors and must act as such.  Any allegations of such behaviour will be taken seriously and investigated which may lead to disciplinary action.

The law does not limit illegal mobile phone, sat nav or other device breaches to a fixed penalty or fine, but distracted driving can lead to prosecutions for careless or dangerous driving, or where death or serious injury arises, those offences.

The offence of driving without due care and attention (careless driving) under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 is committed when the defendant’s driving falls below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver – section 3ZA(2) of the RTA 1988.

Some examples of careless or inconsiderate driving include the driver being avoidably distracted by tuning the radio, lighting a cigarette etc. but other driving behaviour may be caused by being distracted such as:

• Unnecessarily staying in an overtaking lane or
• Unnecessarily slow driving or braking

The more serious offence of dangerous driving under section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 is committed when the defendant’s driving falls far below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver, and it would be obvious that driving in that way would be dangerous – section 2A of the RTA 1988.

Dangerous Driving – court cases

Some typical examples from court cases of dangerous driving include the driver being avoidably and dangerously distracted, for example by:

• using a hand-held phone or other equipment
• reading, or looking at a map
• talking to and looking at a passenger
• lighting a cigarette, changing a CD or tape, tuning the radio.

The list is non exhaustive  – the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance and law can be found here: https://www.cps.gov.uk/crime-info/driving-offences

Safe Speeds

One of the most significant risks drivers face, and create, is driving at inappropriate speeds on work-related journeys. This includes both exceeding the speed limit and driving within the limit but still too fast for the road and weather conditions.

Employees who drive for work should know the speed limits for the type of vehicle they are driving and road they are travelling on and understand the importance of staying within speed limits.

Van drivers should remember that the applicable speed limit for a van is lower than a car. Drivers should notify their line manger immediately of impending prosecutions and penalties associated with unsafe driving, including speeding, whether these resulted from at-work or personal driving.

No employee driving for work should ever drive faster than road conditions safely allow and should always obey speed limits. Employees driving for work are expected to always drive safely, responsibly, and legally.

Speed limits

Vans have lower speed limits than cars and car-type vans.

*The 30 mph limit usually applies to all traffic on all roads with street lighting unless signs show otherwise.

Seatbelts

Employees must always wear a seatbelt unless they are medically exempt from wearing one.  If so, a Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing should have been obtained from a doctor and a copy must be stored on ITrent and kept with them to be presented upon request by their line manager or the Police if stopped at the roadside.

It has been a legal requirement for drivers and passengers to wear seat belts since 1983. The minimum penalty if caught not wearing a seatbelt is a fine of £100, rising to £500 if the case goes to court.

The wearing of a seatbelt is designed to work in conjunction with the vehicles other safety restraint systems e.g. Airbags & seatbelt pretensioners.  The wearing of a seat belt reduces the chance of serious injury or death by 40% to 60%.

Seat belts must be worn by both drivers and passengers while traveling for work purposes in any vehicle, whether company-operated or privately-owned. The driver of the vehicle is responsible for enforcing seat belt use by all occupants.  Any non-compliance by an employee should be reported to your line manager.

Driver Distraction

Hyde Group Ltd operates a zero-tolerance approach to driver distraction.

The use of a handheld mobile device in any vehicle whilst driving is illegal and you could face prosecution if caught doing so. Police can issue a fixed penalty notice (£200 fine and 6 penalty points) or summons you to court where you are likely to receive a more stringent penalty on conviction. Please note: Any such penalty could affect your employment. No employee is required to take or make calls while driving. Switch your phone off or put it on silent mode and place it out of reach. If you need to make a call, even if only to advise of a travel delay, find a safe place to stop and switch off the engine first. Initiating or participating in conference or Teams calls of any kind, texting or emailing when driving is not permitted under any circumstances. Adjusting a sat nav or other such system should be done while stationary or if not possible, by using the vehicle infotainment screen.

Eating or drinking while driving should be avoided. Drivers should take refreshments during normal rest breaks or while the vehicle is stationary with the engine switched off. Note: It is illegal to stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway to make or take a call unless in an emergency.

Distraction can also be caused by other technology such as sat nav systems. Always programme your sat nav while parked and never try to do this while driving.

Driving in Adverse Weather

Weather can be unpredictable and can change quickly. When it does, the risk of a serious collision occurring substantially increases. Driving in adverse weather conditions can be extremely dangerous and can affect a drivers’ awareness and concentration as well as their ability to drive safely.

Before commencing any journey, employees who are required to drive for work should always consider the weather conditions and potential for changes and deterioration in weather. They should adjust their driving style to the weather and road conditions at the time.

Fuel levels should be checked at the start of a journey to ensure there is sufficient to complete the journey, and employees should have access to a fully charged mobile electronic device to provide updates to their managers if they need to postpone journeys or change routes when the police and travel organisation advise against road travel due to weather conditions.

If poor weather is expected, the necessity for the journey should be considered. Employees who still need to drive should ensure they have appropriate clothing to stay warm and dry, plus food and water in case of travel delays.

Employees driving for work should also have with them an up-to-date list of breakdown and emergency contact numbers. Please refer to your drivers handbook for Breakdowns and Incidents.

Passengers

For Safety and Insurance purposes, under no circumstances are unauthorised passengers permitted to be carried in any vehicle being used for work purposes.

Employees are not permitted to pick up hitchhikers in a company vehicle, and employees using their own vehicles for work are not permitted to pick up hitchhikers while driving on company business.

The driver of the vehicle is responsible for the safety and conduct of everyone in their vehicle. If carriage of employees is required for work purposes, the number of legally permitted passengers is not to be exceeded in that vehicle and seat belts must always be worn, unless medical exemption certificates apply.

The carriage of dogs or any other animal in a vehicle being used for work purposes is strictly prohibited.

Smoking

This policy prohibits the smoking of any tobacco products and the use of e-cigarettes and vapes. Employees or their passengers who smoke in company vehicles will be referred to HR and may face disciplinary action.

Fines And Penalties

You as the driver whilst in custody and control of a company owned, leased or hired vehicles will be responsible for any fines, administration charges and subsequent penalties imposed.

Upon receipt, our Fleet Management Company will send the driver all correspondence relating to any fines, charges or penalties by email.  It is your responsibility to dispute any allegation and if you believe you have evidence to dispute a case, please notify your supervisor and or Contract Manager for guidance.

Payment will be the Fleet Management Company to prevent further charges and or escalation.  If upheld, the payment of the full amount of fine or charge will be deducted from your salary on the next available payroll date.  If multiple notices are submitted at one time, payment maybe extended over a maximum of three months at Hyde Group’s discretion.

Parking fines are the responsibility of the driver and not the employer. Licence endorsements may affect the insurance of the driver concerned and mean they are unable to continue driving on behalf of Hyde Group Ltd .

Breakdowns, Punctures And Glass Repair

If your company-supplied vehicle breaks down, call AA on 08081969148. Option 1

If your company-supplied vehicle suffers a puncture, call Kwik-Fit on 08081969148. Option 2.  Please Note: You must not attempt to change the wheel yourself.

If your company-supplied vehicle suffers a broken windshield or window, call National Windscreens on 0800373171. Please quote account number: BN5377

Damage Or Theft While Parked

If your vehicle is damaged or stolen while unattended, call your line manager for further instructions followed by contacting our Fleet Management company who can assist in recovery of your vehicle if required.

If damaged whilst parked, please try to obtain as much information as possible about the location and consider provide the following:

• Provide photos of the vehicle in situ – All 4 x sides of the vehicle and 2 x of the location.
• Are there any CCTV cameras in the area that could have captured it
• Time you left the vehicle and returned
• Any witnesses that may have seen something
• If vandalised, contact Police on 101 and report to obtain a crime reference number.

Please refer to you Drivers handbook for details of how to report.

Collisions

After any accident or collision YOU MUST STOP. Failure to stop at the scene of an accident is a criminal offence. If you are involved in a collision that results in injury to a third party, you are required by law to contact the emergency services immediately by telephoning 999. If nobody has been injured and your vehicle is not causing an obstruction, you are not required to call the emergency services.

If it is possible to move your vehicle to a safe location at the side of the road you should do so and switch off the engine. Move all uninjured passengers to the side of the road. If you are on a motorway, ensure everyone remains behind the safety barrier. Do not attempt to move injured passengers unless they are in danger – wait instead for the paramedics to arrive. If a motorcyclist is involved, do not attempt to remove their crash helmet.

Please do not admit any liability for the collision or enter into any discussion other than to exchange the details required to report the accident to your insurance company and your employer.

If possible, and without putting yourself in danger, take photos of the accident scene and any damage to the vehicles involved. You should also take photos of any road or landscape features that may have contributed to the collision.

You will need to complete a full report of the incident including a diagram of the vehicles showing how the accident occurred, why it occurred and what damage resulted.

DO NOT try to recover any debris if you are on a fast road or motorway. If your vehicle is drivable, you may now continue your journey if advised to by the Fleet Management company.

Incident Reporting

All work-related road incidents and near misses (including damage-only ones and ones involving privately owned vehicles when they are used for work) should be reported as soon as it is safe to do so. Prompt and accurate reporting and recording of work-related road incidents, and near misses help to keep employees safe and reduce the likelihood of similar incidents occurring again.  It also assists our Insurers by being able to contact any third-party involved early on which in turn saves costs of hire vehicles and other expenses.

Incidents involving a company-supplied vehicle must be reported to your line manager, Fleet Manager or the Fleet Management company immediately where possible or as soon as practicable, but a maximum of within 24 hours.

An incident is an event that resulted in personal injury to an employee or another person, or resulted in property or vehicle damage, or a dangerous occurrence. This could include a motoring offence, a crash or collision involving a vehicle being driven for work, or a vehicle breakdown. A near miss is a dangerous occurrence that had the potential to result in personal injury to a staff member or another person, or to result in property damage.

All should be reported immediately or as soon as possible.

For incidents that occur outside of normal business hours, Our Fleet management company operate a 24/7 contact number to assist you as required.

Please note: For Employees that use their own vehicle for work, the Hyde Group’s legal duty of care to ensure the safety of the driver, passengers, the vehicle and journey remains the same. Grey fleet drivers should make themselves aware of all the company policies relevant to driving for work and ensure they always comply with them.

Grey fleet drivers must ensure:

• They are fit to drive.
• They hold a valid driving licence for the vehicle being driven, and provide permission for the employer to check this licence directly with DVLA.
• The vehicle is appropriate for the journey and use, taxed, MOT’d and serviced in line with manufacturer recommendations.
• They hold appropriate and valid insurance cover for business use.
• They can produce documentary proof of the above, on request.
• The vehicle is regularly checked to ensure its roadworthiness and a walk around safety check is conducted prior to starting any long work journey.
• They will notify their Line Manager if they are unable to use a vehicle which meets the minimum safety standards required.
• They will notify their Line Manager of any Notice of Intended Prosecutions and collisions they are involved in whilst driving, especially whilst on a journey for work purposes.
• They co-operate with company rules and policies when using their own vehicle for work.
• No Smoking is permitted if passengers are carried in the vehicle for work purposes.

Senior Managers, from the head of the organisation down, will provide a safe working environment through the provision of well-maintained vehicles that are fit for purpose. They will lead by personal example when driving themselves and not tolerate poor driving practice among colleagues.

Managers should ensure work duties and practices are not planned that pressurise employees into driving in an unsafe or illegal manner and will challenge any unsafe attitudes and behaviours, encouraging each other to drive safely. They will co-operate with the monitoring, reporting and investigation procedures following a reported incident of non-compliance with this policy.

Office-based employees will inform their manager of any information or concern regarding the health, wellbeing and safety of an employee who is required to drive for work and maintain complete and full records for employees and vehicles being used for work journeys. Office-based employees must be aware of the company. policy on mobile phone use while driving and not put colleagues who may be driving at risk in this way.

Employees who drive for work should make themselves aware of and comply with all company policy and procedures relating to driving for work. They should raise concerns to their manager around anything that may affect their ability to drive safely and co-operate with any investigation procedures regarding reported incidents that may involve them.

If there is anything in this policy document that you do not fully understand, or would like clarification on, please contact your line manager or the policy owner.