Policy Statement

The Health and Safety Executive has recognised that driving for work is one of the most dangerous things many workers will do. It is estimated that up to a third of all road traffic incidents involve someone who is ‘driving for work’ at the time. This may account for around 12 fatalities and 150 serious injuries every week. Each year in Great Britain there are over 35,000 injury collisions that involve someone who was driving for work at the time.

LIND 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 LIND that involves an employee driving a vehicle and covers all journeys other than to and from the employee’s normal place of work.

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. LIND owes 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.

LIND 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 others at risk of a road collision.

You are entrusted to ensure your LIND company vehicle or Grey fleet vehicle, is always maintained in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations and relevant laws.

Non Compliance

Employees who drive for work will be responsible and accountable for their own actions when driving for the purposes of work. Should LIND receive information 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.

Policy Monitoring

This policy was last reviewed on 17/04/2025 by Clive Patrick, Health & Safety.

LIND reserves the right to amend policy requirements relating to employees who drive and vehicles which are being used for work purposes.

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

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 /riding (including automatic or manual).
• 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 employer 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.
• the original licence will be produced to management for examination  and records kept.

LIND will carry out checks of driving licences for all employers who are required to drive on company business. Employees are required to provide details to facilitate the checking of their driving licence against the DVLA database.

If you wish your partner or spouse to be permitted to drive a company car , approval must first be gained from your Head of Business, or a Director and their current licence should be submitted in the same way as above.

Fitness To Drive

A person’s fitness to drive / ride 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, hay fever – can lead to unsafe driving /riding. Sometimes, the treatment for these conditions can also impair driving / riding. Employees must ensure they are fit to drive / ride before embarking on any work journey.

It is the responsibility of every team member to ensure they are fit for work. This is especially the case where driving / riding is concerned. Maintaining yourself is as important as maintaining the vehicle. Rest , refreshment, and alertness combined with training will give you the safest option.

Eyesight

Employees driving for work are required to meet the minimum eyesight standards which involve being able to read an unfamiliar number plate from a distance of 20 metres (about 5 car lengths). Failure will result in the employee being stopped from driving on company business until they can demonstrate they meet the required minimum standard.

Make sure you have an eyesight test at least every 2 years, as your eyes can deteriorate slowly without you realising.

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.

If there are are any medical conditions that may affect your driving/ riding it is in your best interests to disclose those to your manager.

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.

No employee should 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 make your doctor aware 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. Read any notes accompanying such medicines carefully and advise your manager if you think your driving may be affected.

The driver of a vehicle found to be over the drink-drive limit, and/or driving while impaired by drugs, can receive a criminal record, an unlimited fine, imprisonment, and an automatic driving ban. Driving while impaired by drink or drugs will be treated as gross misconduct and dealt with through the normal disciplinary process which could include termination of employment.

Fatigue

It is estimated that 20% of road collisions are a result of driver fatigue. Lack of sleep, or poor sleep can impair performance to the same extent as being over the legal alcohol limit. Employees should only drive when fit and healthy to do so which includes having had adequate sleep. Employees are expected to take adequate rest breaks during a journey – typically a 15-minute rest for every two hours of driving.

Whilst it is not an offence to drive tired, if tiredness is suspected to be the cause of a crash, the police can investigate all aspects relating to the driver of the vehicle. 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.

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 manager.

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. The company may occasionally require drivers to undertake additional training or refresher training.

Vehicle Roadworthiness

A roadworthy vehicle is one that is safe to drive with all its safety-critical and other important elements in good condition and working order.

Drivers should conduct a walk around check of their vehicle to ensure there are no safety defects. A helpful aide is to remember the acronym POWDER: – Petrol (fuel) – Oil – Water – Damage – Electrics – Rubber. When checking tyres, ensure they are the correct pressure, do not have any cuts, bulges or other damage such as nails or screws, and that they have sufficient tread depth. The legal minimum tread depth for cars, vans and other LCVs is 1.6mm across 75% (three quarters) of the width of the tyre. Tyres should be replaced BEFORE they are at the legal limit.

Check the windscreen for any damage. Many chips can be repaired however, for damage larger than 10mm directly in front of the driver, the law usually requires the windscreen to be replaced.

Any defects and/or damage should be reported immediately. If safety-critical defects are found then the vehicle must not be used until those faults or defects have been rectified. Non-safety-critical defects should be rectified at the earliest possible opportunity.

Driving a vehicle with major defects is a serious offence and can result in harsh penalties. 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.

Road Fund Licence,

LIND is responsible for providing the appropriate road fund licence for all company vehicles, If you are unsure about the validity of the road fund licence, please speak with your administrator for clarification.

Grey Fleet drivers are responsible for their own road fund licence.

Group Vehicle Service and Repairs,

Take note of service intervals and seek authorisation for the service to be carried out. You must ensure that the service book is appropriately stamped. Repairs if required should be arranged similarly. Forward the paperwork to the administration department asap.

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 near miss to their manager, that involves the safety and security of their load.

Vehicle Cleanliness

It is the responsibility of the driver of the vehicle to maintain the vehicle being driven for work in a high standard of cleanliness both internally and externally. The dashboard must be kept free of loose items including including paperwork, food, litter and/or tools and equipment. The rear of the vehicle must be kept free of debris and maintained in a clean, organised, and presentable state.

If you have a LIND demonstration vehicle, then you must not leave any personal possessions within it.

If you have a LIND vehicle that is not used for demonstrations then you are permitted to leave personal affects within it, at your own risk.

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 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.

Do not leave mobile phones, laptops or other valuable items visible.

Engine Idling

LIND 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:

• turn the engine off when a vehicle is stationary for more than 1 minute and only restart when they are ready to drive away.
• 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 check, for the safety of the vehicle occupants, or when unforeseen emergency circumstances arise.

Private Use Of Company Vehicles

Company cars may be used for private journeys. Commercial vehicles should only be used for private journeys with senior managers consent. No company-supplied vehicle may be raced, rallied, or otherwise used in a non-business- related, off-road environment.

Towing

Employees being asked to tow a trailer or equipment should ensure that their driving licence allows them to do so legally.

Drivers should be competent at correctly hitching the trailer, checking the trailer before use including tyres, electrical and brake connections, ensuring loads are safe and secure, and manoeuvring/reversing the trailer. Drivers without this competence should seek additional training from their manager before towing on behalf of the organisation.

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.

Any item that is towed by a LIND vehicle e.g. caravan or trailer for personal purposes is not covered by Group insurance so you must be prepared to arrange your own insurance for loss of or damage to the item being towed on a third party fire or theft or comprehensive basis. You may wish to consider third party cover for the item when detached from the vehicle.

Additional Topics

First Aid Kits,

Every car or van should have a first aid kit. If you do not have one, please advise the Dealer Principle and one will be obtained. Delivery vans should also have a mounted carbon dioxide extinguisher. It is your responsibility to make sure that any items used are replaced.

Daily/Weekly/Monthly/ Vehicle Checks,

The following list identifies the regular checks that employees with LIND company vehicles (not demonstrators) should be aware of, and ensure that such checks are completed as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, law, and where active, recorded on Safety Culture.

Tyres visual condition, wear, and pressures,

Engine oil level,

Coolant level,

Windscreen washer reservoir,

Brake fluid level,

Clean windows inside and out,

Clean interior,

Clean wash exterior,

Lights, indicators, and horn functioning,

Please remember that it is the driver/ rider’s responsibility of whatever vehicle that they drive/ride to have checked it first and ensure it is safe to drive/ride.

The sales manager is responsible for ensuring that Demonstrators are checked monthly by the workshop.

The service manager is responsible for ensuring that all his Aftersales vehicles/courtesy vehicles are checked monthly by the workshop.

The parts manager is responsible for ensuring that all Parts vehicles are checked monthly by the workshop.

All parts vans must be fitted with a functioning dash cam.

Customer Demonstrations

PRIOR TO DEMONSTRATION

All demonstration vehicle keys that are not currently out being used should be kept in a secure key cabinet when not in use, Not your desk!

Ensure that the vehicle is clean especially windscreens and mirrors and that the vehicle is in a serviceable condition.

When lending a demo or loan vehicle out we should always in the first instance put the customer on Cooper insurance.

Examine customers photo licence or old style paper (prior to 1996) and obtain the relevant DVLA e-consent code to check their full licence. Keep a copy of any photo card on file and complete all relevant loan vehicle paperwork.

Brief customer on vehicle controls and performance.

Ensure that all persons in the vehicle use seat belts for cars and ensure all safety gear for bikes are worn.

Children that cannot legally use the seat belt as the only form of support are not to be taken on board as passengers unless they have the required child seat.

Customers should be advised not to use mobile phones until they are fully familiar with the vehicle and only if the vehicle is equipped with the proper hands free kit.

DURING THE DEMONSTRATION

When it is an accompanied demonstration, Sales executives are not to hand the ignition keys to the customer until they themselves are seated in the passenger seat with the seat belt done up.

If at any time you are threatened with violence, then hand over the keys for the vehicle and immediately report the vehicle stolen to your line manager and police. No heroes please.

The sales executive should always advise another member of the sales team (manager if possible) that they are going on a demonstration.

If it is an unaccompanied demonstration, then please ensure that all the usual checks are completed in line with the company policy and our insurance policy prior to a vehicle being handed over. This must also be approved by the manager prior to the demonstration.

Ensure customer rearranges the seat and mirrors and has the correct position.

Select a route that will minimise risk to the customer, passengers, and other road users.

If there is ever any doubt as to whether a customer is allowed to have a demonstration, then always refer to your manager or our insurance company.

Journey Planning

Any journey should be reviewed, and a decision made as to whether the journey by road is necessary, whether it can be made by rail or air travel, or replaced with remote communications.

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.

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 planned 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.

Use of Vehicle Abroad,

Before booking any holiday abroad in which you intend to take a LIND vehicle you must first gain authorisation from your regional manager or the operations director. If approved our insurance company will be informed of your travel arrangements so you will need to provide exact dates of travel and destination, one month prior to departure. You will be advised of what certificates or other information you may need which gives you authority to take your LIND car abroad. This must be taken with you. If the trip is for holiday purposes, you must ensure European breakdown cover is applicable to the vehicle otherwise you will have to meet all costs recovering the vehicle. All fuel used outside of the UK will be at your own personal cost.

Any long distance holiday trips within the UK needs to be authorised in advance by your line manager and you may be expected to contribute to the cost of your personal fuel for that period.

Safe Driving

It is important that all drivers of vehicles are aware 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 behaviours 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.

Vulnerable Road Users.

The term vulnerable road users are used to cover the following: Pedestrians (children & elderly persons), cyclists, motorcyclists, and horse riders. The reason they are classed as vulnerable is they are less visible and more likely to be injured or killed in a road traffic collision.

Modern technology has a large part to play in keeping vulnerable road users (VRU) safe. Where possible LIND will always choose a vehicle that has built in safety systems such as autonomous emergency breaking and advanced driver assistance systems such as parking cameras.

All vehicles have blind spots and these areas present risks to VRU. We need to minimise these blind spots by ensuring drivers have a good level of vision through the windows. This can be achieved simply by keeping the windows clean. The mirrors on the vehicle should be properly adjusted, kept clean and damage free. In vehicle cameras can also be used to minimise blind spots.

Recent changes to the highway code have introduced a “Hierarchy of Road Users”. The idea is for people to look out for and to look after those above them in the hierarchy.

The hierarchy also contains 3 basic rules to aid the safety of all road users:

H1- It is important that ALL road users are aware of The Highway Code, are considerate to other road users and understand their responsibility for the safety of others.

H2- Rule for drivers, motorcyclists, horse riders and cyclists. Drivers and motorcyclists should give way to pedestrians waiting to cross at a junction. They MUST give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing and should give way to those waiting to cross. Horse riders should also give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing. Cyclists should give way to pedestrians on shared-use cycle tracks and only pedestrians may use the pavement.

H3- Rule for drivers and motorcyclists. Rule H2 explained motorists should not cut across cyclists going ahead when turning into or out of a junction, just as they wouldn’t turn across the path of another vehicle. They should stop and wait for a safe gap in the flow of cyclists, which includes when cyclists are moving off from a junction, passing stationary or slow moving traffic, and travelling around a roundabout. Drivers should also not turn at a junction if doing so would cause a cyclist to swerve or stop.

Another key aspect of protecting VRU is route planning. If possible , you should plan your route to avoid schools, residential areas, and town centres, This will minimise contact with VRU and thus reduce the risk to both them and you. If you have no choice to enter areas such as these, you need to be very vigilant and aware of the dangers around you. Especially when turning left, pulling out of junctions, changing lanes, or overtaking and during slow speed manoeuvres such as reversing.

A new addition to driving landscape is the use of E-scooters. There are several trials ongoing around the country and during these trials users will be able to use E-scooters on the road. Due to the small wheels , low ground clearance and narrow handlebars E-scooters can be particularly vulnerable to poor road surfaces and adverse weather. They can also be less visible at night due to a lack of space to mount a light. The rear one may be very low, making it hard for drivers of higher vehicles to see.

On no account should employees driving for work become involved in incidents of road rage or intimidation of other road users.

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.

Every year, over 200 people are killed in crashes involving someone exceeding the speed limit and over 100 people die in crashes involving someone travelling within the speed limit but too fast for the conditions. Speed limits are a limit, not a target.

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 often lower for that of a car. Drivers should notify their 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.

The minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and 3 penalty points added to a driving licence.

Seatbelts

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.

Seat belts are the best protection against injury or death in a crash. Wearing a seat belt reduces the chance of serious injury or death by 40% to 60%. People thrown from a vehicle are 4 times more likely to be killed than those who were wearing a seat belt and remain inside the vehicle. Seat belts should be worn by both drivers and passengers while traveling for work in any vehicle, whether company-operated or privately-owned. The driver of the vehicle is responsible for enforcing seat belt use by all occupants.

Where medically exempt from wearing a seat belt, a Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing should be obtained from a doctor. A copy must be presented to the Manager and a copy kept in the vehicle being driven to present to the police if stopped.

Child Seating Restraints.

The law requires all children travelling in cars to use the correct restraint until they are either 135cm in height or the age of 12 (whichever they reach first). After this they must use and adult seat belt. If you need to transport children in any company vehicle, then you must ensure they are restrained in a an appropriate age related child seat or booster seat. It is the drivers responsibility to ensure that children under the age of 14 are restrained correctly in accordance with the law.

Motorcycle Rider Equipment And Clothing,

It is the Group expectation when riding motorcycles that you must wear all appropriate clothing which must include a legal helmet, gloves, protective jacket, trousers, and boots. You must ensure that any pillion passenger also conforms to this requirement. Please note that before you carry any pillions you must have prior authorisation from the Dealer Principle.

Driver Distraction

The use of a handheld mobile device in any vehicle whilst driving is illegal and employees face prosecution if caught doing so. Police can issue a fixed penalty notice (£200 fine and 6 penalty points) or summons the driver to court where they are likely to receive a more stringent penalty on conviction. Please note that any such penalty could affect your employment.

The use of hands-free mobile devices in all vehicles being driven for work is permitted though, while legal, hands-free use is not risk-free; using a hands-free device when driving creates an avoidable distraction that affects a driver’s ability to concentrate and impairs their reaction times.

Drivers are permitted to use mobile phone devices with hands-free access, as long as they do not hold them at any time during usage. Hands-free access means using:

• a dashboard holder or windscreen mount
• a Bluetooth connection to the vehicle (earphones are not permitted)
• voice activation

A hands-free device fitted to the windscreen must not block the driver’s view of the road and traffic ahead. Drivers must always stay in full control of their vehicle. The police can stop drivers if they think they are not in control because they are distracted, and they can be prosecuted.

Note: It is illegal to stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway to make or take a call.

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 / riding in adverse weather conditions can be extremely dangerous and can affect a drivers’/ rider’s awareness and concentration as well as their ability to drive / ride safely.

Before commencing any journey, employees who are required to drive /ride for work should always consider the weather conditions and potential for changes and deterioration in weather. They should adjust their driving /riding 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 charged mobile phone, to provide updates when safe to do so, when stationary/parked safely, to their managers if they need to postpone journeys or change routes when the police and travel organisations 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 /riding for work should also have with them an up-to-date list of breakdown and emergency contact numbers.

Passengers

For safety and insurance reasons, under no circumstances are employees permitted to allow unauthorised passengers 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 the carrying of passengers is permitted by management, the number of legally permitted passengers is not to be exceeded in that vehicle and seat belts must be used, unless medical exemption certificates apply.

The carriage of children, dogs or any other animal in a vehicle being used for work purposes is not permitted.

Smoking

Under the 2006 Health Act, smoking is banned in the workplace, and any vehicles being used for work. Smoking by either driver or passengers is not permitted in any vehicle while traveling on official company business. This includes vehicles allocated to a single person. This policy includes the use of e-cigarettes and vapes. Employees and their passengers who smoke in work vehicles are breaking the law and can be fined.

Fines And Penalties

Any employee who is caught and prosecuted by the police for unsafe and dangerous behaviour while driving a vehicle for work, will be responsible for any fines, administration charges and subsequent penalties imposed. 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 LIND.

All personnel who drive / ride on group business is required to inform management of all pending prosecutions, convictions, fines and endorsements, together with the details of the incidents immediately. Failure to do so could invalidate an insurance claim due to non disclosure.

If you commit a blameworthy motoring offence you must inform management . If you are accused of an offence which you dispute inform management.

Breakdowns, Punctures And Glass Repair

If your company-supplied vehicle breaks down, call either the manufacturers designated breakdown & recovery service, or 3rd party provider.

If your company-supplied vehicle suffers a puncture, call either the manufactures designated service provider, or 3rd party provider. If you are on a motorway, you must not attempt to change the wheel or tyre yourself.

If your company-supplied vehicle suffers a broken windshield or window, call either the manufacturers service provider, or 3rd party provider..

Damage Or Theft While Parked

If your vehicle is damaged or stolen while unattended, call your manager for further instructions.

Theft and Damage,

Theft from motor vehicles continues to be a high profile crime. You must ensure that all valuables are placed in the boot when your vehicle is left unattended. Any theft of / or from your vehicle or damage caused to it by unknown persons, must be reported to the police and to your dealer principle immediately. Where reported, a crime number must be obtained from the police. Please remember that your personal possessions will not be covered by our business insurance.

Do not put yourself at risk if someone attempts to steal your vehicle using force.

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.

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 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.

Clear any debris to the side of the road so it doesn’t present any danger to other road users but DO NOT try to recover any debris if you are on a motorway. If your vehicle is drivable, you may now continue your journey.

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.

Incidents involving a company-supplied vehicle must be reported to the Manager or the organisation’s appointed accident management agent immediately where possible or, at the latest, 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.

Please note that if you use your own car for work, the organisation’s legal duty of care to ensure the safety of the driver, the vehicle and journey remain 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 Manager if they are unable to use a vehicle which meets the minimum safety standards required.
• They will notify their 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.

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.