Driving for Work: Mythbusters
52 common misconceptions – and the facts employers and drivers need to know
Myth 24: Health and Safety is just for the office, not the road
Health and safety law applies just as firmly on the road as it does in any workplace, recognising that company-owned or operated vehicles, or private vehicles used for a work journeys, are considered an extension of the workplace.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers have a legal duty to manage risks faced by employees while driving for work. This includes sales reps making client visits, delivery drivers, services engineers, directors in company cars, and anyone travelling between sites during working hours.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is explicit: work-related road risk is a workplace safety issue. Employers must assess risks, ensure vehicles are roadworthy, set reasonable journey schedules, and discourage unsafe practices like using a hand-held mobile phone at the wheel.
Shockingly, around one third of all collisions involve someone who was driving for work and accounts for over 30,000 injuries each year. Managing that risk is a shared responsibility between both drivers and employers.
Driver takeaway:
Health and safety law applies to you on the road just as it does in any workplace.
You have a duty to drive safely, report concerns, and not place yourself or others at risk.
You also have the right to raise concerns without fear of reprisal.
Manager takeaway:
Work-related road risk is a workplace safety issue in law.
Carry out formal risk assessments for driving activity, ensure vehicles are fit for purpose, set realistic journey schedules, and create a culture where road safety is treated with the same seriousness as any other health and safety obligation.
