This week the BBC news broke the story of the M1 fatal minibus crash "laid bare the loophole" where employers are not automatically told of drivers losing their licence.
Eight minibus occupants were killed in the crash in August caused by two lorry drivers - one of whom had lost their HGV licence 37 days earlier.
I don't know about you, but hearing that one of those drivers had lost their licence and this could have been avoided is chilling.
The problem with the current system
The problem is - the DVLA don't push out updates of changes to a driving licence. So EVEN IF you've checked a licence and that driver is then banned from driving - you may not find out about it until the next DVLA licence check.
The reality is it could be a long time before a driving licence is checked and we need better systems in place to get key road safety data into the hands of employers.
Lobbying for change
In my role as Technical Director of the ADLV (www.adlv.co.uk) I've been lobbying for this data to be available on a 'push' basis so that we can immediately notify employers of any drivers who should not be on the road.
It would be great to get your view of if you think this kind of information should be pushed out by the DVLA to companies who are checking those licences?
Let me know below by voting for the option you agree with below:
If you're interested in reading more about this incident, the sentences issued and how it happened here's the original articles:
Sadly, so many drivers find ’emselves convicted/sentenced completely devoid of summons, therefore in their abscence, and oft completely devoid of their knowledge. It is only when bouncers commence knocking the door, seeking to recover the financial side, oft devoid of warrant, or even attempting to arrest their victim, equally devoid of warrant, that the driver has any knowledge of the case. Even then, the paperwork is oft so scrambled, even 5 – 10 years old, that the fresh court have no hope of understanding the contents. We could easilly find ourselves convicted of a crime/offence which never occurred, or if it did, by some other individual, who has possibly given our ID by mistake. It is long since extremely common that when we kill a pedestrian/cyclist at speed, we automatically drive on, failing to stop/failing to report (2 x 6 = 12 points), oft in fear of the breathalyser. When finally brought to justice,we simply blame a fictive chaufuer, giving any false ID for this poor soul. First, and foremost, they should get their act together, by bringing every case, however trivial, to/before “due legal process”. This would involve the “law of disclosure”, the Right to FREE legal advice/representation, as also the “Right to remain silent”
christopher lamport
I covered a company last year where the driving licence was 7.5 years out of date, worst to come he had been given 6 points onto his licence without a check that his licence was valid. This also needs to be tidied up as well.
Mr M Doughty
Police can check the DVLA computer so why is it that employees do not have axes to in,
or all drivers that have lost their license should be put on a list the same day as the court
sets the baned to a central web page that employes can axes.
Driving Monitor
Agreed Mick – this needs to improve.
Kevin
Stuart Taylor
I do not feel that there is even a debate in this. At the level of licence we are looking at here there is a significant risk to life, business and many other things. The DVSA have been slow with their updates to technology but are catching up. Where it relates to someone’s job there really should be a duty of care to inform the employers and the system is in place for the driver to okay this. The cost would be minimal as it would only be an email that would flag as urgent priority. In this there really should be a link in to health issues from GP’s and hospitals too.
Driving Monitor
Stuart I agree – we should be getting this information the day after the courts update the DVLA.
Kevin
Paul Sutcliffe
Most certainly the licenses should be updated automatically, we in this industry could be driving around with somebody that’s been reckless, drunk in charge of a vehicle all to easy
Driving Monitor
Paul I agree – this is a road safety issue that needs to be addressed.
Kevin
Too much resource goes into repeat licence checks when the vast majority of checks come back as low risk. A simple registration fee with DVLA should pay for the push service, which could be automated and withdrawn/cancelled (when a driver no longer drives/works for the employer).
Driving Monitor
Paul, you’re right – if we have to move to monthly checks it’s a big waste of resource. If we could simple check an ‘updated’ flag on the database then a licence check would only EVER need to be checked when a changed was detected. This would save a huge amount of money all round.
Kevin
craig sharp
yes this should happen its only a good thing.
Driving Monitor
Agreed.
Steve Holyhead
Surely this has to happen as quickly as possible in order to get banned drivers off the roads? They have been banned for a reason right?
Driving Monitor
Steve you’re spot on – we should be getting this information the day after the courts update the DVLA.
Kevin
Bill Aitch
Sadly, so many drivers find ’emselves convicted/sentenced completely devoid of summons, therefore in their abscence, and oft completely devoid of their knowledge. It is only when bouncers commence knocking the door, seeking to recover the financial side, oft devoid of warrant, or even attempting to arrest their victim, equally devoid of warrant, that the driver has any knowledge of the case. Even then, the paperwork is oft so scrambled, even 5 – 10 years old, that the fresh court have no hope of understanding the contents. We could easilly find ourselves convicted of a crime/offence which never occurred, or if it did, by some other individual, who has possibly given our ID by mistake. It is long since extremely common that when we kill a pedestrian/cyclist at speed, we automatically drive on, failing to stop/failing to report (2 x 6 = 12 points), oft in fear of the breathalyser. When finally brought to justice,we simply blame a fictive chaufuer, giving any false ID for this poor soul. First, and foremost, they should get their act together, by bringing every case, however trivial, to/before “due legal process”. This would involve the “law of disclosure”, the Right to FREE legal advice/representation, as also the “Right to remain silent”
christopher lamport
I covered a company last year where the driving licence was 7.5 years out of date, worst to come he had been given 6 points onto his licence without a check that his licence was valid. This also needs to be tidied up as well.
Mr M Doughty
Police can check the DVLA computer so why is it that employees do not have axes to in,
or all drivers that have lost their license should be put on a list the same day as the court
sets the baned to a central web page that employes can axes.
Driving Monitor
Agreed Mick – this needs to improve.
Kevin
Stuart Taylor
I do not feel that there is even a debate in this. At the level of licence we are looking at here there is a significant risk to life, business and many other things. The DVSA have been slow with their updates to technology but are catching up. Where it relates to someone’s job there really should be a duty of care to inform the employers and the system is in place for the driver to okay this. The cost would be minimal as it would only be an email that would flag as urgent priority. In this there really should be a link in to health issues from GP’s and hospitals too.
Driving Monitor
Stuart I agree – we should be getting this information the day after the courts update the DVLA.
Kevin
Paul Sutcliffe
Most certainly the licenses should be updated automatically, we in this industry could be driving around with somebody that’s been reckless, drunk in charge of a vehicle all to easy
Driving Monitor
Paul I agree – this is a road safety issue that needs to be addressed.
Kevin
Paul Rose
Too much resource goes into repeat licence checks when the vast majority of checks come back as low risk. A simple registration fee with DVLA should pay for the push service, which could be automated and withdrawn/cancelled (when a driver no longer drives/works for the employer).
Driving Monitor
Paul, you’re right – if we have to move to monthly checks it’s a big waste of resource. If we could simple check an ‘updated’ flag on the database then a licence check would only EVER need to be checked when a changed was detected. This would save a huge amount of money all round.
Kevin
craig sharp
yes this should happen its only a good thing.
Driving Monitor
Agreed.
Steve Holyhead
Surely this has to happen as quickly as possible in order to get banned drivers off the roads? They have been banned for a reason right?
Driving Monitor
Steve you’re spot on – we should be getting this information the day after the courts update the DVLA.
Kevin