Fleets Warned Over Driving Licence Checks
Fleets are being urged to check their licence checking processes as a study finds that many grey fleet drivers aren’t being processed correctly.
It’s important to note that the study was specifically talking about employees who drive a privately owned or cash allowance car for business, but the figures were concerning, nonetheless.
The report showed that 35% of grey fleet employees had never been asked to prove they have a valid MOT, 32% had never been asked to prove they’re insured and 31% have never shown a valid, clean driving licence to their employer.
It’s brought licence checking and processes in the fleet industry into sharp focus and questions are being asked as to whether more regulation might be necessary.
What Does It Mean For Fleets?
The calls for more regulation are to bring all fleet sector drivers under the same rules.
With the rise of delivery services through apps, more and more people ordering online and door to door delivery becoming commonplace, there are more fleet drivers than ever.
But the grey fleet is an industry that’s risen so rapidly that regulation has failed to keep pace, which has left us in a situation where many aren’t following the guidelines as they’re supposed to.
We’ve been here before, though.
Clearer guidance is something that the DVLA and the government have been pushing for over the years, whether that’s to do with mobile phone use while driving, drivers’ vision requirements or anything else.
Remember, driver risk is something that must be managed. It’s part of all employers legal obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
Failing to meet your obligations could mean you’re found guilty and charged in line with the specific laws.
Why Are Licence Checks So Important For Fleets?
When it comes to driving and the DVLA, one of the most important processes for any fleet is checking driving licences and handling driver risks.
I’ve met countless fleet managers that have been shocked by the results of manual licence checks. Think of licences like DBS checks – you only ever get a result based on the day you check.
That means that you’ve got to check your employees’ licences regularly enough to ensure that you pick up on new points or even a ban quickly because the DVLA doesn’t notify you of ANY changes to a driver’s licence.
The DVLA have their preferred method of drivers 'sharing' their licence details via a code that lasts for 2 weeks.
Driving Monitor is an ADLV-accredited provider of exactly this type of software. But before you jump in and sign up to any new system, you’d be best off knowing exactly how you should be doing licence checks first.
To read our free guide to driving licence checking, head to www.drivingmonitor.com/7-secrets-to-driving-licence-checks and download your copy.
