Only 30% of employer respondents regularly monitor their risk position relating to employee drivers safety, according to research by Fleet 21.
The Fleet 21 business driver report found that 64% of respondents do not have a fixed budget for driver safety and 11% do not have formal policies in place around driver safety.
It also found that 28% of respondents perform basic checks on employee drivers during induction and 11% actively identify high-risk drivers and take appropriate action.
Respondents cited the main reason for implementing driver safety initiatives as being to ensure a safe working environment, followed by minimising the risk for the organisation.
The research also found:
- 54% of respondents have completed full written assessments of the risks involved in asking employees to drive for business purposes.
- 36% of respondents do not have a procedure in place and 11% were not able to say if their organisation did.
- 80% of respondents have employer manuals in place to outline the firm’s policy regarding driving.
- 52% have policy handbooks for employees.
Simon Turner, managing director at Fleet 21, said: “These findings identify a real absence of understanding by UK businesses of their legal obligations and exposure to risk, which is concerning both for the safety of staff and the financial safety of the business.
“The easiest way for [organisations] to manage these obligations, and, in turn, minimise this risk, is to have a suitable driver policy in place and a driver handbook available to all employees.
“This handbook should clearly state their personal responsibilities and why these are important, both for [the employee] and the employer.”