Checking a driving licence

IF someone needs to drive in the course of their work, it is imperative that employers begin by checking a driving licence for the legal entitlement to drive the appropriate vehicles, and for penalty points and any disqualifications.

The basic driving licence is described as a licence to drive a car, although it also covers vans and other light commercial vehicles up to a certain size.

The licence classifications have changed over the years and in some circumstances an additional test has to be passed such as to drive a larger van, a minibus or for towing.

Failing to ensure that an employee is properly entitled to drive means that the employer is failing in their duty of care, and could even face prison should the employee be involved in a serious crash.

That is why the employer needs to conduct a proper check of a driver’s licence rather than a cursory glance at the plastic card which details only the classes of entitlement.

This plastic licence on its own does not provide any details of motoring offences and the paper counterpart which used to do so was abolished in June 2015, so all the more reason for a formal check. This will disclose only ‘live’ penalty points and disqualifications and not those deemed ‘spent’.

One key to this is that, under data protection laws, anyone conducting such a check must have the licence-holder’s consent. To facilitate this, the licence holder can authorise a check which is valid for one check over the next 21 days.

It’s a criminal offence to obtain someone else’s personal information without their permission.