PAUL Fincham, motor fleet broker of Bluedrop Services, examines the importance of getting recruitment right when it comes to your fleet drivers, with the importance of vigorous driver vetting.
He says it is a well-known fact that a large number of company vehicles will be involved in a road accident in the next 12 months and 33% of all large motor vehicle insurance claims involve drivers employed for less than 12 months.
As an employer you have a Duty of Care to ensure the safety of your employees and the public who may be affected by their driving behaviour.
If they are doing something for you and about their duties (including driving a company vehicle) you are responsible – even if they are behaving totally improperly and against your orders.
– Greville Janner, Q.C.
As early as the interview stage you should be providing clear statements on how much the company values safe driving and that you will be requiring a vehicle licence check to include their driving record and background check.
Open-ended questions can then be asked regarding a candidate’s driving history and any violations or accidents in the past three years to get a feel for their experience and driving ability.
It is also wise to ask about if the applicant has ever taken any defensive driving courses and why they have or have not undertaken any, which can be quite telling on their attitude and character.
Ask pertinent questions regarding medical records
In cases of employment for business drivers, employers should always ask specific medical questions and request that a basic questionnaire is completed to disclose serious medical conditions prior to employment.
Specific questions should be focused around medical conditions that could affect an employee’s ability to drive safely, such as epilepsy, strokes, other neurological and mental health conditions, physical disabilities and visual impairments.
Record your policy and grounds for dismissal in contracts and handbooks
Upon hiring, contracts and staff handbooks should also make it clear that failure to disclose such information which may impair their work must be disclosed or be grounds for dismissal.
Without outlining these grounds for dismissal as part of the contract and within the handbook, then the employer would need to adhere closely to the code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.
Remember that an employee is within their rights to refuse access to any medical records under The Access to Medical Reports Act 1988.
Should the employee refuse access to requested medical records which may be required for further information, then a full record of this request and refusal should be kept to help protect against any possible future claims.
Of course if this refusal is made prior to employment then the employer can take the decision to halt recruitment at this stage, but it is recommended to keep a full record of reasons behind this decision.
Check their driving record
One of the most important procedures for any fleet policy is vehicle licence record checking and reporting. Driver records should be part of the hiring process and checked at least annually and/or when determined necessary, so that violations or suspensions can be spotted in a timely manner.
With the job applicant’s written permission, a check on the current driving record can be obtained from the DVLA which are now all held online since June 2015.
By going to the DVLA’s website you check someone’s driving licence details if the driver either shares this with you or they can equally provide a ‘check code’ which you can use yourself online to gain access, but the code needs to be used within 21 days of generation.
In addition to driver record checks, employees must also be aware that they are required to immediately notify the human resources department of any new violations or licence suspensions. These steps can limit your liability of risk exposure and will also be required when keeping your fleet insurance records up-to-date.
Consider a licence point system
Your fleet operation should consider using and communicating an internal licence point review system. A point system is used as a guide for assigning values to the various types of traffic violations or accidents in order to respond in a proactive manner.
A point system will categorise how many points trigger a compulsory driver training program or indeed require disciplinary action.
Final validation
In addition to the above measures you are also advised to carry out initial and ongoing tests such as eye tests, driver competence tests, and drug testing. See our ten fleet driver selection tips for more information.
- Paul Fincham is motor fleet broker for Bluedrop Services, specialists in Fleet Insurance.
