Leasedrive VELO

Huge interest in new Responsibility driver management service
22 January 2004 

Responsibility is a new business driver management service launched by the Leasedrive Group, one of the largest independent privately-owned vehicle management groups in the UK.  The service is designed to assist companies in meeting their ‘duty of care’ responsibilities where employees use their own car on company business.  It is an end-to-end solution from a professional health and safety audit to a full suite of business driver management services. 

According to commercial director, Roddy Graham: “Since companies failing to act on their ‘duty of care’ responsibilities run the risk, in the event of an accident, of facing significant fines, Responsibility will give employers peace of mind by demonstrating that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure business drivers and vehicles comply with current legislation. 

“With around 20 fatalities and 250 serious injuries each week on Britain’s roads involving ‘at work’ drivers, company directors and senior management just cannot risk the possibility of facing large fines and or even possible prison sentences.

“The response to our e-marketing campaign among managing directors, company secretaries, finance directors, legal directors and other senior decision-makers has been simply overwhelming.”

The launch of Responsibility follows the publication last autumn of the ‘Driving at Work: Managing work-related road safety’ guide by the Health and Safety Executive, which raised ‘duty of care’ issues.  The guide states that employers have a clear requirement under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all employees while at work.

Responsibility provides companies with the appropriate level of control over those business drivers who do not have a company car, either because they have opted to take a cash allowance in lieu of a company car or are not entitled to a company car, by helping them avoid potential penalties arising from non-compliance with health and safety law, the Road Traffic Act and Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations. 

Areas companies now need to look at include driver competency, driver training, driver health, knowledge of basic vehicle checks, vehicle suitability, vehicle condition, vehicle maintenance, valid MOT certificate where required, business use vehicle insurance, safety equipment fitment, vehicle ergonomics, route planning and adequate travel time allowance. 

Utilising a series of detailed workflow management processes, Leasedrive’s professional driver and vehicle management solution is designed to manage the administrative tasks associated with ensuring the employee and their own vehicle are ‘fit for the purpose’ under the HSE guidelines. 

A free copy of the ‘Driving at Work: Managing work-related road safety’ guide by the Health and Safety Executive can be obtained by sending an e-mail containing name and address details to info@responsibility.co.uk with HSE Guide in the subject field.

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