A big proportion of crashes are thought to involve someone driving for work – whether it’s a company car driver, a professional driver of a commercial vehicle, or someone driving their own vehicle on company business. In all these situations, the employer has a duty of care to do what they can to ensure the driver and their vehicle are safe. But while some companies have comprehensive policies and practices to safeguard company drivers and other road users, many more are failing on their duty of care responsibilities, sometimes with horrendous consequences. 

What needs to be done?

Companies with employees who drive for work should have comprehensive policies and procedures to manage and reduce the risks their staff face and pose to others when driving for work. This should include:
- having policies that prohibit dangerous driving behaviour, such as banning all use of phones at the wheel, and requiring regular rest breaks; 
- minimising at-work journeys by road, such as by using teleconferencing or trains to get to meetings;
- monitoring incidents involving their staff to address problem issues; 
- running driver assessments and tailored training and education on safe driving, and ensuring drivers understand they should always put safety first; 
- using the safest possible vehicles, rigorously maintained, and fitted with the latest safety features, such as telematics to monitor speeds, and the latest devices on trucks to eliminate blind-spots.

Brake believes companies should be required by law to report any fatal or injury collisions involving their vehicles to the Health and Safety Executive, as they are required to do on safety matters that cause far fewer casualties. Companies should also face prosecution and stiff penalties if poor safety management is found to be at fault for any death or injury on roads, but this remains rare. We also need greater resources invested in roads policing, and enforcement of truck and bus safety rules (carried out by VOSA).

What you can do

Companies with staff who drive for work: join Brake’s Fleet Safety Forum
Anyone can make Brake’s Pledge on safe driving 
Like this page to spread the word on Facebook
Write to your MP calling for the steps outlined above to make at-work drivers safer
Sign up to our fortnightly e-bulletin, for updates on our campaigns and how you can help

Campaign news

Brake's response to examining the speed limit for heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes on single carriageway roads, 01.02.13
At work drivers taking deadly risks on roads, 04.01.13
Fleets share best practice on cyclist safety at Fleet Safety Forum annual conference, 29.02.12
Brake and police join forces to tackle blindspot casualties, 3.02.12
Brake applauds announcement that annual MOT tests are here to stay, 01.02.12
Brake backs Pro-MOTe campaign to defend annual MOTs, 26.10.11
Mobile phone addiction threatens safety on roads, warns Brake, 28.09.11
One in eight drivers nodded off at wheel in past year, reveals Brake, 13.07.11
Brake recognises life-saving achievements at Fleet Safety Forum Awards, 10.06.11
Written Declaration 81 passed, so EC must make proposals to require trucks to be fitted with latest devices to see blindspots, 09.03.11
Bereaved family’s campaign to cut truck blind spot casualties backed by Team GB members, 14.02.11
Fiona Hall MEP wins Brake award for 'See me, Save me' campaign, calling for sensors and cameras on trucks to reduce blindspots, 20.11.10
Corporate Manslaughter Act becomes law, 26.07.07
Brake's response to HSE consultation on including road crashes within its RIDDOR reporting system, 2005