How Driving at Work Affects Business

In 2008, there were 231,000 road casualties in Great Britain, with 28,572 people killed or seriously injured. According to the Department for Transport (transport Statistics Bulletin;Transport Accidents and Casualties, 2007) over one third of all road traffic accidents, about 1,000 deaths a year, involve someone who is at work at the time.This implies that for the majority of people, the most dangerous thing they do at work is to drive on the public highway. It is estimated that about 200 people are killed or seriously injured each week in accidents involving someone driving, riding or otherwise using the road for work purposes.

Legal Requirements

Outside of good or public service vehicle driving for work, there is no specific legislation that relates to driving for work purposes, other than the normal road traffic legislation. However the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued guidelines that where a road traffic accident involves a driver at work, the employer should be contacted to determine if their health and safety policy and procedures are suitable and sufficient control the risks of driving at work. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 there is a general duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees (and those affected by their actions) whilst they are at work. This general duty however does not cover commuting or travelling to and from a person's normal workplace.

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