Keeping your Drivers Safe to Drive

As an operator, you have a responsibility to ensure that your drivers are safe to drive and if you don’t, you could be held responsible. In order to avoid this, operators should ensure that they have a process in place.

This process can be anything from a member of staff specifically designated to checking drivers for signs of being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs to making sure that the member of office staff who gives keys to drivers is trained to see these signs.

If you can show that you have a robust system in place to check that drivers are safe before they drive you can show ‘due diligence’ and run considerably less of a risk of being held responsible if a driver causes an accident, damage, injury or death when under the influence.

You should check for signs of incapacity through tiredness, illness, drugs, drink or any other impairment. You should also check the validity of licence regularly (and ensure that medicals are up to date) and frequently review medicines taken by drivers (up date the emergency contact form).

For more help, contact us or consider Transport Manager Refresher training.