This call to action follows recent statistics highlighting the drastic increase in drink driving, and resulting road traffic accidents, around the Christmas period. With many employees reliant upon driving in order to earn an income, the risk of company or grey fleet drivers failing to declare points or disqualifications received over the Christmas break, is substantial.

Ashley Sowerby, managing director, Chevin Fleet Solutions, explained: ‘There are an estimated 473,000 unlicensed drivers on the roads in the UK, many of which operate company or grey fleet vehicles unbeknown to their employers. The rise in drink driving rates over the Christmas season represents an increased risk in businesses failing to meet their duty of care compliance obligations, as penalties and bans can go unchecked for months. This leaves businesses accountable for the legal and financial ramifications, should the driver be involved in a traffic incident.

‘By simply having a better appreciation of the risks posed and by implementing a more robust method of regularly checking the status of fleet drivers’ licences, businesses can help protect themselves from court appearances and hefty penalty charges, whilst promoting best practice in managing duty of care.”

To assist fleet managers and human resource personnel in managing duty of care relating to driver licence checking, Chevin Fleet Solutions offers a tool which links directly with the DVLA database to provide real-time updates on employee licences.