According to Specsavers, it is the areas that come under an employer’s Duty of Care that still cause the most confusion regarding driver safety. To gauge employers’ overall understanding, Specsavers Corporate Eyecare asked over 120 heads of companies, representing over 99,000 employees, what they thought came under their duty of care as employers. Of those surveyed:

• 82% believe ensuring all drivers have a full and current driving licence comes under their duty of care.
• 79% believe ensuring all company cars are taxed, insured and maintained, comes under their duty of care.
• With 70% believing this for employees’ own cars, used for work purposes.

In fact, as all work activities come under an employer’s duty of care, they have a responsibility for all of these areas.

An encouraging 74% of the employers surveyed stated they believe ensuring an employee has adequate eyesight for driving is part of their duty of Care as an employer.

The HSE makes it clear that employers have a responsibility for their drivers. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 “requires employers to take appropriate steps to ensure the health and safety of their employees and others who may be affected by their activities when at work. This includes the time when they are driving or riding at work, whether this is in a company or hired vehicle, or in the employee’s own vehicle.”

Specsavers claims that while these figures are positive, they still leave 8% of the employers surveyed who believe they have no Duty of Care whatsoever when it comes to employees who drive for work purposes.

Even the other encouraging figures leave a worrying 18% of employers surveyed not taking responsibility for checking drivers’ licences, 21% not looking after company cars and 30% taking no responsibility for checking the taxing, insuring and maintenance of their grey fleet. Added to this, over a quarter (27%) of employers surveyed believe an employee using their own car to drive to a work-related meeting, does not come under their responsibility at all.

Perhaps most worryingly, over a quarter (26%) still do not believe it is their responsibility to check their employees can see clearly to drive.

‘We will not be content until 100% of employers know it is their responsibility to ensure that their drivers are fully fit to drive,’ commented Suzanne Randall, corporate account manager for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare.

‘Being able to read a number plate from 20 meters on the day of the driving test remains the main check of a driver’s vision. We feel the employer can go further and play a significant role in ensuring their driver's continue to have the required standards of vision.’