Comprehensive licence checking process reveals danger of companies employing illegal drivers

1 June 2006

The importance of companies checking the validity of employees’ driving licences has been underlined with the License Bureau highlighting seven ineligible drivers while completing 500 checks in one day.

The License Bureau, the license checking partner of leading contract hire and leasing company ALD Automotive, says many companies pay little attention to checking the validity of the driving licenses of staff. License Bureau says that ensuring all drivers have a valid licence and are legal to drive on business should be a key feature of all corporate occupational road risk policies.

Initial checks on 500 licenses with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) on one day revealed that seven staff employed by five different client companies were ineligible to drive.

Recordati UK, recently selected ALD Automotive to provide it with more than 70 vehicles following the launch of the Italian-owned company in the UK. All drivers have had their licences checked by the Licence Bureau.

It is calculated that there are up to one million drivers on the road without a valid driving licence and the Department for Transport and the DVLA estimates these drivers are nine times more likely to be involved in an accident than a qualified licence holder.