Health and Safety Executive – New Driving for Work Guidance

The Health and Safety Executive launched its improved and expanded guidance for the way manage those who drive for work at The Health and Safety Event 2021 at the NEC, Birmingham.

The updated guidance on work-related road risk has been issued to clear up confusion over where responsibility for legal compliance lies when employees use personal vehicles as part of their job. The move is a result of the growing gig economy and an increasing grey fleet.

The guidance is being delivered by a new dynamic website delivering resources for those who manage drivers.

 Launching the new guidance HSE stressed that driving for work is likely to be the most dangerous activity most workers will undertake, highlighting that:

• Every week in UK there are around 200 deaths and serious injuries involving people using the road for work
• It is estimated that 40,000 people working in occupations such as sales, deliveries or taxi-driving are involved in road traffic collisions every year
• Company car drivers in the UK are 49% more likely to be involved in traffic collisions, even after correcting for demographic variables and their relatively high mileages
• Countless others will suffer stress, anxiety and/or minor injuries from unreported incidents.

The Health & Safety Event partnered with the Driving for Better Business campaign to deliver the new Driver Safety Zone. This zone hosted a series of presentations and expert panels to share essential information and resources with safety professionals who have responsibility for work-related road risk. The discussions can be found here.