Employers could be prosecuted for failing to protect drivers, campaign warns
Employers that do not provide adequate training to staff who drive for work could face prosecution, a new national road safety campaign has warned.
The Driving Down Inequality campaign, led by the not-for-profit organisation Driver First Assist (DFA) and supported by Beverley Bell CBE, former senior traffic commissioner (STC) for Great Britain, says it aims to shine a spotlight on millions of drivers who are being excluded from basic workplace safety measures.
While workers in fixed locations often receive first aid training and operate in environments where trained colleagues are on hand, says DFA, millions of professional and grey fleet drivers are left without such support, despite the road being the UK’s most dangerous workplace.
The campaign is warning that many employers are excluding drivers from incident response and first aid training simply because they are not based in a fixed location, and that this results both in drivers being left without protection, and businesses being exposed to legal and reputational risk.
“Employers have a legal and moral duty to protect their people, wherever they work,” said David Higginbottom, CEO at Driver First Assist.
“If you wouldn’t leave a warehouse or office team without first aid support, why is it considered acceptable for drivers?”
DFA points out that on average each day, five people are killed and hundreds injured on the UK’s roads, and that driving for work is one of the most dangerous aspects of employment.
It highlights the Health & Safety Executive’s publication, ‘Driving and Riding Safely for Work’, which states: “You must assess workers’ health and safety capabilities and competence.”
But DFA says many employers remain unaware of the guidance, or lack practical systems to ensure compliance. The organisation says that driver first aid training can both support legal compliance and enhance safety culture, reducing incident risk and demonstrating commitment to employee wellbeing.
DFA’s course was developed in conjunction with the police, fire and ambulance services. It is said to help employees assess driver competence while equipping staff with vital first aid skills often overlooked due to the mobile nature of their role, thereby bridging the gap between on-site and on-the-road safety provision.
The Driving Down Inequality campaign is also calling for specific HSE guidance around driver competence and first aid, and legal reform which would mandate first response training for professional and grey fleet drivers.
It says some organisations are already leading by example, including National Highways and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, and urges others to follow suit before more lives are lost needlessly.
Employers could face serious legal consequences if they continue to overlook road risk, the campaign warns; and the message has been echoed by former STC Beverley Bell.
“Companies have a duty to train their employees and ensure they are competent and safe to carry out their role. If you employ drivers, the same applies,” said Beverley.
“Work-related road safety is still not given the same gravitas as on-site safety. Given that driving is the highest-risk activity most people do in their job roles, this baffles me.”
Alison Moriarty, a UK fleet safety expert with over two decades of experience managing large fleets is now managing director and head of compliance at Beverley Bell Consulting and Training.
Alison added: “Driving is a work activity – not ensuring your drivers are safe and legal exposes you to the same potential prosecutions as any other health and safety breach.”
David Higginbottom added: “We want to see equality in workplace safety. Drivers deserve the same protection and training as anyone else. Safer roads start with trained people – and that begins with employers stepping up and leading the way.”
