| Legislatory Requirements |

The Health & safety at Work Act of 1974 requires you to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health & safety of employees while at work.

Under the Management of Health & safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers have a responsibility to manage health & safety effectively.  A business needs to carry out an assessment of the risks to the health & safety of their employees while they are at work, and to other people who may be affected by their work activities.  This includes work-related driving activities.

Employees driving on company business are considered to be undertaking a work activity and the vehicle they are driving, regardless of ownership, is regarded as a place of work.

The Health & Safety Commission recently issued a series of guidelines covering the employer's responsibility towards the employee.  This included the recommendation that every company appointed a director to be responsible for Health & Safety – this includes ‘Driving at Work’.

Health & Safety law does not apply to commuting, unless the employee is traveling from their home to a location for business purposes, which is not their usual place of work.

| Why Is There A Spotlight On This Issue? |

The Government has clearly indicated that it intends to pursue a policy of reducing road traffic accidents and has set tough targets.  Research has confirmed that individuals driving on company business are more likely than other road users to be involved in an accident resulting in death or serious injury.  Hence the reason why there is an increased focus by the authorities on work related driving.  Existing Health & Safety legislation is now more likely to be used in a bid to reduce the accident toll.  Companies are now more likely to be investigated by the police and Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in the wake of a serious road traffic accident.