Fleet managers have been urged to make additional licence checks for temporary staff over the Christmas period and early months in the new year to ensure drivers are qualified to drive.
According to driver management company Licence Check, fleet bosses need to be vigilant to ensure workers with poor records aren’t being sent out on to the roads.
The firm said fleet managers should carry out repeat checks over the festive period and early into 2017 to ensure staff don’t pick up any new licence endorsements, such as drink-driving, that could pose a risk to the safety profile of the employer.
“Reasonable employers carefully plan their routing and deliveries and ensure their drivers are fully compliant. They also carry out regular licence checks, so they can spot any potential problems early on and take appropriate action,” said Richard Brown, managing director of Licence Check. “We recommend that employers make driving licence checks in December and run a repeat check in January or February, so that only drivers with appropriate licences are on the road and those that have offended over the Christmas period, are identified.”
Brown said there is a temptation for drivers to speed so they can meet delivery deadlines and added some could turn up for work after a Christmas party possibly over the legal limit thanks to time off being in short supply at this time of the year.
