Employers should consider proactive measures to combat the risk of drink and drug driving among company car and grey fleet drivers, according to TTC.
The fleet risk management company said its call was based on results from a survey it conducted, revealing that 11% of drivers had confessed to driving after consuming more than the legal drink drive limit – and that this figure could in fact be substantially higher with 23% of motorists admitting that they don’t actually know what the drink drive limit was.
TTC CEO David Marsh said: “Part of a business’s duty of care towards their staff and others is making sure their drivers are fit to perform their duties. This includes making sure they are properly informed and deterred from driving under the influence.
“Educating employees, detecting alcohol or drugs in the system and then preventing drink and drug driving is crucial.
“We actively support businesses that put in place an effective driver policy that embraces fast accurate screening to reduce the risk of their employees’ drink or drug driving while on work business.”
In addition to duty of care, TTC said businesses should also consider other factors. It said, for a business reliant on its employees’ driving, a driving ban of a year or more will have a serious impact on productivity and profitability and may mean the employer having to recruit replacement drivers. The individual themselves may miss out on earnings or even lose their job depending on the terms and conditions of their employment.
Marsh said: “Businesses have a lot to lose if their staff are caught driving under the influence. Thanks to our background in pioneering offender training for police forces across the UK, we can offer some incredibly effective driver behaviour change education.
“This, coupled with random and with-cause employee screening can prove a powerful force in helping to stop drink and drug driving.”
