By Phil Peace, director of sales, Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions
EARLIER in 2008, the Police National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (PNVCIS) warned that fraudsters are producing high quality fake driving licences.
These fake licences can be used by potential new employees of your business. And used to gain access to one of your company’s business-provided cars.
They might even be used by a current staffer that has lost their licence. But, to keep their job, not told you.
The PNVCIS advised business owners and directors to carry out Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) checks on its company car drivers – a logical precaution – but this might not be enough.
Additional measures should be put in place. These will fully protect your business from any potential prosecution caused by aiding and abetting an offence.
Forgery is a growing concern. It is important for businesses to ensure they are fully protected from the risks of drivers using fake licences – whether driving a company car or a personal vehicle.
Here’s a simple 10 point plan to keep you safe. Follow it. And business car managers can be more confident they are not putting their businesses at risk by allowing drivers to use counterfeit licences.
The Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions driver licence check plan
1. Make reference to DVLA checks in terms of employment to avoid any ambiguity and make clear that a full valid licence is a requirement.
2. For all new starters that are entitled to a company car, let them know you will make a DVLA driver licence check. Electronic Driving Licence Checks and full DVLA verification can be made via online driving licence checking services. Get all your company cars drivers to sign a mandate saying that they consent to DVLA licence checks on a regular basis as part of your health and safety policy.
3. For all new starters that you require to drive on business in their private car, let them know, too, that you will make a check.
4. Ensure that you keep a copy of each driver’s DVLA licence.
5. Conduct DVLA checks on employees’ partners and family members who may drive the company car, however rarely.
6. Check convictions obtained in the UK by drivers with foreign licences. This can also be done easily by using online licence checking services.
7. Inform drivers that any points incurred under company business may result in driver training.
8. Record convictions that occur in company cars on driver records. Employees should also be required to declare any points on a monthly basis as part of their expenses claim.
9. Ensure that those drivers whose licences confirm eyesight correction have access to regular eye tests.
10. Maintain an audit trail of checks, results and any concerns. Should the worst come to the worst and you get caught up in a corporate manslaughter prosecution, a comprehensive audit trail demonstrates that your business took every precaution to ensure your company conformed to health and safety best practice.