Published: June 2024
Reading time: 5 minutes
Suitable for: Business Owners, Managers, Supervisors and Employees Who Drive for Work
Topics: Driving for Work | Vehicle Safety | Journey Planning | Risk Assessment
At a glance
Main goal: Reduce the risks associated with driving for work.
Who should be involved? Employers, managers and anyone who drives as part of their job.
Key action: Ensure vehicles are safe, journeys are planned and drivers are competent and well-rested.
Benefits: Fewer accidents, reduced downtime, improved employee safety and legal compliance.
Why this matters
Driving is one of the most common work activities, whether it’s travelling between appointments, delivering goods or visiting customers. It is also one of the highest-risk activities many employees undertake.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), thousands of workplace transport incidents occur each year, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities.
Employers have a legal duty to manage the risks associated with driving for work, helping to protect employees, other road users and the wider public.
What is driving for work?
Driving for work includes any journey made on behalf of your employer or business.
Examples include:
- Visiting customers or clients
- Travelling between work sites
- Delivering goods or equipment
- Attending meetings or training
- Driving company vehicles
- Using a personal vehicle for business purposes
Commuting between home and a normal place of work is generally not considered driving for work.
What are the main risks?
Driving can expose employees to a wide range of hazards, including:
- Driver fatigue
- Poor weather conditions
- Vehicle defects
- Distractions, such as mobile phones
- Excessive speed
- Inexperience or lack of training
- Poor route planning
- Unsafe loading of vehicles
Understanding these risks is the first step towards reducing them.
How can employers improve driving safety?
Employers should have suitable arrangements in place to manage work-related driving.
Good practice includes:
Ensure vehicles are roadworthy
- Carry out regular inspections and maintenance
- Encourage drivers to complete vehicle checks before each journey
- Repair defects promptly
- Ensure tyres, lights, brakes and mirrors are in good condition
Make sure drivers are competent
- Check that employees hold the correct driving licence
- Provide appropriate driver training where required
- Ensure employees are familiar with the vehicles they use
Plan journeys carefully
Before travelling:
- Plan the safest route
- Check traffic and weather conditions
- Allow enough time for the journey
- Avoid unnecessary pressure to meet unrealistic deadlines
Good planning helps reduce stress and encourages safer driving decisions.
Manage fatigue
Driver fatigue significantly increases the risk of collisions.
Employers should encourage drivers to:
- Take regular breaks
- Avoid driving when excessively tired
- Report fatigue concerns
- Stop driving if they begin to feel drowsy
Journey schedules should allow sufficient time for rest.
What should employees do?
Employees also have responsibilities for their own safety and the safety of others.
They should:
- Complete vehicle checks before driving
- Drive within speed limits
- Wear a seatbelt
- Avoid distractions, including mobile phone use
- Report vehicle defects immediately
- Inform their manager if illness, medication or personal circumstances may affect their ability to drive safely
- Take regular breaks during long journeys
Safe driving protects both the driver and everyone sharing the road.
What does the law say?
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees while at work.
This duty extends to employees who drive as part of their work activities.
Employers must also assess driving-related risks under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, ensuring suitable control measures are in place.
Employees are responsible for driving safely, complying with road traffic legislation and cooperating with their employer’s health and safety arrangements.
Related resources
E-learning
Need more help?
Managing driving for work is about more than complying with road traffic laws—it’s about protecting your employees every time they get behind the wheel on behalf of your business.
The Health & Safety Portal provides practical resources to help you manage driving risks, including driving for work policies, vehicle inspection checklists, risk assessment templates, toolbox talks and e-learning courses. Together, these resources can help your organisation reduce accidents, improve driver awareness and promote safer journeys for everyone.