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Directors' Responsibilities
Company directors without a ‘Duty of Care’ policy run higher risk of prosecution.
In April 2008, the Corporate Manslaughter Act was strengthened to target company directors as well as their drivers in cases of road deaths involving vehicles used on business.
Directors and business owners may not be aware that privately owned vehicles used for business journeys are treated exactly the same as company owned vehicles. Directors have an equal responsibility under the law to ensure these vehicles are also roadworthy and correctly insured.
The Police have said they now treat every road death as ‘an unlawful killing’ and have the power to seize company records and computers during their investigations. They will bring prosecutions against company directors who fail to provide clear policies and guidance for their employees driving at work.
It is vital that every company
- has a ‘Driving at Work’ policy in place
- it covers every element of their business vehicle operation
- it covers all vehicles, no matter how few are involved and who owns them
- every employee driving for business is required to sign