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Are you being compliant? 10 road safety regulations you need to take notice of

23rd November 2015 Print

The spine of your vehicle fleet driving policy should be formed of the essential legal requirements, ranging from health and safety regulations to in-vehicle smoking laws. Fleet managers should keep abreast of any and all changes to legal stipulations, no matter how minor, and apply these to the company’s driving policies. In many cases, preventative devices and measures such as an ultrasonic sensor system or driver training may be introduced to ensure compliance.

Ten of the key acts, legislations and regulations that must be followed to ensure your fleet is compliant with UK law are:

1 The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

This covers every aspect of safety at work, be that in an office, a field or a vehicle. It outlines an employer’s duty of care for its workforce, no matter the size of the company. This duty of care also extends to those who may be affected by a firm’s activities. When it comes to fleet management, that means pedestrians and other road users. 

Find out more from the Health and Safety Executive website.

2 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Fleet managers should carry out regular, thorough risk assessments on any vehicles operated by the firm and schedule any necessary improvements or changes. They should also appoint those with competencies relevant to the task in hand to undertake such works, and they should also ensure the correct information and training is readily available to all who might need it.

3 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

These regulations are intended to make sure that any work equipment, including vehicles, is wholly suitable for appropriate use. The same equipment should also be inspected and properly maintained, while those using it should be instructed in its safe operation.

4 Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1996

Any work-related vehicle must comply with these for it to be permitted on UK roads.

5 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992

Another set of regulations designed to govern basic health, safety and welfare issues.

6 Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005

Both drivers and employers need to abide by these regulations, which ensure compliance with the amount of time a driver is legally allowed to spend behind the wheel - however, these are only applicable to good vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.

7 Road Traffic Acts, supported by the Highway Code

These state that it is illegal to for any organisation to impose schedules that may force its drivers to break speed limits. Incentives that may reward drivers for doing so are also prohibited.

8 Drink-driving regulations

The law regarding drink-driving is exactly the same for all road users, whether they are driving private or commercial vehicles. That means if 80mg or more of alcohol is found per 100ml of a driver’s blood, they are over the legal limit. For breath tests, it’s 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml. For urine samples, 107mg of alcohol per 100ml. 

However, these limits are stricter than in most European countries and are currently being reviewed.

9 Smoke-free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006

These came into effect in July 2007, banning smoking in public spaces - including company vehicles, even if there is only one person in the vehicle at any one time.

For more detail on what is allowed and what isn’t, visit Gov.uk.

10 Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving

Three penalty points and a £60 fine will be applied if a driver is found to be using a handheld phone while driving.