We’re all human and accidents happen – it’s inevitable. However, it’s essential that businesses take precautions to reduce the risk their drivers pose to other road users. This is key for HR and Fleet Managers, often liable for handling thousands of drivers at once, with unthinkable consequences should they get it wrong. See how Licence Link, the digital licence checking tool, keeps fleets accountable and helps to eliminate risk:

1. Ensures Compliance with Insurance

Employers must adhere to the terms outlined by their insurance provider, so it’s essential to clarify these upfront. Often policies will exclude drivers with excess points, convictions, or endorsements. Failure to check employees’ licences, or sending out drivers who do not comply is a big mistake! In the event of an accident, the fleet policy could be void, leaving the employer to cover costly repairs or injury claims.

Licence Link makes it easy to comply. Fleet Managers can access a digital audit trail of every driver and branch, saving the search through filing cabinets or spreadsheets to ensure their team meet the insurer’s criteria. With Licence Link, managers can create customisable reports, filtering by driver profile, risk level or business structure – ensuring their team has the necessary training and qualifications specified. Phil Wong, Group Operations Director at T F Smiths UK Ltd explains –

“The service Licence Link provides is excellent – the reporting is vital in keeping our business safe and compliant, and our insurers love it too.”

2. Minimises Risk, Costs and Disruption

If Fleet Managers fail to check future employees’ licences before hiring, they could face driver downtime, a loss of productivity, and having to re-hire – not to mention the increased risk of an accident on the clock! Therefore, relying on new recruits to disclose points or endorsements is a poor gamble, likely to end in excess cost and disruption.

Using Licence Link, the HR team can send an eDeclaration to the candidate to sign from their phone, taking just moments. Results are returned in real time, removing any delays throughout the hiring process. Approval lasts three years, so the employer can carry out recurring checks without any further paperwork or hassle.

Fleet Managers must account for all remaining drivers. This includes grey fleet (employees who use their own vehicle for work-related journeys), plus associated drivers (partners or spouses who share company cars). It can be tricky to keep track when organising checks internally. With Licence Link, grey fleet and associated drivers are seamlessly maintained and checked alongside employees. Both driver types pose the same risk as a direct driver, so must not be overlooked.

3. Prevents Accidents and Unanticipated Costs

The stakes are high for using a high-risk or uninsured driver. This ranges from fines to invalid insurance, damage to reputation, and injuring other road users. A recent RAC survey indicates that a quarter of motorists with penalty points did not disclose them to their employers. Worryingly, this could lead to an increased risk of staff causing a road traffic accident, so employers must take their duty of care seriously.

Licence Link helps to maintain a frequent checking schedule without the responsibility of managing it manually or on a per-employee basis. It’s important to incorporate routine checks into the company policy, providing transparency and assurance for both driver and employer. Licence Link checks drivers in bulk, provides automatic alerts for upcoming checks or renewals, and makes it easy to alternate the frequency of checks. Will Blackshaw, Dealer Principal at Blackshaw’s explains –

“Each year I would chase over 50 staff members for licence copies to check with the DVLA and would find errors, then spend periods concerned about any potential unknown issues. I can now relax knowing that everything is checked on a regular basis. This has removed a big admin task and given us better protection for a very small cost.”

Advice from the Experts at Licence Link

The key to managing risk is to prepare ahead. There’s no excuse for non-compliance, especially with a system like Licence Link that handles every driver, eliminating human error, missed checks or delays. Accidents happen when businesses behave negligibly, so digitalising the process is the best course of action, especially with a sizeable fleet.

Learn how Licence Link can support your business.