Your legal responsibility

It's important to ensure that all work vehicles comply with road traffic law requirements, such as a valid MOT certificate and road tax, and that all drivers have a valid driver's licence. In addition, you should also consider other risks involved when driving.

If an employee must drive as part of their job, they should do the following to avoid accidents:

• Plan their journey to include a 15-minute break every 2 hours.
• Find a safe place to stop if they feel drowsy (but not the hard shoulder).
• Drink a high-caffeine drink and wait for 10–15 minutes to allow time for the caffeine to take effect.
• Don't start a long trip if they're already tired.
• Try to avoid long trips between 12am and 6am.
• Don't use a mobile phone while driving.

If your employees drive commercial vehicles or frequently drive while at work for more than 2 hours a day, you need to carry out a special risk assessment.