Posted: Friday, 24 June 2016
The way in which fleet drivers conduct their business reflects on the reputation of the company they are driving for. Discovering that a driver has been convicted of a motoring offence can, as a result, be incredibly frustrating. Furthermore, some employees hide their convictions from employers. To avoid this, fleets can use our licence checking service.
Before you act on a conviction, it's important to take a step back and consider the driver's record as a whole and the level of the offence that they have recently been convicted of.
Disqualifications can range from a month to several years. They will also normally come with an endorsement, such as penalty points. If a fleet driver is disqualified from driving, then this is gross misconduct and you should be very strict in your punishment.
It's also important to consider the reason for disqualification. If your driver has been disqualified for drink driving, then dismissing the employee is within your power.
If your driver has been banned for racking up 12 or more penalty points, then again dismissing the employee is within your power. Your approach with disqualification should take into account the driver's record and the impact their disqualification will have on your business.
Most fleet drivers will accrue three points on their licence.
If one of your drivers has accrued three penalty points recently, a stern warning should be given to them, however there is really no need for disciplinary action after that. You should also remind your driver of their obligation to uphold your company's reputation.
If a driver has accrued another three points on their licence bringing the total to six penalty points, then this should be treated more seriously. At this stage, your driver is halfway there to being banned from driving for a minimum of 12 months. You should give your fleet driver an official warning about their conduct and set out company policy.
If a fleet driver accrues 9 points on their licence, then this is just cause to instil disciplinary action. Nine points on a licence is obvious evidence of an unacceptable standard of driving and as a result you have the power here to dismiss your employee if they have also racked up internal warnings from yourself. Doing so may be the best move you can do, if you feel that the driver will likely rack up 12 points in the future and thus be banned from the road.
We strongly recommend that fleets keep on top of their driver's records by reviewing their licences monthly. Our licence checking service will give you access to points and convictions and also category entitlement so you can meet your obligations under the Road Traffic Acts and the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations. Find out more here.