Posted: Tuesday 10 March 2015

By the time the paper driving licences are phased out in June (2015), the Government should have its new Share Driving Licence scheme up and running. The scheme involves a brand-new database that employers will be able to utilise in order to check the driving licences of their workers. According to Fleet News UK, it will also include a driver component enabling the licence holder to control who has access to information.

Posted: Tuesday 03 March 2015

New rules for drug driving are now in effect across England and Wales thanks to legislation that came into force from March 2 (2015). The new rules are designed to prevent people from driving after taking illicit drugs or certain prescription medications that impair ability. The teeth of the rules are found in its enforcement procedures, which could result in the loss of a licence for some drivers.

Posted: Wednesday 25 February 2015

Fleet managers already know how difficult it can be to manage a large number of vehicles along with the drivers who operate them. Even companies with just one or two vehicles encounter plenty of headaches just trying to make sure everything remains legal. However, things could get a lot worse if new legislation being considered by the European Union eventually becomes law. It is yet another reason to have a licence-checking strategy in place.

Posted: Tuesday 10 February 2015

We have been talking a lot about the change in driving licences as the UK transitions from the old paper document to digital records. Even with implementation of the changes being delayed by six months, even bigger changes are coming that could spell the end of the driving licence as we know it. The changes are wrapped up in new technology that has driverless cars now on the horizon.

Posted: Tuesday 27 January 2015

Does the system of driving licence penalty points work to keep bad drivers off the road? It depends on who you ask. It also depends on decisions made by the courts. One good example is a recent case in Paisley, a town in Scotland's central lowlands.

Posted: Wednesday 21 January 2015

We frequently talk about the necessity of checking driving licences as a means of protecting both your company and your drivers. A recent day in the Oxfordshire court system illustrates why. According to The Herald (Abingdon), six of the 20 individuals appearing in court were there for driving related offences. That is 30% for those keeping score.

Posted: Tuesday 13 January 2015

With the Christmas festivities now in the rear mirror, we are all preparing to dig in and make it through the rest of the dreary winter season. Ahead of us are cold winter nights, cloudy winter days, and plenty of precipitation that could make things treacherous. The Highways Agency is doing its part to make sure it is as prepared as it can be for the onset of winter weather. Fleet managers should be doing their part as well, including working with drivers and conducting licence checks.

Posted: Monday 05 January 2015

The gradual phasing out of the old paper driving licence is now upon us. Between now and June 8, those with paper licences will be gradually shifting to digital records as their licences are up for renewal. All new drivers will be going directly to the digital document. In order to help fleet managers cope, the Government is developing a licence checking service known as Share My Driving Record (SMDR). The service is now in the final testing phase.

Posted: Tuesday 16 December 2014

Imagine earning your driving licence in the early 1970s, only to be told by the DVLA more than forty years later that you do not actually have one. Then imagine being prosecuted for driving without a licence because the police and Government cannot figure out what is going on. As bizarre as it might sound, this is exactly what happened to a Yorkshire man recently.

Posted: Tuesday 09 December 2014

Leave it to criminals to take advantage of something as benign as the phase-out of paper driving licences. According to The Telegraph, fraudsters are using a scam e-mail campaign to steal sensitive information by way of the driving licence transition. Consumers are being warned to be vigilant from now through until the New Year.