The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is pressing employers to tighten up
on job-related driving safety before new laws in December make employers
potentially liable if employees use mobile phones at the wheel.
Driving at Work: Managing Work-related Road Safety has been developed
jointly with the Department of Transport to remind employers of their legal
responsibilities under health and safety law towards staff driving in work
time.
It stresses the importance of having and communicating policies and gives
advice on carrying out risk assessments to ensure employees are adequately
protected.
However, research suggests that British motorists may still be taking major
risks while driving. More than one in four admit using their mobile phone to
make or receive calls while driving, according to a report by Continental
Research. And 10 per cent admit to keying-in a text message when ‘in control’
of their vehicle.
Continental Research’s James Myring said: "Turning off phones while
driving may be the only way to resist the urge to answer the phone and resist
prosecution."
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