Text driving – £200 and 6 points from March 2017: Employers know your responsibilities

March 6, 2017

Do you have a mobile phone policy in your Employee Handbook and specifically about using them whilst driving? You would be surprised how many businesses don’t. Yet March 2017 saw the introduction of tougher penalties for those caught using mobile phones whilst driving – even when stopped in a traffic jam – and employers will risk prosecution too. Leeds based HR180 tells more.

There are shocking stories of deaths on the road caused simply by someone replying to a text or getting totally distracted by taking a mobile phone call without a hands free set – the same goes for using the phone as a SatNav.

Shared from the AA website the video aims to show that using a mobile phone is even more dangerous – and at least as anti-social – than drink driving.

Using a phone whilst driving IS anti-social, and it will become less acceptable and quickly with this new campaign. People are fallible so ALL OF US need to have a sense check when that mobile pings in the car!  What about you as an Employer – what are your responsibilities?

Employers

Employers, you might be open to prosecution if you:

  • Cause or permit employees to drive while using a phone or to not have proper control of the vehicle.
  • Require employees to make or receive calls whilst driving.
  • Install a phone and subsequently your employee drives dangerously because they’re using a phone.

This is even for a hands-free phone so it is imperative that you make sure the correct policies, procedures – and perhaps most crucially – training is in place to ensure that your employees operate within the law, and in safety – for themselves and other road users.

Don’t be caught out, talk to us about how we can help develop your Employee Handbook and/or Employee Policy as a one off project or help with training your people – and keep them safe.

Leeds based HR180 is a team of superheroes in HR Outsourcing, Projects and Consultancy committed to work in partnership with organisations of all sizes to establish working policies to go above and beyond Employment Law requirements, to protect both employees and employers alike. We love to hear from you, so call us on 0113 287 8150 or hit the Rescue Me button.

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