Checking employee licences online: what is the best practice?
Whilst accidents on the road do happen, as a fleet manager or employer it’s important to know that your employees are safe behind the wheel.
If your business requires a lot of driving, you are responsible for ensuring that your employees are legally allowed to drive on company business. The best way to do this is to conduct regular driving licence checks.
At DriverCheck, with a driver’s consent; you can check an employee’s driving licence online. Once the driver information has been entered into our secure and encrypted web portal, you have entered this information, you will be able to see their current status and any points or endorsements that they may have.
Am I breaching my employee’s privacy?
It is important to note that driving licence checks should only be carried out with the employee’s consent. If an employee refuses to give their consent, then you should not check their driving licence.
Many employees who drive as part of their job understand that driving licence checks are an essential requirement. If an employee fails to give their consent, their job is likely to be at risk.
At DriverCheck, our licence checks allow you to keep informed of all your employee’s driver’s licences in real-time. Rest assured that you’ll be kept up to date with any compliance issues that may arise with your employees.
Why is it important to check employee driver’s licences?
If you are in charge of a fleet, you will most likely hold a Vehicle Operator Licence. This licence is required if your business uses goods and vehicles above a certain weight.
If one of your employees is involved in a road traffic accident and their licence is found to be flagged for offences. As a business, you could also be held liable and risk losing your operator’s licence.
Whilst you may check your employee’s licences regularly, it’s important to note that driver’s can clock up points and offences in a very short period of time.
That’s why it’s important to invest in consistent checks that reflect any immediate changes to your employee’s licences, even if they have not told you.
How often should I check my employee’s licence?
Driving licence checks for your employees should be carried out at least once a year, as changes to licence holders can change drastically (sometimes overnight).
Licence checks should uncover whether your employees are legally qualified to drive a certain weight, or whether they even hold a valid licence. As a fleet operator, knowing the authenticity of your employees licences allows you to make an informed decision about who can safely drive a vehicle on your company’s behalf.
Asking your drivers about their licence history is a difficult subject to navigate. As an employer, you cannot guarantee that your employees will divulge their driving history, especially if they believe their job is at risk.
Monitoring employee licences with DriverCheck
As a fleet operator, it is your responsibility to make sure that all of your employees driving on behalf of your business are legally qualified to do so.
Whilst you need to obtain permission from your employees before carrying out an online licence check, here at DriverCheck our system ensures you have real-time access to all of your employee’s licence records 24/7, so you and your business can have the peace of mind you deserve. Contact us today to find out how we can help.