Vehicle Policy As part of your employment, you may have access to a vehicle belonging to the business. If you have, this vehicle policy will apply to you. General Rules - Such vehicles may only be driven by authorised drivers who must hold and be able to prove they possess a full driving licence. If you are an authorised driver, you must produce your driving licence for inspection on request. The licence must be provided within two working days of the request being made other than in exceptional circumstances. A copy of your driving licence will be held on your personnel file. It is your responsibility to keep us updated as to the validity of your licence and also to inform us of any subsequent points received on your licence or if you become disqualified from driving. Please see below in relation to subsequent points and disqualification. - The driver of the vehicle concerned is responsible for the payment of any fines incurred as a result of a motoring offence, including parking fines. - We must be informed in writing immediately if you are prosecuted for any road traffic offences, or if your driving licence is endorsed, or you are disqualified from driving. - If a vehicle has been allocated to you, you are responsible for that vehicle whilst it is in your care. The vehicle must be kept clean and tidy, and in a road-worthy condition at all times. Any defects should be reported to your manager immediately. - You are responsible for daily maintenance, such as checking oil and water levels, battery and brake fluid, and tyre pressures, and checking that the tread of all tyres conforms to the minimum legal requirement. You must ensure that maintenance checks are carried out in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations and you are required to present the vehicle for servicing at a recognised dealer when the regular service falls due. We will reimburse all costs incurred relating to proper vehicle maintenance. - The vehicle must be driven in accordance with the Road Traffic Acts/Regulations. You are required to adhere to all relevant road speed limits and drive in a safe, courteous manner at all times. If you are considered to be driving carelessly or recklessly in your use of the vehicle, which may include exceeding speed limits, you may be subject to disciplinary action. This may result in the withdrawal of authorisation to drive one of our vehicles without compensation. If you are deemed to have been driving recklessly, and/or without due regard for the legal road speed limits and/or fellow road users, this may lead to disciplinary proceedings which could result in your dismissal without notice for gross misconduct. - If the vehicle is left unattended, it should be secured and locked. When there is no authorised driver in the driving seat, the ignition keys should be removed from the ignition and kept safely by the person responsible for the vehicle. Serious negligence which causes unacceptable loss to us will lead to disciplinary action and may result in your dismissal without notice for gross misconduct. - No fixtures, such as aerials, roof racks, towing apparatus or stickers, may be attached to any of our vehicles without prior written permission from management. No change may be made to the manufacturer’s mechanical or structural specification of the vehicle. Anyone found to have done so will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal without notice for gross misconduct. - We do not take any responsibility for personal items left within vehicles being used for business use. - Vehicles provided by us may not be used for any purpose other than that which has been previously authorised. - You must advise your line manager of accidents, fines, penalties or legal endorsements received immediately, including any medical conditions, recommendations and/or endorsements that may prevent you from driving. - If you are disqualified from driving, and driving is an essential part of your job, we cannot guarantee to find you alternative employment and thus you may be dismissed. Accidents - If you are involved in a road traffic accident which causes damage to property or another vehicle, or injury to any person or notifiable animal, you are required to give your name and address, the name and address of the keeper of the vehicle, the registration number of the vehicle and the name of the insurance provider, to any person having reasonable ground to require such information. - If for some reason it is not possible to give this information at the time of the accident, the matter should be reported to the police as soon as possible, but within 24 hours of the occurrence and contact details of that person taken. - You must take all necessary care to ensure that the accident is properly recorded and witnessed to protect the organisation. - In addition, in the case of an incident involving injury to another person or to a notifiable animal, you are responsible for notifying police of the occurrence. The accident must be reported to a police station or to a police officer within 24 hours. If you are not then able to produce an insurance certificate, you must, in any event, produce it in person within 5 days after the accident, to such police station as you may specify at the time of first reporting the accident. - For security reasons, insurance certificates are to be held by the business. - All accidents must be reported to management as soon as possible and at least within 24 hours of the accident, even if there appears to be no consequence. You may then be required to complete an accident report and co-operate with any resulting investigations. Fuel If you are found using fuel for unauthorised personal use at our expense, you may face disciplinary action that could result in your dismissal without notice for gross misconduct. Driving and mobile phones It is a criminal offence to drive whilst using a mobile telephone which is not attached to a hands-free set. ‘Driving’ includes being in charge of the vehicle even if it is stationary with the engine off. ‘Using a mobile telephone’ includes making and receiving calls and sending and reading text messages. You should also avoid using mobile phones for any other purpose i.e. using the internet, instant messaging, reading and responding to emails. Vehicle tracking We reserve the right to install vehicle tracking devices into any business provided vehicle. Satellite-navigation If you are issued with a satellite-navigation system for use in a business provided vehicle or in your own vehicle for work purposes, you must remove it from the vehicle when it is parked and unattended. You agree that if you do not do so and the item is lost or stolen, we may deduct the replacement cost of the device from your salary or any money owing to you; any such deduction would be pursuant to Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996. You should not set or reset any satellite-navigation systems whilst driving. Any changes to such devices should only be made when the vehicle is stationary with the engine off. Personal liability for damage to vehicles You are only allowed to use business vehicles for those uses specified by us. By using a business provided vehicle, you agree that if this is damaged through your negligence, fault or lack of care, then you may be required to rectify the damage at your own expense or pay the excess part of any insurance claim. You agree that we may deduct such sum from your salary or any money owing to you; any such deduction is pursuant to Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996. USING OWN VEHICLE FOR BUSINESS USE General If you are using your own personal vehicle for business use you may be entitled to reclaim business mileage. You should complete the appropriate expenses claim, which should be authorised by management and then submitted for processing. We expect you to have a vehicle suitable for the job that you are doing. If you are using your own personal vehicle for business use, you must ensure you have insurance providing cover for business use and vehicle breakdown recovery. Evidence of insurance must be produced prior to initially using your vehicle for business purposes, as must (where applicable) a valid M.O.T. certificate and full driving licence for the vehicle type. We may from time-to-time require you to produce these documents on request, for routine verification. At all times whilst the vehicle is used for business purposes it must be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and Road Traffic regulatory requirements.You are expected to drive in a safe and courteous manner in accordance with the Road Traffic Acts/Regulations at all times on business journeys. If you are considered to be driving carelessly or recklessly on business journeys you may be subject to disciplinary action which may result in your dismissal without notice for gross misconduct. Driving and mobile phones It is a criminal offence to drive whilst using a mobile telephone which is not attached to a hands-free set. ‘Driving’ includes being in charge of the vehicle even if it is stationary with the engine off. ‘Using a mobile telephone’ includes making and receiving calls, and sending and reading text messages. You should also avoid using mobile phones for any other purpose i.e. using the internet, instant messaging, reading and responding to emails. Hand held mobile telephones should only be used when parked up with the engine off and the key removed from the ignition. We take this matter very seriously and using a hand held mobile telephone whilst driving (see above definition) on a business journey may result in disciplinary action. Using a hands-free telephone is distracting, and hands-free should only be used to make or receive calls when it is safe to do so. If you are using a mobile phone, even if it is hands-free, and your ability to control the vehicle and drive in a safe manner is compromised, you may still be prosecuted. You are required to drive safely and with due care and attention on any business journey. Satellite-navigation If you are issued with a satellite-navigation system for use in your own vehicle for work purposes, you must remove it from the vehicle when it is parked and unattended. You agree that if you do not do so and the item is lost or stolen, we may deduct the replacement cost of the device from your salary or any money owing to you; any such deduction is pursuant to Part II of the Employment Rights Act 1996. You should not set or reset any satellite-navigation systems whilst driving. Any changes to such devices should only be made when the vehicle is stationary with the engine off.