• Masterlease comments on the pre-budget report - Oct. '07
• Licenced not to kill - Aug. '07
• Food for thought - biofuel comment - Jul. '07
• Low emission plans wide of the mark - May '07
• Call to tackle downtime - May '07
• Everybody's fuel - Biofuel comment May '07
• Park Strife - parking training for drivers - April '07
• Ensuring Continuity - business continuity release - April '07
• Masterlease launches FAGNAV™ - 1st April 2007
• Budget Comment - Mar. '07

• Everybody leaves empty-handed - Feb. '07

• Hot convertibles - Jan. '07
• Beware of poor carbon copies - Jan. 2007
• Speed limiter legislation - Dec. '06

Everybody leaves empty-handed - Feb. '07

Masterlease urges review of company mobile phone policies

Companies must take steps now to ensure they avoid prosecution in the aftermath of this month’s Road Safety Act, according to Masterlease.

The fleet management firm has urged companies to update their mobile phone policies – and even consider banning the use of hands-free kits altogether – following the new law, which takes effect on February 27th.

The Road Safety Act is clamping down further on the use of mobiles phones while driving and brings increased risk of prosecution of both drivers and their employers. Drivers caught using a hand-held mobile will face three points on their licence with a £60 fine and employers could be liable if they cause, or permit, employees to use a mobile while driving. This also applies to hands-free kits if the driver is found not to be in proper control of the vehicle.

This means health and safety policies will need to be tightened up to ensure drivers are perfectly clear about what they can and cannot do with their mobiles while they are driving. However, Masterlease says the clearest step employers can take to ensure they avoid prosecution would be to ban drivers’ mobile calls outright.

Gavin Jones, risk management expert at Masterlease, said: “The new law only applies to hands free kits if the driver is deemed not to be in control of a vehicle, but it is a confusing grey area and it may not be worth taking the risk of prosecution if a company driver causes an accident – or worse – while making a work call at the wheel.

“The Government has already made it clear that it is considering banning hands-free kits outright, though this is unlikely to happen for the foreseeable future. Employers could stay one step ahead by taking action to ban all calls while driving.

“This does not mean returning to the dark ages and outlawing all contact with employees and colleagues who are out of the office. Instead, ensure people make use of messaging facilities and return calls when they are in a position to do so safely.

“In any case, now is a good time to revisit health and safety policies to ensure they take the Road Safety Act into account. Drivers must be are correctly informed about their responsibilities while driving and should have signed an agreement to show that they are aware of their employer’s requirements.”

 Ends