Maintaining compliance and minimising risk is what enables fleet operators to feel confident that they are running a safe and roadworthy fleet. But treating compliance and risk as the same thing is one of the most common mistakes fleet operators make.
Ticking the legal boxes and assuming you’re covered leaves you exposed in ways that aren’t always obvious until something goes wrong.
Compliance is binary. You either meet the legal standard and can prove it, or you don’t. Risk is about what’s actually happening underneath that.
Which drivers are consistently pushing the limits. Whether walkaround checks are being done properly or just logged. Where a process exists on paper but isn’t working in practice. Here’s three example topics that show where compliance ends and risk begins.
Does your driver know their vehicle?
An experienced driver is assigned to a vehicle for a shift. They submit their Fitness to Drive declaration, you’ve checked they have a valid licence, and you see they’ve not exceeded legal driver’s hours limits. You’re happy they’re compliant.
But have you checked they know the vehicle you’ve assigned them to? The vehicle could be an automatic or have Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that this driver isn’t used to. ADAS can be distracting to drivers unfamiliar with the alerts and assisted driving, so if you haven’t made completely sure that the driver is clear on this vehicle (by potentially offering extra training), they’re compliant but still a risk.
Managing and rectifying vehicle defects
Defects happen. Once reported, they need to get fixed. To ensure they are reported and you aren’t putting unsafe or unroadworthy vehicles on the road, you have a policy requiring drivers to complete daily walkaround checks. Now when a vehicle goes out and you haven’t had a report outlining a defect you know you’re compliant.
But…
How do you monitor the checks are done properly? How does a defect go from being reported to being rectified? Do you know the real-time defect status of your entire fleet or are there still checksheets in the cabin with the driver?
Not having robust processes in place to answer questions like these leaves you significantly exposed to risk.
Do your fatigue management policies go far enough?
Fatigue is a huge problem for drivers that puts them and other road users at serious risk. Tachographs, telematics, drivers’ hours legislation, and in-cab monitoring solutions all play a part in keeping drivers alert and focused.
Having compliance systems in place, alongside policies that help drivers avoid monotonous routes, irregular schedules, and long hours, can drastically reduce your risk exposure – but do they cover the full picture?
While you can prove your compliance for driver’s actions during work hours, any driving they do outside work can still impact their alertness and cause fatigue – meaning you’re still at risk. And when 1-in-8 drivers admit to falling asleep at the wheel, you need an iron-clad way to manage your risk.
What this means for you
Minimising your risk exposure is incredibly important, it’s what makes the difference if something goes wrong. Doing everything reasonable and practicable is all about building trust with the DVSA, the Traffic Commissioners, and other authorities.
Look at each compliance standard you’re meeting and ask hard questions about how it works in reality. If a DVSA examiner pulled one of your vehicles over tomorrow, or a Traffic Commissioner requested a full audit, could you back up every box you’ve ticked with evidence of what’s actually happening on the road?
