EMPLOYERS tracking cash-for-car drivers to satisfy their duty of care responsibilities to at-work drivers will be able do so through a software upgrade from fleet management IT company cfc solutions.

The firm has made changes to its products such as FleetOutlook, FleetBase and FleetPlus so fleet decision-makers can keep tabs on whether the driving licences, MoT certificates, insurance documents and other details of opt-out company drivers have been checked and are up to date.

Employers are legally bound to ensure that private vehicles used by employees for work are suitable and legal for the job. Failure to do so could result in prosecution. Jason Francis, managing director of cfc solutions, said: 'All of these tasks would be carried out as a matter of course for a fleet vehicle but if the company does not own the car in question, all factors become much more difficult to control.

'Until the Government and appropriate test cases make the exact picture regarding corporate manslaughter and other fleet risks clear, companies need to ensure they are doing everything reasonably possible to demonstrate they are taking steps to ensure the well-being of employees behind the wheel.'

'We are enhancing our software to make this as easy as possible for fleet managers,' Francis added.

Recent research from global consulting firm Watson Wyatt suggested there had been a surge in the cash-for-car option market, with more than half of companies offering such packages.

One in five potential company car drivers is now driving a car funded in this way.