Fleets keep finances in check at the expense of duty of care

Many businesses in the UK are failing to meet their duty of care obligations, because post-recession finances remain tight, claims E-Training World.

However, Graham Hurdle, managing director of online risk assessment and e-learning specialists E-Training World, says that delaying legal compliancy in favour of holding onto cash resources is a false economy in the long-run.

“We have been talking to a lot of companies who are very hesitant about investing in risk assessing and training their fleet drivers,” explained Hurdle. “The explanation we receive on countless occasions is that the budget simply isn’t available for driver training which means it may have to wait until next year.

“However by taking no action at all, not only means company directors are allowing their staff to drive vehicles without meeting their legal requirements, in many cases money is haemorrhaging from their fleet budget by paying for accidents and huge fuel expenditure.”

Hurdle says that E-Training World has seen many instances where a very small investment in risk management would not only ensure a company is compliant but, by using its services, this would more than pay for itself in reducing the number of accidents including minor knocks and scrapes and drive down a company fuel bill.

“The problem is that many of the headlines regarding fleet risk management are to do with the law,” he said. “This results in fleet managers and company directors seeing it as a cost rather than an investment which will deliver a financial return.

“And, whilst the tide is turning regarding the numbers of companies each year adopting risk management strategies, all too many continue to delay due to cost concerns, even though they would save money almost immediately, and these savings would more than outweigh their spend.”