New drink and drug-driving guidance issued to fleets

Fleet decision-makers are being issued with new drink and drug-driving guidance this week by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP).

The new advice has been developed after data from the Department for Transport (DfT) showed both were becoming a growing problem.

The number of collisions attributed to drug driving, for example, has increased by 170% in less than a decade, while drug-driving crashes rose from 684 in 2014 to 1,853 in 2023, with fatalities linked to drug driving increasing by 164% over the same period, from 47 in 2014 to 124 in 2023.

Written by the AFP’s Risk, Compliance and Health Committee, the AFP guidance covers the need for a drug and drink driving policy, what its contents should include, rules for grey fleet drivers, and the importance of recognising that prescription and over the counter drugs, as well as illegal ones, can be an issue behind the wheel. Signposts to useful Government links also feature.

Committee chair, Martin Evans, said: “This is something of a grim time for drug and drink driving. 

“Recent Department for Transport figures show the number of vehicle collisions linked to drug driving have risen by 170% in less than a decade, while drink driving deaths are at their highest level for 14 years.

“Although anecdotal reports of persistent problems of this kind among company car and van drivers within the AFP are thankfully low, fleets are not immune to these trends, and that’s why we have created the new Drugs and Alcohol Guidance document.”

Evans explains that it is designed to provide a “simple and effective” route to integrating drug and drink driving prevention measures into fleet policies to ensure employees are left in no doubt about the employer’s expectations in this area.

The guidance is particularly timely ahead of the winter period and with Christmas less than a couple of months away.

“Some cold and flu remedies can cause drowsiness and drivers should be made aware of the dangers of taking them before getting behind the wheel,” continued Evans. 

“Just because a medication is legal and bought over the counter doesn’t mean that it won’t have an impact on your driving.”

“Also, it’s an important cultural point within your company not to serve alcohol at festive events where employees will be attending in their cars or vans, whether company or grey fleet,” he added. “It’s as important to set the right tone at Christmas as at other times.”

The AFP Drugs and Alcohol Guidance document is available to the organisation’s members from the members area of its resources portal.