Winter Driving – Keep Domestic Staff And Yourself Safe
Many housekeepers, nannies and other domestic staff drive when employers ask, sometimes for a school run, or shopping. But driving in winter requires special knowledge and as an employer you have a duty of care to ensure staff are equipped for this.
Failure to ensure that you have provided the information or pointed them towards it can prove it could see you facing a claim for failing to provide duty of care.
Experienced drivers know that winter driving is very different than at any other time of the year. Adverse conditions, extended periods of darkness, risks of icy roads, fog or snow can mean that normal driving techniques do not apply. Drivers need to adapt to the conditions and many do not have the relevant experience.
We are grateful to RoSPA, The Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents to making a comprehensive and easy to read fact sheet, Winter Driving Tips available. It is full of relevant information to help drivers keep
safe in winter conditions.
Directing your employees to the website fact sheet and instructing them to read it, and signing off that they have done so is a way forward. Alternatively download the fact sheet and give them a copy, again asking them to sign off that they have read it, will help protect them and protect yourself as the employer.
A direct link to the fact sheet can be found on the RoSPA website
https://www.rospa.com/road-safety/advice/drivers/better-driving/winter-tips/
The Graham Agency, keeping you informed
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