Driving for work and the use of mobile devices
Last updated:Driving for work includes any person who drives on a road as part of their work either in:
- a vehicle or hire car provided by the County Council; or
- their own vehicle and receive an allowance or payment for the distances driven.
Commuting to work is not generally classified as driving for work, except where the person’s journey starts from their home and they are travelling to a work location that is not their normal place of work.
Driving for work is the most dangerous work activity that most employees undertake. About 150 people are killed or seriously injured every week (2015) in crashes when driving for work. One common risk is staff making or receiving calls, texting or otherwise using a mobile phone/device whilst driving. Research clearly shows that using a hands-free phone while driving is just as dangerous as using a hand-held phone.
The Department of Transport's official stance on making hands-free phone calls is that they are a "distraction" and should be avoided.
The County Council has a duty under health and safety law to manage the risks faced by their employees on the road.
Taking into account, the latest research and advice from road safety organisations the policy of the County Council is that employees SHOULD NOT use a mobile phone or similar device to make or receive voice calls, text messages, images, and data or to access the Internet whilst driving on County Council business. This includes those with any type of hands-free installation including Bluetooth.
Employees are strongly advised to adopt a similar policy whilst driving at all other times.
Employees when driving for work will
- switch off their mobile phone/device or if it needs to remain switched on for business reasons let the phone/device go to voicemail or allow a passenger to use the phone;
- stop in a safe place if they need to check messages or return a call. The vehicle engine must be switched off as under existing law a person may be regarded as driving if the vehicle engine is running, even if stationary.
There are cases where employees
- who use their car as an office have been provided with a hands-free car kit;
- have been provided with Bluetooth enabled mobile phone/device or;
- have their own personal Bluetooth-enabled personal phone/device.
Where this is the case, the County Council Policy still applies that the mobile phone/device SHOULD NOT be used whilst driving on County Council business.