By Gemma Simpson, 28 February 2007 12:20
NEWS
Nearly one in four UK managers could be liable for prosecution if their employees use a mobile phone for work-related calls while driving.
Government research revealed 22 per cent of businesses still don't have a policy in place regarding in-car mobile use for business.
Under Department of Transport guidelines, employers are liable if they require workers to use a handheld phone while driving or if they fail to forbid employees to use such phones on company business.
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Nearly one-third (32 per cent) of employers are not aware of harsher penalties for using a mobile phone while driving, which came into play earlier this week, according to the online YouGov survey of 256 UK employers.
More than four-fifths (81 per cent) of UK employers give all or some of their workers a mobile phone but only 36 per cent of companies have banned work-related in-car calls and 40 per cent provide employees with a handsfree kit for their work mobiles, according to the research.
And more than a third (38 per cent) of managers said they would not feel responsible if one of their employees had an accident taking a work-related call while driving.
Comments
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1. Will
It's getting more and more ridiculous. So if i haven't told my employees they cannot use the phone whilst driving, i am at risk myself.
So now I find myself in the law books to see what else i need to tell them.
I will start by telling them not to run over their ex-partner with their company car 'cause i dont want to go to jail for it.
Makes no sense what so ever.
What ever happened to common sence ?
2. Richard Davies
This is just all more PC rubbish. I don't use my mobile when driving but would like to know the difference between hitting the answer key and talking to someone and tuning your car radio and talking to someone. I can't see any and would assume that most of these people that crash whilst on the phone would probably have crashed anyway as it would be something else taking their attention away from the road...this said I don't think we will ban radios etc. and so were's the argument without getting stupidly PC. Accidents do happen and as the population increases then so will accidents...thats life isn't it?
3. Charles Smith
Do your employees make business calls while driving? If they do you should ensure that their vehicles are equipped with handsfree facilities for thir mobile phones. It isn't complex or expensive. It's a bit like training in the safe use of ladders. Everyone knows how to be safe on ladders, but if one of your employees falls from a ladder during the course of business you are liable.
If one of your employees injures someone else whilst making a handheld mobile phone call while driving your organisation can be held liable.
This is nowt to do with political correctness, rather it is common sense.