Driver safety FAQs

A driver safety course is structured training that teaches motorists how to reduce risks on the road, comply with driving for work laws, and prevent collisions. It covers hazard awareness, defensive driving techniques, vehicle checks, journey planning, and an employer’s health and safety responsibilities when staff drive for work.

A driver safety course is recommended for anyone who drives as part of their job, whether in a company vehicle or their own car. It’s particularly important for employees who regularly travel for work, managers responsible for driver safety, and organisations that must meet driving for work health and safety requirements.

A driver safety course normally takes around 25–30 minutes when completed online. Programmes vary in length depending on the provider, but most online driver safety courses are designed to be completed in under an hour.

Our online Driver Awareness course costs £25. Other providers may charge different rates, but £25 is a common price for high-quality eLearning.

A driver safety course is typically valid for around three years. This isn’t set in law, but it aligns with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance, which requires employers to keep drivers competent and up to date. The HSE says training should be refreshed periodically, so most organisations use a 2–3 year cycle to meet these expectations.

You can retake a driver safety course at any time, especially if you need to improve your score. There’s no limit on how often you can repeat the training, and many providers allow immediate re-attempts so learners can meet the required standard.

Under HSE guidance, driving for work covers any journey made as part of an employee’s job, whether in a company vehicle or their own car. It does not include ordinary commuting unless the employee’s work involves travelling to different locations from home.

Driving for work in the UK is covered by general health and safety law rather than a single, dedicated driving statute. The key laws are:

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 – employers must protect employees and others from risks arising from work activities, including driving.
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – employers must assess and manage risks, provide training, and ensure drivers are competent.
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) – applies when vehicles are used as work equipment, requiring them to be safe and properly maintained.
• Road Traffic Act 1988 and Highway Code – drivers must comply with road traffic laws, such as licensing, insurance, vehicle roadworthiness, and safe driving behaviour.

The HSE treats driving for work as a work activity, meaning employers must manage it like any other workplace risk by assessing journeys, vehicles, and driver competence.

Driving for work legislation requires employers to manage driving as a work activity and keep employees safe on the road. In practice, this means employers must:

• Assess and manage risks linked to journeys, vehicles, and driver behaviour.
• Ensure drivers are competent, properly trained, and fit to drive.
• Provide safe, roadworthy vehicles and maintain them appropriately (including checking employees’ own vehicles if used for work).
• Plan journeys safely, considering routes, weather, fatigue, and working hours.
• Provide information, instruction, and training so drivers understand their responsibilities.
• Monitor and review driving risks and controls regularly.

These duties come from the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, supported by HSE guidance on managing work-related road safety.

The HSE expects employers to treat driving for work like any other work activity and manage the risks in a structured, proactive way. This includes:

• Carrying out a suitable and sufficient driver risk assessment.
• Ensuring drivers are competent, trained, fit, and understand their responsibilities.
• Providing safe, well-maintained vehicles, including checks on employees’ own cars if used for work.
• Planning journeys safely, taking account of routes, weather, time pressures, and fatigue.
• Setting clear policies and procedures for safe driving.
• Monitoring performance and reviewing controls to ensure risks remain managed.

These expectations are set out in the HSE’s guidance on managing work-related road safety, which supports employers in meeting their duties under general health and safety law.

HSE guidance explains that employees must follow safe working practices, use vehicles responsibly, and report anything that could affect safety.

Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act requires employees to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others, and to co-operate with their employer’s safety arrangements.

A driving for work health and safety policy should set out how the organisation manages road-related risks. It should include:

• Roles and responsibilities for managers and drivers
• Driver competence and training requirements
• Fitness to drive (fatigue, drugs, alcohol, medication, medical conditions)
• Vehicle standards and maintenance, including personal vehicles used for work
• Journey planning and scheduling
• Procedures for incidents, near misses, and reporting
• Mobile phone and in-vehicle technology rules
• Monitoring, review, and compliance arrangements

These elements align with HSE guidance on managing work-related road safety.