The Corporate Manslaughter Bill: What It Means for You

Almost all businesses relies, somewhere along the line, on vehicles. Whether you have a haulage company, a sales force on the road or just need to attend to clients, you or your team will be getting behind the wheel with some regularity.

Figures show that almost 1 in 3 road accidents now involve a vehicle being used for business purposes. This alarming statistic has prompted the government to pass legislation to raise standards and awareness amongst people who drive as part of their work. This is backed by new powers for the Police and Crown Prosecution Service to bring criminal charges against employers who fail to comply.

The Corporate Manslaughter Bill now requires that employers follow Occupational Road Risk (ORR) requirements – which cover training for drivers using vehicles for business purposes. If a vehicle being used for work is involved in a fatal accident, prosecutions could lead to heavy fines or even imprisonment for company directors.

Bill Plant are pleased to be working with local government to help raise awareness of these new requirements and make Britain’s roads a safer place. We can offer advice and training about the Police’s investigatory practices, how the decisions whether to prosecute are made, and the steps businesses can take to ensure that they comply with the law.

Creating internal structures and procedures isn’t easy without a proper understanding of the law and the requirements. Bill Plant can offer you a free road risk assessment to see whether you comply, and what steps you might need to take in order to avoid possible prosecution.