The Fleet Safety Forum, a division of Brake, the road safety charity, has published new guidance for fleet managers on grey fleets (employees’ vehicles used for business).

The guidance, sponsored by Romex, provides vital advice on how to minimise the risks and maximise the safety of grey fleet drivers.

Managing the grey fleet is a key safety issue fleet managers need to address. In the UK, employee-owned cars used for business are nearly seven years old on average and therefore do not benefit from the latest safety technology. This compares unfavourably with company cars which leave service on average after four years. Research by Brake has found that even among companies that subscribe to its Fleet Safety Forum, nearly one in three, 32% report their policies on vehicle checks and maintenance do not extend to grey fleet vehicles.

The guidance provides clear advice to help managers reduce risks associated with grey fleet drivers. It highlights the importance of providing alternatives to grey fleet use in the first instance, and if drivers do have to use their own vehicles for work purposes, subjecting them and their vehicles to the same rigorous safety checks and risk assessments as other company drivers. The guidance features a best practice case study of an operator that has taken steps to successfully mitigate the risks associated with grey fleet drivers.

The guidance is available for free to Fleet Safety Forum subscribers, or can be purchased for £5 by non-subscribers. E-mail admin@brake.org.uk or call +44 (0)1484 559909 to order.