When a serious driving incident occurs, the headlines rarely mention the road - they mention the organisation.
And if it’s your organisation’s name in the spotlight, your brand is too.
In today’s environment of heightened public accountability, driving risk is no longer just a safety issue; it’s a governance and brand issue. Why? Because the impact of a driving-related incident can extend far beyond vehicle repairs and insurance claims. It can erode hard-earned trust and undo years of careful brand-building.
At Fleetcoach, we’ve seen first hand how poor driving behaviour and fleet-related incidents can shape public perception of an organisation, influencing how customers, regulators, and the wider community view an organisation’s credibility and leadership. We also know that poor driving behaviour and vehicle incidents can reflect directly on those responsible for setting the tone, culture, and expectations around how risk is managed.
Did you know… under the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA), those in governance are responsible for risks related to driving. Every person who drives for work, whether in a company vehicle, a pool car, or their own private (grey fleet) vehicle, falls within the organisation’s duty of care.
Driving a reputation of responsibility
Boards and executives must treat driving as a core governance issue, not only to reduce organisational and personal liability, but to uphold their duty of care and protect their brand’s integrity. Investing in driver training, risk management, and behavioural change demonstrates to both employees and the public that safety is embedded in an organisation’s modus operandi, and that risk is taken seriously, not left to chance.
Every time a vehicle with your company’s logo is on the road, it’s a mobile representation of your brand and culture. What message is that driver’s behaviour sending to the outside world?
A well-managed fleet communicates professionalism, care, and responsibility. A poorly governed one suggests complacency, risk, and disregard for safety.
Furthermore, under the HSWA, boards have a clear obligation to exercise due diligence. This means understanding the risks associated with driving for work and ensuring robust systems are in place to manage them effectively.
The good news is that driving risk can be governed like any other business-critical risk - through structure, assurance, and visibility.
At Fleetcoach, we help organisations put this into practice, providing governance tools, reporting frameworks, and change management programmes that make road risk measurable and defensible.
When your vehicles are on the road, the public sees more than your drivers, they see your organisation in motion. Managing driving risk isn’t just about safety; it’s about protecting your credibility, your brand, and your licence to operate.
Put driving risk on the board agenda to:
- Demonstrate effective governance and protect your organisation from personal liability, regulatory action, and reputational harm.
- Safeguard your reputation and maintain client and stakeholder confidence in your organisation’s leadership.
- Reduce exposure to financial and operational risks by ensuring driving risk is managed with the same attention as other business activity.
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