Driving at work

UK employers have legal and moral obligations to ensure the safety of employees and others, who may be affected by driving at work activities. This is in addition to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Organisations must ensure they take reasonable steps not to cause foreseeable harm to others by their actions or omission. This includes checking entitlement to drive.

The consequences of failing to conduct adequate checks can be catastrophic in the event of a crash involving an overseas driver. At the very least it is likely that insurance would be void. Police and potential Health and Safety Executive enquiries could result in further offences being uncovered.

Checking the driving licences of drivers from outside the UK is paramount, as different restrictions apply to different countries.

UK Minimum Age Requirements

The rules concerning driving in the UK on a foreign (non-GB) licence are complex, regardless of nationality:

• 17 years for cars and motorcycles;
• 18 years for medium sized vehicles;
• 21 years for large goods vehicles and passenger carrying vehicles.

Foreign Nationals

• Visiting GB from the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA).
  • Can utilise any vehicle, with full entitlement and licence remains valid until aged 70 or for three years after becoming resident, whichever is the longer period.
• Visitors from Hong Kong, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Japan and some former and current British Territories
  • Must hold full ordinary licence from their country of origin.
  • Entitled to drive a vehicle up to 3500kg; up to eight passenger seats for up to 12 months.
  • New residents can exchange for a UK licence after 12 months.
• Visitors from all other countries, the United States for example.
  • A visitor with a full, valid licence or International Driving Permit may drive.
  • Entitled to a vehicle up to 3500kg; up to eight passenger seats for up to 12 months.
  • New residents can exchange for a UK licence after 12 months, then obtain a provisional UK licence and pass the appropriate driving tests.

Good practice to be considered when vetting overseas drivers, includes:

• Assess driving experience;
• Assess driving competency, include Highway Code;
• Reference checking;
• Assess medical condition;
• Use UK based embassy to check licence validity/translation;
• Convert to a UK licence to enable checking from same platform.

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