Businesses and fleet managers across the UK are being urged to ensure all the vehicles they operate are fit to take the road.

Road safety charity Brake and the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) are working together to educate companies on the importance of proper maintenance regimes to ensure they have the right processes in place to meet vehicle compliance laws.

A seminar is being held in London by the partners on June 25th and will provide information to businesses regarding the monitoring of driver behaviour, vehicle checks, legal requirements for mechanics and bosses, as well as the basics of implementing an effective maintenance policy.

It will see a range of industry experts presenting their own insights into vehicle compliance and safety, helping all attendees to gain a better understanding of their responsibilities.

The session has been entitled 'Maintenance and mechanics: how safe are your vehicles and who's checking them?'.

Ellie Pearson, Brake's senior professional engagement officer, said: "We know at-work drivers are an especially high-risk group on our roads and therefore it is incredibly important that employers go that extra mile to ensure their vehicles are maintained to the highest standard.

"We would encourage any business that takes fleet safety seriously to send a representative along to this event."

It is open to all-comers and could provide a useful addition to training for fleet managers currently unclear on how to get the best out of their staff and ensure they are not placing themselves at an increased risk of liability for vehicle failings.

Ian Chisholm, head of operations and communications at IRTE, added: "Understanding and implementing proper maintenance procedures is vital for the safety of vehicles on the UK's roads and this event will no doubt be helpful to transport managers who want to ensure their fleets are legally compliant."

Earlier this week, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) also highlighted the importance of companies across the UK taking their compliance responsibilities seriously, as the organisation argued failure to do so can lead to significant consequences, including increased costs and a loss of reputation.

FTA head of member advice Es Shepherd stated businesses need to be aware of their regulatory requirements.

He noted that companies ultimately must put their faith in staff to behave in an appropriate and responsible manner when out on the roads, but there are ways in which firms can boost the likelihood of this taking place.

Furthermore, businesses should have an understanding of the necessary controls that can be used to ensure staff are held accountable in the event of their own failure to act appropriately.

The use of in-cab cameras is becoming increasingly commonplace across the haulage industry and this is a technology that could also be of benefit to fleet managers in other sectors.

What's more, many vehicles are now being fitted with forward-facing CCTV that allows footage to be captured of any incidents that may take place between at-work drivers and other road users, ensuring video evidence of driver behaviour is being collected at all times.

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Posted by Clare Lafferty, Account Manager, The Fuelcard People.