Companies which operate substantial numbers of ‘grey fleet’ vehicles face an increased threat as days get colder and temperatures drop. That’s the view of leading fleet risk solutions specialist, Cardinus Fleet Risk Management which warns that vehicle condition checks should be stepped up at this time of year to reduce a fleet’s risk exposure.

Cardinus Fleet Risk Management marketing director Keith Vincent said that companies and their fleet managers needed to be more vigilant and exercise greater control over ‘grey fleet’ vehicles at this time of year if they were not to be left exposed to some of the latest Corporate Manslaughter and Health and Safety rulings, which could make prosecutions easier to pursue than before.

“’Grey fleet’ vehicles should always be carefully considered within any overall fleet risk assessment programme as they could prove to be a company’s Achilles’ heel,” he said.

“It is incumbent on companies to show that their employees are using equipment that is fit for purpose to comply with all current legislation. And that threat increases with the onset of colder weather and tougher, trickier driving conditions.

“For employees that drive for business, the employer will still be liable for the employee’s negligence in the event of a serious accident by virtue of vicarious liability, regardless of who owns the vehicle.

“So checking the condition of ‘grey fleet’ vehicles, especially as they may be physically seen by the company less often than company owned vehicles, is of vital importance if a company is to remain compliant with the law,” he said.

“With colder weather arriving, checking vehicles more frequently is crucial. Vehicle checks should include tyres, all fluid levels, headlamps, wiper blades and all glass areas especially those that are heated,” he said.

Cardinus Fleet Risk Management has prepared a vehicle checklist of the most important factors for fleet managers and drivers to consider at this time of year:

Cold weather checklist

• Check your vehicle is regularly serviced by consulting your service book. It can be all too easy to overlook the correct service date. Consider visiting your local dealer for a winter service.
• Check front and rear wiper blades for wear or splitting. Do check windscreen washers making sure that they are adjusted correctly. Screen wash additive should be added to prevent freezing in winter.
• Ensure all dashboard warning lights operate correctly. If not, consult your owner's handbook or call your local dealer.
• Check oil and water levels. Ensure they are topped up correctly. Pay particular attention to the anti-freeze content of the cooling system. Check your owner's handbook for information on the recommended anti freeze to use.
• Inspect your battery electrolyte level topping this up with distilled water if necessary. Do check the battery connections ensuring that they are tight and free from any corrosion. Do not forget that battery acid is highly corrosive to skin and paint work.
• Make sure the fan belt is of the correct tension and in good condition, remove, adjust or replace as required. Ensure ignition key is removed from the vehicle before checking.
• Tyre condition should be checked, (inc. the spare) for tyre pressure and legal tread depth. The current minimum legal tread depth for cars and light commercial vehicles (up to 3500 kg gvw) is 1.6mm. Note, it is generally acknowledged that the greater the tread depth, the more efficient the tyre is of clearing water in its path, making driving in poor conditions safer.
• Inspect the jack and wheel brace making sure you are confident about their use. If locking wheel nuts are fitted, ensure locking key is safely stowed away in the car. It may be useful to practice changing the spare wheel following instructions from your owner's handbook.
• Inspect car keys for wear and condition, replacing if necessary, Remember, a worn key will quickly wear out a lock barrel causing the lock to jam. Make sure you have a spare set of keys for your car in a safe place. This also applies to alarm fobs. It is worth noting that batteries in the fob will also require replacement at least twice a year, to maintain operating performance.
• Consider the option of air conditioning when buying a new car. This can be as useful in winter as in summer to help demist your vehicle quickly and reduce condensation.

All the evidence suggests that drivers who opt out of the company car scheme are far more expensive to companies in terms of time, effort and administration and potentially pose the greatest risk through poorly serviced vehicles. They are also less likely to check the condition of their vehicles.

With this in mind, Cardinus Fleet Risk Management, which specialises in providing fleet risk solutions to many of the country’s largest fleets, has designed a solution to help fleet managers exercise greater control over their ‘grey fleet’ vehicles and drivers.

The new Cardinus Fleet Risk Management ‘grey fleet’ solution carries out regular licence checks on all fleet drivers, including both those who receive company cars and those who regularly use their own vehicles on company business.

This service also includes the facility to check more frequently those drivers considered higher risk due to the number of existing penalty points on their licence, and also to check drivers with international driving licences from foreign countries.

The new service also validates that MOTs and Road Fund Licences are current and that ‘grey fleet’ vehicles are serviced in accordance with manufacturer instructions and on a regular basis; and it confirms that drivers who use their own vehicles on company business have valid certificates of insurance covering up to the appropriate level of Business Class.

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