With provisional figures showing a rise in the number of people killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads, Emma Burt, CEO of BLT Driver Training, highlights why organisations must look beyond basic licence checks and take a more proactive approach to driver competence.
A driving licence confirms that someone demonstrated the required standard on the day they passed their test. But should it be treated as evidence that they will remain a safe and competent driver for the rest of their working life?
For many people, passing their test is the last formal assessment or training they will receive behind the wheel. They may then spend decades driving without anyone independently reviewing their skills, identifying poor habits or helping them adapt to changes in vehicles, technology and the road environment.
That needs to change, particularly where driving forms part of someone’s job.
Provisional Department for Transport figures show that an estimated 29,910 people were killed or seriously injured (KSI) in reported road collisions in Great Britain in 2025, up 4% on 2024.
This rise in serious harm should prompt all of us involved in road safety to ask whether enough is being done to prevent incidents before they happen.
Behind every statistic is a person whose life may have been permanently changed, along with families, employers, emergency services and communities dealing with the consequences.
For employers, this means looking critically at how occupational road risk is managed.
Many organisations are diligent about checking driving licences, insurance, vehicle documentation and eligibility to drive. These checks are important, but they do not tell an employer how someone actually behaves behind the wheel.
A valid licence does not reveal whether a driver follows too closely, struggles with observation, takes unnecessary risks at junctions, becomes distracted, chooses inappropriate speeds or fails to leave enough space when passing cyclists.
Administrative compliance is not the same as driving competence.
Through our work with professional drivers, employers and organisations, we see how easily habits can become embedded over time. Some may be relatively minor, while others can significantly increase risk.
Experience is valuable, but it should not automatically be confused with competence. A driver may have been on the road for 20 or 30 years while reinforcing the same unsafe habits throughout that period.
Roads have also changed considerably since many experienced drivers passed their tests. Traffic volumes have increased, vehicles contain more technology, road layouts have evolved and drivers must share space with a wider mix of road users.
Modern working life creates additional pressures. Employees may be driving to unfamiliar locations, trying to meet deadlines, taking calls, managing long or irregular hours, or switching between different vehicles. Fatigue, distraction, stress and overconfidence can all influence the decisions they make.
These risks cannot always be identified through a licence check or annual declaration.
Too often, driver assessment or training is introduced only after something has gone wrong: a collision, a complaint, a near miss, a speeding offence or an increase in insurance claims.
By that point, the opportunity for prevention may already have been missed.
We would not wait for someone to be injured before reviewing competence in other safety-critical workplace activities. Driving should not be treated differently simply because it is familiar and undertaken every day.
A more proactive approach does not mean that every employee requires the same course or level of intervention. It means understanding the risks associated with the individual, their role, the vehicle they use and the journeys they undertake.
An appropriate driving assessment can provide a clearer picture of someone’s actual performance on the road. It can identify strengths, highlight areas of concern and establish whether further development would be beneficial.
Where support is needed, it should be targeted and practical. The aim is not to catch drivers out or make experienced employees feel that they are being tested again. It is to help them recognise risk, improve decision-making and build safer habits.
That distinction matters. Driver development should be supportive, not punitive.
It also has an important role in protecting vulnerable road users.
Cyclists, motorcyclists, pedestrians and e-scooter users do not have the same physical protection as those inside a vehicle. A momentary lapse in observation, an inappropriate speed choice or insufficient passing distance can have devastating consequences.
Drivers need to be able to anticipate situations earlier, manage speed appropriately, leave sufficient space and understand how their decisions affect people outside their vehicle.
Small improvements in behaviour can make a significant difference, particularly in towns, residential areas, at junctions and in shared road spaces where circumstances can change quickly.
Some organisations may question the time and cost involved in assessing and developing employees who already hold valid licences. However, this overlooks the potential human, operational and financial consequences of a serious collision.
There may be vehicle damage, lost working time, insurance costs, legal implications, reputational harm and, most importantly, injuries that cannot be undone.
The absence of previous collisions should not be taken as proof that risk is being managed effectively. It may simply mean that unsafe behaviour has not yet resulted in a serious outcome.
Driver development is not the sole answer to rising casualties. Safer roads require effective policy, enforcement, well-designed infrastructure, safer vehicles and continued public education.
However, organisations cannot control every element of the wider road system. They can control how they select, assess, support and manage the people who drive on their behalf.
That is why ongoing driver development should be treated as a normal part of occupational risk management rather than an optional benefit or a response to failure.
The latest casualty figures show that serious harm on our roads is moving in the wrong direction. We should not wait for an incident before asking whether a driver needs support.
A driving licence is an important starting point, but it should not be the end of driver development.
If organisations are serious about protecting employees and other road users, they must look beyond whether someone is legally entitled to drive and consider whether they remain equipped to do so safely.
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