Why Offer Refresher Fleet Driver Training to My Employees? 

Even if your drivers operate the vehicles every day, it is recommended that they refresh with refresher fleet driver training so that they:

• maintain good driving habits for fleet driver safety
• learn new skills were appropriate
• reassess their abilities

Workers may need refresher fleet defensive driver training if:

• you change the vehicles they use
• move sites
• change the way they work
• they become disabled

People lose skills if they do not use them regularly. Even if they do not lose the skill, the standards can drop. Most drivers and operators need regular training to keep up their skill and be up to date with changes and new policies and procedures. This ensures fleet driver safety and the safety of other road users. Employees should offer refresher training whenever appropriate.

When to Do Fleet Safety Training?

This is a good reason to keep records. Any employees with over 5 staff driving for work should keep written records. It is best practice to do this for even if there is only 1 employee or those who are self-employed.

The advice is to retrain every three to five years, however some companies do it more regular such as yearly. I would suggest it all goes on the risk level.

You could for example use this scale:

High risk driver – no company vehicle to keep, immediate training, then a vehicle given when has improved on risk rating, review in 3 months.

Medium risk – additional training to be taken within 6 months, but can continue to drive for work to develop and improve on the feedback given.

Low risk – reassess the risk and introduce training either on 1-year anniversary of training or refresher fleet defensive driver training and revisit the risk assessment in three to five years.

These are just examples. You can look at how you do this to fit in with your company and how you wish to run.

If you want more information on refresher fleet driver training to maintain fleet driver safety, get in touch. I can be reached by email john@parrysfleetservices.co.uk or telephone 07706382638.