Download our free Vehicle Use and Driving Procedure Template:

• Vehicle Use and Driving Procedure.doc file (Word Document)
• Vehicle Use and Driving Procedure .pdf file (PDF)

*For internal use only. Not for resale or redistribution. By downloading, you agree to our Free Resources Licensing Agreement.

Purpose of Document

A Vehicle Use and Driving Procedure establishes guidelines for use of motor vehicles and driving in the workplace. The key objective is to ensure workers are protected from illness or injury posed to themselves and others by vehicles and driving. This procedure is broadly aligned with the requirements of AS/NZS 45001:2018.

How to Use

This Vehicle Use and Driving Procedure should be saved on your server and continually reviewed / updated. It should also be communicated to new workers as part of their induction or onboarding process. This document is a template only and it must be customised for your business. Other aspects that may need to be considered include, but are not limited to, ensuring that:

• Relevant legal requirements have been met,
• Workplace specific risks are identified and managed, and
• Workers are consulted with during the customisation / review process.

When to Use

As stated above, this document should be made available to your staff and managers via your server, onedrive or intranet. You should also use it during employee inductions or you may wish to refresh your workers on the contents of the procedure periodically as part of a safety meeting or similar forum.

Who Should Use

This procedure should be reviewed and updated by your Safety Advisor, Project Manager or other Manager. Supervisors or managers can use the procedure to communicate the requirements to workers (including new workers).

Legal Considerations

There is no specific legal requirement to have a documented Vehicle Use and Driving Procedure. However, it is best practice, especially for larger companies. It can help meet general legal duties, including:

• s(19)(3)c WHS Act – Duty to Provide Safe Systems of Work

FAQ

Is driving to work considered working?

From a WHS perspective, travel to and from work is usually not considered “work” unless:

• The travel is work-related (e.g. you drive to different sites as part of your work, especially during work hours)
• The travel is to a place not generally attended by the worker (imagine a boss asking a worker to drive to a nearby city to complete a task)
• The travel poses serious risks to the worker’s or other’s safety (beyond the risks faced in a “normal” commute)
• There are workplace fatigue or fatigued-driving concerns
• The travel is carpooling or public transport organised by the company / PCBU

Does Workcover include travel to and from work?

This varies from state to state. Sometimes the travel is automatically covered, other times it is decided on a case by case basis.

Should a company track worker driver’s licences?

If the workers drive as part of their employment, the business should keep copies / records of the worker’s driver licence.

Article Sources and Further Reading

1. Transport (Safe Work Australia) <https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/industry-and-business/transport>
2. Accident insurance (Work Health and Safety Queensland) <https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/claims-and-insurance/workcover-insurance/types-of-insurance/accident-insurance#:~:text=Injuries%20that%20happen%20travelling%20to,WorkCover%20considers%20each%20case%20individually.>