Road accidents 'can cause corporate manslaughter cases'

Employers could face prosecution for corporate manslaughter if they fail to check their employees' driving licences, it has been claimed.

According to Norwich Union, some workers may attempt to cover up previous convictions, while the firm noted that the driver involved in the 2007 Heathrow coach crash had been caught speeding on five previous occasions.

The company pointed out that if companies do not check their employees' driving licences and they are involved in a fatal accident, the organisation could be prosecuted under corporate manslaughter laws, as well as invalidating their insurance and losing customer confidence.

Mike Smith, commercial motor technical manager at Norwich Union, commented: "The pressure of the credit crunch brings out extremes in human behaviour and insurance is one area that's vulnerable to this."

Last month, the Health and Safety Executive re-launched a campaign to highlight the dangers of workers falling when working at height on vehicles.

Find out more about conducting a Risk Assessment