Safe driving in dark, wet weather: Advice for small businesses

As the days become shorter and the weather turns colder, darker mornings, heavy rain and slippery roads can make driving more hazardous. Businesses that rely on employees travelling for work should recognise these seasonal risks and take practical steps to keep people safe. 

Employers have legal duties to manage the risks associated with work-related driving, whether employees use company vehicles or their own cars for business journeys. This includes carrying out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of work-related driving. Commuting to and from a normal place of work is not usually classed as driving for work, but journeys between sites, to customers or to temporary workplaces are. A few simple precautions can help reduce the likelihood of road traffic incidents and keep employees safer throughout the autumn and winter months. 

1. Prepare vehicles for wet and winter weather 

Regular vehicle checks are particularly important during periods of poor weather. Employers should ensure that company vehicles are properly maintained, while employees using their own vehicles for work should be reminded to keep them in a safe and roadworthy condition. 

• Tyres: Check tyre pressure, tread depth and general condition. The legal minimum tread depth for cars in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, around the entire circumference. Greater tread depth can improve grip in wet conditions. 

• Lights: Check that headlights, brake lights, indicators and rear lights are working and clean. 

• Windscreen and wipers: Ensure windscreens are clean, wiper blades are effective and washers contain suitable screenwash. 

• Windows and mirrors: Clear all windows and mirrors before setting off to maintain good visibility. Never drive with only a small area of the windscreen cleared. 

• Vehicle fluids: Check oil, coolant and other fluids in line with the vehicle manufacturer’s guidance. 

• Emergency equipment: Consider a torch, phone charger, de-icer, warm clothing and basic emergency supplies. 

Any vehicle defects that could affect safety should be reported and addressed before the vehicle is used for work. 

2. Adjust driving habits for poor weather 

Employers should ensure employees understand how driving conditions change during wet weather and what adjustments they should make to reduce risk. Wet roads reduce tyre grip and can increase stopping distances. Puddles may conceal potholes, while standing water can cause aquaplaning. 

Employers should remind drivers to:  

• Reduce speed when visibility or road conditions deteriorate. 

• Leave a greater distance between their vehicle and the one in front. In wet weather, stopping distances can be at least double those required on dry roads. 

• Brake, accelerate and steer smoothly to reduce the risk of skidding. 

• Use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when they cannot see more than 100 metres (328 feet), including in heavy rain and poor daylight. 

• Use front or rear fog lights only when visibility is seriously reduced, and switch them off as soon as visibility improves so they do not dazzle other road users or obscure brake lights. 

• Avoid driving through deep or fast-flowing floodwater. Turn around and find a safer route if the depth is uncertain. 

• After driving through water, test your brakes gently before continuing. 

• Be especially cautious on rural roads, where mud, fallen leaves, standing water and unlit stretches can create additional hazards. 

Employers should reinforce that drivers must never assume the speed limit is a safe speed for the conditions. Allowing extra travel time and encouraging a more cautious approach can significantly reduce the risk of incidents. 

3. Take extra care when driving in the dark 

Employers should recognize that driving after dark presents additional risks and ensure employees understand the challenges associated with reduced visibility. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are often harder to spot in poor visibility. 

Drivers should be encouraged to: 

• Ensure headlights are clean, working correctly and adjusted appropriately. 

• Use full-beam headlights only when suitable, dipping them in good time for oncoming traffic and vehicles ahead. 

• Reduce speed when approaching bends, junctions and areas where pedestrians may be present. 

• Look carefully for pedestrians and cyclists, particularly near schools, bus stops and poorly lit roads. 

• Keep windscreens clean inside and out to reduce glare from oncoming headlights and street lighting. 

• Remember the hierarchy of road users in the Highway Code: drivers of larger and faster vehicles have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose to pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and motorcyclists. 

 Employers should also be aware that fatigue can become more significant during the darker months. Journey planning should include appropriate rest breaks, and employees should feel able to stop somewhere safe if they become tired. Opening a window or turning up the radio is not a reliable way to overcome fatigue. 

 4. Plan journeys and avoid unnecessary pressure 

Poor weather and reduced daylight can make journeys take longer than expected. Employers should encourage employees to plan ahead and avoid creating pressures that could lead to unsafe driving conditions.   

• Check weather forecasts and traffic conditions before departure. 

•  Allow extra time for travel, parking and unexpected delays. 

•  Consider whether a journey can be completed remotely or postponed during severe weather. 

•  Choose safer routes where possible, avoiding flooded roads and hazardous shortcuts. 

• Share journey details and expected arrival times when employees are travelling alone or visiting remote locations. 

Employers should make it clear that employees must not take unnecessary risks to meet appointments or delivery deadlines. If conditions become unsafe, drivers should be able to stop in a safe place and contact their manager. 

5. Reduce distractions and avoid impairment 

Employers should take steps to reduce the risk of distraction and impairment among employees who drive for work. 

Drivers should be encouraged to plan routes before setting off, keep mobile phones out of reach and only make adjustments to sat-nav systems or other devices when safely parked. It is illegal to hold and use a phone or similar device while driving, except in limited legally permitted circumstances. Employers should also recognise that hands-free devices can still be distracting and should avoid expecting employees to take or make work calls while driving. 

Policies should make clear that employees must never drive while impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs or medication that affects their ability to drive safely. Employees should also be encouraged to seek advice if they are unsure whether a medicine could affect their fitness to drive. 

Employers should ensure that drivers understand the importance of wearing seat belts and securing all loads, tools and equipment appropriately so they cannot move dangerously if the vehicle brakes suddenly. 

6. A practical checklist for employers 

Employers do not need a complicated system to improve work-related road safety, but they should take a planned and proportionate approach. 

• Assign responsibility: Appoint a named person to oversee work-related driving arrangements and review them periodically. 

• Review driving risks: Assess journey length, driving hours, vehicle condition, weather, darkness and the locations employees visit. 

• Set clear expectations: Include safe driving requirements in company policies and explain how employees should report defects, incidents and near misses. 

• Maintain vehicles: Ensure company vehicles are serviced, inspected and defects reported. 

• Provide information and training: Make sure employees understand the risks of driving in poor weather and know how to respond to changing conditions. 

• Manage working time: Avoid unrealistic schedules and consider fatigue when planning workloads and appointments. 

• Check employee drivers: Where employees drive for work, carry out appropriate checks on driving licenses, insurance, MOT status and vehicle roadworthiness. 

• Learn from incidents: Review collisions and near misses to identify potential improvements. 

• RIDDOR and incident recording: Record work-related road incidents and assess whether they are reportable under RIDDOR. While most road traffic collisions are not reportable, some work-related incidents may be. 

The scale of these arrangements should reflect the nature and level of risk within the business. 

Stay safe this autumn and winter 

Managing work-related driving risks is a shared responsibility. Employers must provide the right systems, support and expectations, while employees must make sensible decisions behind the wheel. 

A little extra preparation, a more cautious approach to speed and stopping distances, and a willingness to delay a journey when necessary can help prevent injuries and protect employees, other road users and the business. 

The key message is simple: arrive safely, not just on time.