COMPANY car and van drivers should undergo an annual assessment of their driving capability but should not be subjected to a one-off compulsory advanced driving test, risk management solutions company Risk Answers has advised.

It says employers have a duty to staff to make sure they are competent to carry out their work. The recent Work-related Road Safety Task Group report into cutting at-work road incidents backed away from demanding specific training for business drivers, instead saying employers should make sure their staff were competent to do whatever their job required.

Chris Howell, Risk Answers' operations director, said annual checks should cover eyesight, driving licences, lifestyle, driving style and road knowledge.

Risk Answers and partner DriveTech have created a CD-ROM called Driver Assessment Training Aid costing £29.95, which contains 40 questions to assist competency checks.

Howell said: 'Assessment can help target training at the employees who need it.'