THE details of a new corporate manslaughter law that would affect company directors if one of their fleet drivers was involved in a fatal accident could be unveiled in the Queen’s Speech next week.

Fleets are being urged to complete a full audit of risk management policies in preparation for any new Bill.

Duncan Wilkes, managing director at RAC Business Solutions, said: ‘We believe the draft Bill will extend the offence of corporate manslaughter to any employing organisation rather than corporations alone, as at present.’

The Queen’s Speech, to be broadcast on Tuesday, sets out the Government’s legislative programme for the last Parliamentary session before the next General Election.

However, there are worries within Whitehall that the fine print in the draft Bill will lead to a raft of prosecutions right up to Government level (Fleet NewsNet, September 9).

There are fears that directors could be held directly responsible for the actions of their drivers on the road. Legislation could also have an impact on areas such as Government policy decisions that lead to death or councils that fail to act on accident blackspots.