Licence checks via DMS tool launched

CAR dealers can now check employee driving licences with the DVLA through their DMS system.

Pinewood has integrated the one-stop licence check system to help dealers tackle Duty of Care and Corporate Manslaughter Act issues.

Why has it been done? Because research shows 1 in 7 dealer employees have points on their licence. This is, said MD Neville Briggs, a ‘major risk management issue.

‘Changes in corporate risk management, especially the arrival of the Corporate Manslaughter Act, have made the checking of licences an essential task for dealer managers.

‘Just one employee who is banned or using a dummy driving licence could lead to a massive third party claim for a dealer, with their insurance company refusing to payout because basic checks haven’t been made.’

Checks can be incredibly onerous and time consuming, though. Hence the attraction of Pinewood’s more convenient and straightforward solution – it is already used in the fleet car industry, where it’s been taken up well.

It not only allows dealers automatic checks at a cost-effective price, but it also gives them an audit trail of the checks made.

Dealers can even set how often the checks are made – annually, for low-risk drivers, and more frequently for the higher-risk, higher-mileage ones. Automatic alerts are sent to the dealer the moment any changes or endorsements are made by the DVLA.