We recognise that volunteers may need to use their car to carry out their volunteer role, for example travelling to meetings or transporting items to events.
We want you to take the utmost care of your welfare and safety while volunteering with us, and ensure legal requirements are adhered to.
The Association’s Vehicle Use Guidelines provide details of your responsibilities when using your own vehicle to carry out your Association role.
For example:
• You must hold a full, valid and appropriate driving licence, ensure your car meets the minimum legal standards for all vehicles using public roads and be insured
• You must contact your own insurance company to inform them that you will be driving in a volunteering capacity.
Volunteers must not transport people with MND. This is due to the risk of personal injury to both a person with MND and/or a volunteer when aiding someone with MND in and out of a vehicle. If a person with MND requires assistance getting to a meeting or event, the branch or group can help with the cost of appropriate transport, eg mobility taxi.
To view our vehicle use policies for volunteers please continue reading.
Please also read our health and safety guidance.
Vehicle Use for Volunteers
Introduction
The purpose of Association Policies is to provide volunteers with details of their responsibilities when using their own vehicle in the course of their volunteering role. The Association requires all volunteers who drive whilst carrying out their role to not put themselves or others at risk, and to cooperate with the Association to ensure their own and others safety.
Fitness to drive
When driving for any purpose you must be fit to do so, and must adhere to the following:
- Do not drive when affected by alcohol, medication, or drugs,
- Do not drive when affected by illness,
- Do not drive if you are too tired to do so safely
Eyesight
You must be able to read a car number plate from 20.5m in good daylight. If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses, you must always wear them when driving and get your eyes tested at least once every 2 years – or sooner if you notice any deterioration.
Fines and endorsements
You are legally responsible when driving your own vehicle whilst carrying out your volunteer role; this means that you are personally liable for any transgressions of the law inclusive of parking fines. The Association will not under any circumstances pay penalty or parking fines obtained by drivers using their own car for Association activities.
Insurance
- Volunteers must inform their own insurers that they are using their vehicle to carry out a voluntary role for the Association. Should the vehicle premium increase due to this policy amendment, you can view a list of insurers who have committed to not raising insurance premiums as a result of volunteering here.
- It is the responsibility of the volunteer to ensure that their vehicle complies with the law and is in a safe and roadworthy condition and suitable for its purpose.
- Due to the risk of personal injury, volunteers must not transport people with MND.
Please note, VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT INSURED THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION FLEET POLICY TO USE THEIR OWN VEHICLE.
Any queries regarding insurance should be directed to the Volunteering Team at Francis Crick House on 0845 604 4150 or by email at [email protected]