UK fleet drivers at mobile phone provider The Caudwell Group will be denied expenses claims if they fail to carry out vehicle maintenance checks, FleetNewsNet reports. When completing online expenses, drivers will be asked if they have completed maintenance checks such as oil level and tire pressure. If they fail to tick the relevant boxes, the fleet management system, which is linked to the HR department’s intranet, will not process their expenses. The initiative launched by the fleet will help ensure its duty of care obligations are being met. (“Duty of care” is a British legal responsibility “to do everything reasonably practicable to protect others from harm.” In the U.S., the initiative would help protect against respondeat superior and negligent maintenance lawsuits.) The initiative will cover company car drivers and cash allowance drivers, compensation and benefits manager Claire Walker, told FleetNewsNet. She said the plan reduces the risk of being sued for corporate manslaughter. Drivers found to have lied on the form face disciplinary action and a fine. Andy Price, a risk management expert at Zurich Risk Services, says the idea helps drivers think about their responsibilities. However, he questions whether drivers are actually completing the checks or just ticking the boxes. The initiative will be introduced shortly into the 1,700-vehicle fleet.