The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is taking a zero tolerance approach to physical and verbal assaults against its staff.

Between April 2016 and March 2017, more than 300 driving examiners, vehicle testers and roadside enforcement staff suffered physical or verbal abuse while doing their jobs. This was an increase of more than 50 per cent on the previous year.

Attacks on staffs have included:

• verbal abuse and death threats
• damaging staff cars and offices
• serious physical assaults
• lorry drivers trying to run DVSA enforcement cars off the road
• failed driving test candidates driving off with their examiner still in the car against their will

The campaign will warn people what will happen if they do abuse, threaten or assault staff, show how being assaulted at work affects members of staff and encourage staff to report any instance of abuse so offenders can be dealt with.

DVSA

About the Author: John Loughran