Road Safety at Work in Morocco: Preventing Risks Associated with Business Travel

Road traffic accidents during work-related journeys can result in serious injuries, permanent disabilities or fatalities. Prevention relies on effective travel planning, vehicle maintenance, fatigue management and driver awareness.

Work-related road accidents represent a significant occupational health and safety risk. Employees who travel for work include sales representatives, technicians, maintenance personnel, delivery drivers, professional drivers and other workers required to drive as part of their duties.

Prevention must not rely solely on driver behaviour. It must also address work organisation, imposed deadlines, vehicle condition, distances travelled and traffic conditions.

In Morocco, companies must consider the legal requirements applicable to their activities, particularly those relating to occupational health and safety, road traffic, transport and insurance.

1. Types of work-related journeys

Three main categories of journeys should be distinguished:

Home-to-work commuting: journeys between an employee's home and workplace. Their legal classification depends on the circumstances and the applicable legislation.
Business travel: journeys undertaken for professional purposes, such as customer visits, technical interventions, training sessions or meetings.
Goods transportation: journeys involving deliveries or the transportation of goods. These activities involve additional risks associated with loading, load securing, potential overloading and driving demands.

This distinction is important because the applicable legal framework and insurance coverage may differ depending on the type of journey and the circumstances of an accident.

2. Main road risk factors

Occupational road risks generally result from several factors that may occur simultaneously.

Excessive or inappropriate speed: exceeding speed limits or driving too fast for road conditions, visibility and traffic.
Fatigue and drowsiness: insufficient sleep, extended working days, irregular working hours or driving without adequate rest.
Driver distraction: using a phone, reading messages, operating a device or checking directions while driving.
Alcohol, drugs and medication: substances that may impair alertness, coordination or reaction time.
Weather conditions: rain, fog, strong winds, heat or reduced visibility.
Vehicle condition: worn tyres, defective brakes, inadequate lighting or poor maintenance.
Work organisation: unrealistic deadlines, poorly planned journeys, production pressure or excessive workloads.
Load transportation: poorly distributed loads, inadequate securing or exceeding the vehicle's authorised limits.

Effective prevention must address human, technical and organisational factors.

3. Employer obligations and responsibilities in Morocco

Road risk prevention should be integrated into work organisation and into health and safety measures appropriate to the company's activities.

The Moroccan Labour Code, established by Law No. 65-99, contains provisions on occupational hygiene and safety, particularly under Title IV. The application of these provisions must be assessed in relation to the specific work situation. Requirements applicable to professional transport must also be checked according to the type of vehicle and the activity performed.

The rules governing professional drivers should not automatically be assumed to apply in the same way to every employee who occasionally travels for work.

As part of its prevention programme, an employer may implement the following measures:

Vehicle maintenance: organise maintenance activities, check safety equipment and promptly address reported defects.
Driving authorisations: ensure that drivers hold a valid driving licence for the category of vehicle they operate.
Training and awareness: inform employees about road risks and provide training appropriate to their duties.
Journey planning: establish realistic schedules, reduce unnecessary journeys and take driving time and fatigue into account.
Communication management: establish internal rules that prevent work-related communications from distracting drivers.
Safe operations: provide equipment appropriate for loading, unloading and roadside operations, according to the risks identified.
Incident monitoring: investigate accidents and near misses to improve preventive measures.

The measures required must be determined by considering current legislation, the characteristics of the activity and the risks actually identified.

4. The Professional Travel Plan

A Professional Travel Plan (PTP) is an organisational tool designed to improve journey planning and reduce exposure to road risks.

Its name, content and any mandatory status depend on the applicable regulatory context. It should therefore not be presented as a general legal requirement for every company in Morocco.

A Professional Travel Plan may include the following actions:

Group appointments and service visits whenever practicable.
Eliminate journeys that are not essential.
Prefer remote meetings when compatible with the activity.
Consider public transport or carpooling where appropriate.
Select suitable routes based on distance, traffic and weather conditions.
Allow sufficient time to avoid rushed driving.
Organise deliveries and work routes to reduce unnecessary mileage.

Companies can monitor several indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan:

Number of reported accidents and near misses.
Distance travelled for work.
Incident frequency relative to distance travelled, where sufficient data is available.
Number of reported technical defects and the number corrected.
Completion rate for planned training and preventive actions.

These indicators help identify high-risk situations and adjust prevention measures.

5. Key road risk prevention measures

5.1. Maintain vehicles

Vehicles used for work must be suitable for their intended journeys and maintained in a condition compatible with safe operation.

Maintenance and inspection activities may include checking:

Tyre condition and pressure.
Brake and lighting systems.
Fluid levels and essential mechanical components.
Safety equipment and warning devices.
The vehicle's overall condition and defects reported by drivers.

The company should establish a procedure for reporting defects and ensure that dangerous faults are addressed before the vehicle returns to service.

5.2. Adapt speed and route selection

Complying with speed limits is essential, but it does not always guarantee safe driving. Drivers must also adjust their speed to traffic, visibility, road conditions and vehicle loading.

Work organisation should allow employees to comply with traffic regulations without excessive pressure from schedules or delivery deadlines.

5.3. Prevent fatigue

Fatigue reduces alertness, slows reaction times and can lead to episodes of drowsiness.

To reduce this risk, companies can:

Organise working hours according to expected travel times.
Schedule breaks appropriate to journey duration and driving conditions.
Avoid consecutive assignments that leave insufficient time for rest.
Require drivers to report fatigue that could compromise their ability to drive safely.
Apply specific driving-time and rest-period requirements whenever they are relevant to the activity.

A 15-minute break every two hours may be adopted as an internal recommendation in certain circumstances. However, it should not be presented as a universal legal requirement applicable to every driver in Morocco.

If a driver becomes drowsy, they should stop at a safe location as soon as possible and resume driving only when they can do so safely.

5.4. Avoid distractions while driving

Phones and other communication devices can distract drivers, including when used in hands-free mode.

Companies are advised to establish a clear internal rule prohibiting calls, messaging and device handling while driving.

A communication protocol may include:

Automatically redirecting calls to voicemail.
Informing customers and colleagues that drivers may be temporarily unavailable.
Checking messages and returning calls only when the vehicle is safely parked.
Preparing routes before departure.
Using navigation systems without handling them while driving, preferably with voice guidance.

Safety must take priority over commercial or administrative urgency.

5.5. Secure loads during loading and unloading

An improperly distributed or inadequately secured load can shift the vehicle's centre of gravity, reduce stability or cause goods to fall.

Preventive measures include:

Complying with the vehicle's authorised maximum load.
Distributing loads evenly.
Using suitable load-securing equipment.
Separating the passenger compartment from the loading area where required by the vehicle configuration.
Training employees in safe loading and load-securing techniques.
Securing the work area during operations carried out near moving traffic.

Personal protective equipment should be selected according to the specific risks of each operation. Examples include high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and suitable gloves where necessary.

5.6. Train drivers

Training should reflect the vehicles used, distances travelled, traffic conditions and tasks performed.

It may cover:

Defensive driving and hazard anticipation.
Driving in rain and poor visibility.
Fatigue and distraction prevention.
Safe manoeuvring and parking.
Loading and securing goods.
Procedures to follow in the event of an accident or breakdown.

For transport activities subject to specific requirements, companies must also verify the applicable regulatory qualifications and training obligations.

6. Motor insurance and work-related accidents

In Morocco, Law No. 17-99 on the Insurance Code, promulgated by Dahir No. 1-02-238, dated 25 Rajab 1423, corresponding to 3 October 2002, is a key reference for insurance matters. Compulsory motor third-party liability insurance and the associated obligations must be assessed in accordance with this law and the applicable road traffic legislation.

A fleet insurance policy may cover company vehicles, subject to the guarantees, exclusions, deductibles and limits specified in the contract.

Several issues must be distinguished:

Motor third-party liability: this concerns, among other things, damage caused to third parties under the conditions established by the applicable legislation.
Damage to company vehicles: coverage depends on the insurance guarantees purchased.
Accidents occurring during business travel: their classification and compensation must be assessed according to the circumstances and applicable legislation.
Home-to-work commuting accidents: their legal treatment may differ from that of accidents occurring during business travel.

Motor insurance should not automatically be assumed to cover every consequence of an occupational accident or commuting accident.

Companies must review their insurance contracts, applicable legal obligations, reporting procedures and the coverage required for their activities.

7. Conclusion

Road safety at work requires a structured prevention approach. Vehicle maintenance, journey planning, fatigue prevention, reduced driver distraction and appropriate training all contribute to reducing risks.

Responsibility for prevention should not rest solely on the employee behind the wheel. Work must be organised so that employees can drive under reasonably safe conditions, without pressure that compromises safety.

In Morocco, preventive measures must be adapted to the company's activities and checked against current legislation. Regular monitoring of incidents and corrective actions helps companies continuously improve occupational road risk prevention.

Sources and references

French National Research and Safety Institute (INRS) — Road risks: prevention approach. Technical guidance on journey organisation, vehicles, communications and driver competence. French recommendations should be distinguished from Moroccan legal requirements.
https://www.inrs.fr/risques/routiers/demarche-prevention
International Labour Organization — NATLEX: Moroccan Labour Code, Law No. 65-99. Reference for consulting the Labour Code and its provisions on occupational hygiene and employee safety.
https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/r/natlex/fe/details?p3_isn=67319
Moroccan General Secretariat of the Government — Law No. 17-99 on the Insurance Code. Legislative text published in the Official Gazette.
https://www.sgg.gov.ma/Portals/0/lois/Loi_17.99_Fr.pdf