Referent driver training
Referent driver training is not a separate statutory course or licence card — it is targeted employee familiarisation under § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. focused on road traffic risks. It applies to every employee who drives a vehicle at work. Refresher familiarisation at least once every 3 years.
Interested in this course?
Leave us your contact and we will get back to you with pricing and dates, usually within 24 hours.
What referent driver training is and who it covers
Referent driver training is targeted familiarisation of employees who, in performing their work tasks, drive a vehicle, though driving a vehicle is not their main profession. Although the common name 'referent training' has become established for this type of training in practice, it is not a separate statutory course or a licence card. It forms part of the mandatory familiarisation of employees with regulations on ensuring occupational safety and health that apply to the work they perform — and since driving is part of their work, the familiarisation is focused precisely on the risks of road traffic.
It concerns every employee who drives in the course of their work — a company car, a fleet vehicle and equally their own private vehicle used on a business trip. For the employer it is a practical way to fulfil the obligation to familiarise employees under the OHS Act in relation to driving as well. This training builds on general OHS training and complements it with the topic of safe vehicle driving.
Who the training is for
- Sales representatives and managers who frequently drive to clients.
- Technicians and service workers who travel to customers in a company vehicle.
- Administrative staff and directors who use a company or private car for business trips.
- Employees with assigned company vehicles who use them for regular business driving.
Legal framework — § 7 and road traffic
The obligation to train referent drivers does not arise from any special 'referent act', but from the general familiarisation obligation of the employer. The rules of driving itself are then determined by the Road Traffic Act.
Familiarisation under § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.
Under § 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. the employer is required to regularly, comprehensibly and demonstrably familiarise every employee with legal and other regulations on ensuring OHS, with the principles of safe work and with the risks that relate to the work they perform. If an employee drives a vehicle at work, the risks of road traffic are among the risks of their work — and it is precisely for that reason that targeted driver familiarisation applies to them. This familiarisation is conducted upon commencement of employment, upon transfer to different work and upon the introduction of new technology or a new risk.
The employer carries out refresher familiarisation at least once every three years under § 7 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll., unless a legal regulation prescribes a shorter interval. The Act also does not specify a fixed number of hours — the scope and content are determined by the employer to be appropriate to the work and the risks.
Road traffic — Act No. 8/2009 Coll.
The driving of a vehicle itself is governed by Act No. 8/2009 Coll. on road traffic, which sets out the duties of a driver, driving rules, speed, overtaking and behaviour at an accident. This Act is the substantive framework for driving — it determines how every driver must behave on the road. It is not, however, the source of the employer's obligation to train; that is § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. Driver familiarisation therefore combines both perspectives: the obligation to familiarise (OHS Act) and the content that is covered in the familiarisation (road traffic rules).
Common misconception — 'mandatory referent course and licence card'. There is no special referent act, no special referent training and no referent licence card in Slovak law. This is targeted driver familiarisation within § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. Be wary therefore of offers that present a separate 'statutory course' or issue a 'referent licence card' — the proof of compliance is a written familiarisation record, not a licence card.
Referent driver versus professional driver
It is important to distinguish two groups of drivers, as they are subject to different requirements. A referent driver drives a vehicle only as a supplement to their main work. A professional driver has driving a vehicle as the subject of their working activity — the transport of persons or goods — and in addition to a driving licence must meet special requirements for mandatory qualification and regular training of professional drivers under special regulations.
| Aspect | Referent driver | Professional driver |
|---|---|---|
| Relationship of driving to work | supplement to main work | subject of working activity |
| Typical vehicles | passenger and fleet cars, vans | goods and passenger transport |
| Basic requirement | valid driving licence for the relevant category | driving licence + mandatory qualification and regular training |
| Training obligation | familiarisation under § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. | familiarisation + special regulations on driver qualification |
| Document | written familiarisation record (no licence card) | qualification documents under special regulations |
This training is intended for referent drivers. If your employees carry out transport as their main activity, additional special requirements beyond this familiarisation apply to them — we are happy to advise you which group your employees belong to.
What referent driver training includes
The content is always tailored to how and with what vehicles your employees actually drive. We draw on the duties of a driver under Act No. 8/2009 Coll. and on the risks that relate to the work of your employees under § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. Typical topics are:
- Duties of a referent driver — disciplined and considerate driving, compliance with road traffic rules, prohibition on driving under the influence of alcohol and other addictive substances, responsibility for the vehicle entrusted.
- Traffic rules and safe driving — appropriate speed, safe following distance, overtaking, passing through junctions, use of seatbelts and the principles of defensive driving.
- Vehicle condition — pre-drive check (tyres, brakes, lights, fluids, mandatory equipment), the importance of maintenance and a valid roadworthiness and emissions test.
- Procedure at a road accident — securing the scene, provision of first aid, calling emergency services (155, 158, 112), reporting obligation and notification of the employer.
- Fatigue, breaks and responsibility — the effect of fatigue, microsleep, medication and stress, the importance of breaks and the personal and employment-law responsibility of the driver.
The topic of safe driving is also closely linked to fire protection rules during transport and to the general employer obligations described in the OHS guide.
How the training works — procedure
The entire familiarisation is led by our team — from the first contact through to filing the record in the OHS documentation in five steps.
Enquiry You contact us by phone or email and provide the basic details — the number of drivers, what vehicles they use (passenger cars, vans, private vehicles on business trips) and whether you require initial or refresher familiarisation.
Tailored content preparation We assess the actual risks of your operation — delivery runs, frequent driving, transport of persons or goods — and focus the familiarisation content precisely on them, so that it corresponds to the work under § 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. We agree the date and format (in person or online).
Employee familiarisation A professionally competent person takes the drivers through the driver's duties, safe driving principles, vehicle condition, the procedure at an accident and the effect of fatigue. The content is comprehensible and appropriate to the work your employees carry out.
Verification and record We verify understanding of the content with a brief test or interview and draw up a written familiarisation record with an attendance list, so that fulfilment of the obligation is demonstrable for the labour inspectorate.
Filing and deadline reminder We file the record in the OHS documentation and notify you of the date of refresher familiarisation — at least once every three years under § 7 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.
Documentation, deadlines and legal basis
Compliance with the familiarisation obligation must be demonstrable. After each training we therefore draw up a written familiarisation record with an attendance list, which is filed in the OHS documentation and presented to the labour inspectorate during an inspection. No licence card or certificate is issued.
| Item | Value | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of training | targeted driver familiarisation (not a separate course) | § 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Initial familiarisation | upon commencement, transfer or introduction of a new risk | § 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Refresher familiarisation | at least once every 3 years | § 7 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Duration (number of hours) | not specified by law; determined by employer according to risks | § 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Document | written familiarisation record (no licence card) | § 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. |
| Driving rules | driver's duties in road traffic | Act No. 8/2009 Coll. on road traffic |
For your company we can monitor and remind you of the date of refresher familiarisation, so that you never miss the interval under § 7 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. This training can be arranged together with general OHS training or as part of a comprehensive OHS service.
What referent driver training includes
Legal basis
§ 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. — familiarisation with risks related to work performed; Act No. 8/2009 Coll. — duties of a driver in road traffic.
Who the training covers
Every employee who drives a vehicle at work — company car, fleet vehicle or private vehicle on a business trip.
Interval
Initial familiarisation before commencing work; refresher familiarisation at least once every 3 years under § 7 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.
Content
Driver's duties, traffic rules and safe driving, vehicle condition and pre-drive checks, procedure at a road accident (first aid, calling emergency services), fatigue and responsibility.
Document issued
Written familiarisation record with attendance list — no licence card is issued.
Referent vs professional driver
A referent driver drives as a supplement to main work; a professional driver transports as a main activity and is subject to additional requirements under special regulations.
Why choose Alpha Safety?
- Accurate legal distinction — familiarisation, not a 'course with licence card'
- Content tailored to types of vehicles and driving in your operation
- In-person and online formats
- Training throughout Slovakia
- Complete documentation — familiarisation records and interval reminders
Duration
30 minutes
Format
Online and in-person
Stručná odpoveď
Referent driver training is not a separate statutory course or licence card — it is targeted employee familiarisation under § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. focused on road traffic risks. It applies to every employee who drives a vehicle at work. Refresher familiarisation takes place at least once every 3 years. The proof is a written familiarisation record.
Časté otázky – Driver training
Yes, but not as a separate 'referent course'. Under § 7 ods. 1 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll., the employer is required to regularly, comprehensibly and demonstrably familiarise every employee with risks related to the work they perform. If an employee drives a vehicle as part of their work tasks, road traffic risks form part of those risks — and targeted driver familiarisation therefore applies to them.
A referent driver is an employee who drives a vehicle as a supplement to their main work (sales representative, manager, technician, administrator). A professional driver has driving a vehicle as the subject of their working activity — transport of persons or goods — and in addition to a driving licence must fulfil special requirements for mandatory qualification and training under special regulations. Referent driver training applies only to referent drivers.
No. There is no referent licence card in Slovak law. The proof of compliance with the familiarisation obligation is a written familiarisation record, not a licence card. If a provider offers a 'referent card' or a 'statutory referent course', they are inaccurately describing the nature of this training — it is targeted employee familiarisation under § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.
The statutory minimum is at least once every three years under § 7 ods. 5 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. Training must also be repeated upon commencement of employment, upon transfer to different work and upon the introduction of a new type of vehicle or a new risk. The law does not specify a fixed number of hours — the scope is determined by the employer according to the nature and risks of the work.
Yes. If an employee uses their own private vehicle for a business trip (so-called 'private vehicle on a business trip'), they too drive as part of their work tasks. The familiarisation obligation therefore also applies to these employees, even though they are not using a company vehicle. The legal basis is § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll. in conjunction with Act No. 8/2009 Coll. on road traffic.
Training is tailored to the actual driving risks of your operation. We always cover the duties of a referent driver, traffic rules and safe driving (speed, following distance, overtaking, junctions), vehicle condition and pre-drive checks, procedure at a road accident (securing the scene, first aid, calling emergency services) and the effect of fatigue and microsleep. We adapt the content to the types of vehicles your employees actually use.
We draw up a written familiarisation record with an attendance list, which is filed in the OHS documentation and presented to the labour inspectorate during an inspection. No licence card or special certificate is issued — the proof is precisely this familiarisation record under § 7 of Act No. 124/2006 Coll.
Yes. Referent driver training has no mandatory in-person requirement. Theory can be fully completed online. We can also deliver it in a combined format — online theory and in-person discussion of specific situations. We adapt the format to the number of employees and to your operational possibilities.
Yes. We deliver training at your premises for the entire group of drivers at once. We tailor the content to the types of vehicles your employees use and to the nature of your operation (city deliveries, long-distance runs, transport of persons). Contact us with the number of employees and we will agree a suitable date and scope.
Interested in referent driver training?
Contact us and we will schedule training directly at your company.