Work pressure causes van drivers to take risks, claims TomTom

Date: Friday, September 27, 2013 | Author: James Dallas

Almost 60% of UK van drivers speed and take risks due to time pressures at work, according to a survey by fleet management firm TomTom Business Solutions.

Three quarters of delivery drivers admitted they had speeded at work while one in four said they did so regularly.

More than a third (39%) said they drive more carefully in their personal vehicles. While the majority put this down to saving money on fuel and vehicle wear and tear, 29% said they took fewer risks when not pressured by working deadlines.

Thomas Schmidt, TomTom Business Solutions’ boss, said: “A significant proportion of at-work drivers demonstrate clear awareness of the benefits of safe, efficient driving, which is applied in their personal vehicles – but working pressures are adversely affecting performance.”

Schmidt argued that businesses’ profitability suffered if their drivers tried to cut corners be cause it resulted in higher fuel costs and more accidents.

“The onus is on employers to take action by encouraging higher standards behind the wheel and minimising the time pressure facing mobile workers,” he added.

Just one-in-five respondents said the company they work for provides driver training and only 35% said their employer uses technology to monitor driving performance and fuel efficiency.

But despite acknowledging their bad behaviour on the road, 70% of van drivers still claimed to be better drivers than other road users.

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