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Company Car Drivers – Is there a risk?

A recent survey has suggested that many drivers, up to a third, are unaware of the speed limits of the UK road network. A surprising amount when considering that there are almost a million Company Car drivers.

The survey identified amongst those drivers, that the general speed limits of dual carriageways and motorways were at best vague and at worst unknown. New and younger drivers fared better in the survey, perhaps because understanding the rules detailed in the Highway Code are a necessity for passing the driving test, where The Highway Code becomes an invaluable reference and study guide for all new motorists. But how often after the driving test is it reviewed? How many motorists have a copy at hand or review it online?

The truth is that for most drivers it is only of importance during the learning and testing process. Whilst it has been suggested that drivers aged 50 and above should regularly retake their driving test or take a refresher course, it could also be suggested that all company car drivers have regular re-training or refresher courses.

It is a fact that a vocational driver, must complete 35 hours of training, over the five year period that the LGV/PCV licence is valid for, in order to get a licence renewal. But where company car drivers are concerned there is no officially organised route for refresher training unless a policy is put in place by the organisation they belong to.

Considering that according to the HMRC there are 960,000 company car drivers, taking the average mileage done each year as declared by the Government’s National Travel Survey in 2015, a figure of 7,900 miles for 2015 was calculated. That accounts to 7,584,000,000 miles per year. An astonishing distance travelled!

Applying the results of the survey then, if a third of company car drivers are unaware of speed limits then that accounts to 320,000 drivers travelling over 2.5 billion miles a year, at risk of endorsements and incidents. The statistics can be verified through the licence checking process. Equating the number of company car drivers to the number of endorsements received per year. Another reason why the licence checking process can reduce risk and potentially reduce the insurance premium of a business’s insurance policy.

After all, if a company car driver is involved in an accident caused by that driver, then this not only becomes a costly affair but also consumes time due to those involved in the administration of getting repairs done and a replacement vehicle for the driver. Not to mention the potential for a business’s reputation to be tarnished if the journey is for business purposes. Meetings not attended, tenders delayed etc.

With the increase of online driving test simulators and theory tests, not to mention a downloadable version of The Highway Code itself, there are lots of ways drivers can be encouraged to refresh their knowledge. Perhaps consider refresher driver courses that are available. Certainly, if licence checking reveals medium to high-risk drivers, every method available should be used in order to correct the risk to the business. With a potential of 320,000 drivers on the road being in need of training, it is worthwhile frequently licence checking employed company car drivers.

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