Two-thirds of drivers speed in company vehicles, says report22 January 2014

Two-thirds of drivers admit to speeding while behind the wheel for work, with more than a third saying they speed every week, according to a survey.

The research, carried out by MiX Telematics, asked about the driving behaviour of 800 company car, van, truck, bus and coach drivers in Britain, France, Germany and Spain.

More than half say they speed to keep up with traffic flow, and 37% attribute it to pressure to meet schedules. The figures show some notable geographic differences: in Britain, 63% say they are most likely to speed on motorways; German drivers say they do so on main inter-urban roads; and in France and Spain, the likelihood of speeding is equal for all road types.

Truck drivers lead the way with penalties, with 17% saying they had been fined in the past 12 months, compared to 14% of van drivers, 12% of bus and coach drivers, and 9% of company car drivers. Across the four countries, speeding fines are more prevalent in Britain, followed by Spain, France and then Germany.

Routine speeding should concern business owners, says Steve Coffin, operations director for MiX Telematics (Europe), and they need to take steps to address this. "Our survey also found that more than three-quarters of all drivers – 77% – receive no training whatsoever related to speeding while driving for work."

Of the 23% who do receive training, most are truck or bus and coach drivers. Eight out of ten say their training has improved their driving behaviour. "An overwhelming majority reported that they are now more conscious of their speed as well as their acceleration, braking and gear-changing," adds Coffin.

Author
Laura Cork

Related Companies
MiX Telematics UK Ltd

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