New research has revealed that many individuals who drive as part of their job are routinely engaging in poor driving practices, with behaviours such as tailgating, failing to use mirrors and neglecting to monitor speed featuring prominently.
IAM RoadSmart reviewed responses from over 4,500 professional drivers as part of its ‘Driving for Work’ training initiative. The analysis highlighted that 23% of those surveyed admitted to driving too closely to the vehicle in front, while 28% confessed to not regularly checking their mirrors or blind spots. Alarmingly, 22% were found to be overlooking potential dangers by not scanning the road ahead effectively.
National Highways has recently introduced a campaign aimed at addressing tailgating, which remains a contributing factor to over 140 serious injuries or fatalities each year on major roads across England. In addition to the clear safety risks, the study also identified behaviours likely to reduce fuel efficiency, which could prove costly for businesses operating vehicle fleets.
For instance, a third (33%) of participants demonstrated inefficient gear use, while nearly one in five (19%) were slow to change gears when appropriate. However, the most prevalent issues impacting 34% of drivers are poor regulation of speed and insufficient space management around their vehicles.
Nicholas Lyes, IAM RoadSmart’s Director of Policy and Standards, commented: “What these results show is that bad habits creep in over time, even with good drivers. The implications for fleets are significant, not only in terms of damage to vehicles, but for the safety of drivers and other road users and as a consequence, reputation.
In far too many cases, drivers are failing to carry out even basic actions, like checking their mirrors or maintaining a safe distance from the vehicles in front. These findings will make disappointing reading for many fleet managers who are on the frontline for ensuring safety and reducing their organisation’s cost and carbon footprint.
These actions also have cost implications – but a few small changes can make a big difference – such as eliminating over-revving and managing speed. By doing so, modestly sized fleets save tens of thousands of pounds each year, while larger fleets are potentially wasting more than £70,000 annually.”