Businesses had to shell out more than £26 million in insurance payouts last year because of company cars, new figures have revealed.
According to data from Lex Autolease, 24 per cent of accidents were caused by company drivers crashing into a third party. The findings support the suggestion that drivers take less care driving when behind the wheel of a vehicle that is not their own.
This illustrates why it is so important for anyone operating in the motor trade industry, whether a solo trader or a mechanic at a large car garage, to have a road risks insurance policy. As these professionals need to drive other people’s cars as part of their day-to-day jobs – to move vehicles on and off site, test repairs or deliver new stock – it is essential they have insurance that will cover any damage caused to these cars should they be involved in an accident.
Richard Harper, head of accident services at Lex Autolease, explained that in many industries, “driving is the single biggest risk that employees will face during the course of their working day”.
He said: “These figures are certainly food for thought, and it is clear that businesses need to do more to improve the driving standards of their employees. Road safety is paramount, of course, but there are additional economic benefits to be reaped from educating drivers to act more responsibly on the roads.”
