Under pressure business drivers ignore the law to meet business appointments

Author: Ralph Morton

WORK pressures in the post recession economy – meeting appointments, squeezing more from less on timetables – are making business car drivers and business van drivers some of the most dangerous on the road.

Perhaps it comes as no surprise to learn that a fifth of business drivers break the speed limit.

What’s more alarming is that red lights don’t seem to mean stop for a business driver at traffic lights with key sales appointments to reach.

Such rather concerning details have come to light following some research by commercial insurer RSA, which reckons that a quarter of business drivers are being put under pressure to get to appointments on time and meet ambitious sales or delivery targets, leading to dangerous and in some cases illegal driving practices.

They are even more concerning if you live in Scotland – business drivers are more likely to drive dangerously for work purposes than any other region, says the report. But worst of all are those company car driving sales reps whom RSA, which insures over two million vehicles on UK roads, names as the most dangerous business drivers.

They are closely followed by business van drivers who tend to ignore vehicle faults and haulage drivers who are not given enough time to sleep between shifts.

The RSA study considered the extent to which businesses and their employees were ignoring road safety to cope with the increased pressure to perform post-recession.