Press release -
More than 80% of company car drivers admit motorway speeding
Eight out of 10 company car drivers admit to speeding on motorways, but still consider themselves to be law-abiding drivers, research from RAC Business has found.
In total, 81% of company car drivers admitted to regularly breaking the 70mph speed limit, compared to 69% of private motorists. But when asked if they consider themselves to be a law-abiding driver 90% said yes.
The research from the RAC’s Report on Motoring 2015* suggests some motorists don’t consider speeding to be a serious driving offence, especially on motorways. In fact two-thirds of company car drivers (64%) believe the law should be changed, with the speed limit increased to 80mph.
Almost half of company car drivers (46%) said they regularly hit speeds of 80mph on a motorway, with a further 5% admitting to reaching 90mph. However, there are signs that motorists may be taking more care as compared to last year’s findings the proportion of company car drivers admitting to speeding on motorways has dropped 88%. In 2014 to 81% in 2015.
According to the RAC research speeding is less of an issue in more residential areas, but still a quarter of drivers (23%) admitted to regularly driving at 35mph in a 30mph zone.
Jenny Powley, corporate business sales director at RAC Business, said: “When you drive as part of your working day and are running late for meetings, it can be very tempting to break the speed limit. It’s worth reminding drivers that the risks associated with speeding can far outweigh the time saved. After all, driving at 80mph instead of 70mph will only save you six seconds a mile, or 10 minutes over 100 miles.
“It’s also worth considering the impact of speeding on fuel efficiency. According to the Department for Transport, driving at 80mph can use 25% more fuel than driving at 70mph, so this can have a real impact on the business’ bottom line.
“The growing adoption of telematics technology across fleets of vehicles means that businesses now have more visibility on how often their employees are speeding.
“This can enable business owners to provide training to encourage better driving behaviour, which will not only mean their drivers are safer on the roads, but significant savings can be made in the cost of fuel and wear and tear on vehicles.”
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* The RAC Report on Motoring 2015 is based on a large-scale internet survey carried out by Quadrangle on behalf of the RAC. In total, 1,555 British motorists were surveyed in the second half of May 2015, with the questionnaire taking around 25 minutes to complete.
About RAC Business Services
RAC is one of the UK's most progressive motoring organisations, providing services for both private and business motorists.
RAC Patrols repair vehicles on average within 31 minutes at the roadside and carry more than 500 parts and tools, so we’re always well-equipped and ready to fix wherever possible
RAC Business offers a comprehensive range of services and products for UK businesses of all sizes and currently has around 24,000 corporate and SME customers.
Products available include: fleet breakdown coverage, telematics, fuel cards, accident management, inspections, training, commercial and fleet insurance, fleet management (Business Club) and risk management services.
RAC also provides client-branded outsourced services and call centre support for customers of leading car manufacturers, insurance, fleet providers and logistics companies, as well as truck breakdown, truck warranty and insurance for vehicles from 3.5t to 44t.
