Company car drivers more likely to take risks in wintry conditions

5 December 2014

RAC urges motorists to prepare for adverse conditions in the coming weeks

As temperatures drop below zero in some parts of the country, research by the RAC suggests company car drivers are more likely than private motorists to drive on dangerous snowy roads.

The survey, which was carried out as part of the RAC’s Report on Motoring 2014*, found 16% of company car drivers admitted to regularly driving in snowy conditions, compared to just 3% of private car drivers. Further to this, one in 10 (11%) company car drivers say they will often drive on ice – double the number of private drivers (5%).

It is thought more company car drivers will take the decision to drive in difficult conditions because their journey is likely to be integral to their job. However, one in four (26%) admitted to feeling ‘uncomfortable’ driving in icy conditions and one in five (19%) also said they felt ‘uncomfortable’ driving in snow.

Although the latest statistics from the Department for Transport show that the number of accidents caused by slippery roads has fallen from 20,003 in 2010 to 9,595 in 2013**, there is still concern that company car drivers could be putting themselves at risk. Furthermore, statistics suggest that it costs businesses approximately £200 a day for each vehicle to be off the road due to mechanical failure or accidents, which has longer-term implications for businesses.***

As driving is an integral part of many professions and a large factor for many in getting to work, the RAC is urging drivers to be as prepared as possible if they need to drive in wintery conditions.

RAC Business Services director David Aldridge said: “Driving is a vital part of many people’s daily routines and in some cases people’s job – so it’s not always possible to down tools when the winter flurries begin. Clearly, driving in wintery conditions can be risky, so we would suggest taking special precautions and leaving yourself plenty of time to make a journey as you will need to take it slow.

“Our advice is to check local radio bulletins for news about local weather and road conditions and to make a common sense decision about whether it is appropriate to travel. If the conditions are dangerous and there is lots of snow or ice about then we would urge drivers to avoid non-essential journeys or delay their travel until conditions improve.”

For comprehensive advice on driving in adverse weather conditions go to: www.rac.co.uk/advice/winter-driving

Ends

Notes to Editors

*The RAC Report on Motoring 2014 is based on a large-scale internet survey carried out by Quadrangle on behalf of the RAC. In total, Quadrangle interviewed 1,526 British motorists (i.e. those who hold a current driving licence and drive at least once a month). The survey was conducted in February 2014.

** Reported road accidents by contributory factor, region and country, Great Britain, 2013 - https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics

*** Ford Retail research, November 2013.

About RAC Business Services

RAC Business Services currently works with circa 21,000 SMEs, who have already been invited to join Business Club free of charge. From now on any new business customer that joins the RAC through breakdown, telematics or our fuel card becomes a member automatically.

RAC Business Club services include:

Driver/employee record logging
Fleet vehicle database
Breakdown product access and administration
RAC Fuel Card access and administration
Maintenance and repair booking, schedules and documentation
Ability to request quotes for other RAC products
Ability to produce and download customised reports based on the above
Access to exclusive member discounts through the RAC’s automotive partners, including tyres, glass, servicing, MOT, repairs and hire vehicles

Any business taking out breakdown, telematics or the RAC Fuel Card will automatically be registered free into Business Club. For businesses that do not take one of these products, the cost is 50p per month, per fleet vehicle entered onto the system.

In addition to managing RAC breakdown policies online and enabling access to vehicle details, RAC Business Club can also help SME managers and their businesses to benefit from:

An extensive range of MI, such as vehicle and driver reports
Increased control by managing vehicles and drivers all in one place
Access to a flexible product range to suit all needs, including the RAC Fuel Card and RAC Telematics
24/7 access, enabling managers to view vehicle and driver details when they need them

Servicing and MOTs (RAC Approved Garage Network), Tyres (ATS), Windscreens (Autoglass) and vehicle hire can also be arranged.

To find out more visit: http://www.rac.co.uk/business/sme/business-club/