Speeding is by far the most common driving offence committed by company car drivers, new figures from Capital Solutions, Fleet Services indicate. Analysis of the company’s 55,000-vehicle fleet shows that 41% of the fines it has recorded on behalf of drivers in the last 12 months were for speeding. Other common offences such as congestion charge avoidance and parking fines add up to only around half of the same level.
The percentages of fines for offences recorded in company vehicles are as follows:
1. Speeding (41%)
2. Congestion charges (22%)
3. Parking (20%)
4. Other (11%)
5. Bus lane (4%)
6. DVLA/licensing (2%)
Analysis of the company’s figures also shows the top 10 bodies that issue the most fines – such as police constabularies, local councils and other transport bodies – represent a significant proportion of penalties affecting the GE Fleet Services fleet. Unsurprisingly, London is the most common place for fines, with the top placed London Congestion Charging collecting more fines in total that the rest of the top 10 put together and issuing bodies based in the capital accounting for six out of the top 10.
However, there are some surprises – for example, two Welsh police authorities (Gwent and South Wales) are also in the top 10, thanks to their efficiency in issuing speeding tickets. In total, GE Fleet Services handled fines issued by almost 400 different bodies across the UK.
Richard Green, managing director, GE Fleet Services, said: “Given the importance placed on the health and safety aspects of running a fleet over the last few years, it is worrying to see that speeding is such a common problem. Our belief is that there is clearly a hard core of company car drivers who are habitually exceeding the speed limit and this recklessness places themselves and other road users in danger. Fleets should take action.”
