88 per cent of company car drivers admit to speeding on motorways

There has been a rise in the number of company car drivers breaking the speed limit on motorways, according to new research from RAC Business.

The findings form part of RAC’s ’Report on Motoring 2016’ and found that 88 per cent of company car drivers admitted to speeding, which represents a seven per cent increase compared to last year.

48 per cent said they break the speed limit on most journeys, compared to only 26 per cent of private motorists.

51 per cent of company car drivers said they typically drive at 80mph, with seven per cent driving at 90mph. 60 per cent of those surveyed said they though it was totally acceptable to travel at 80mph on motorways, with 31 per cent saying they think the current speed limit is inappropriate. A large proportion (71 per cent) also believed that the speed limit should be increased to 80mph.

Jenny Powley, corporate business sales director at RAC Business, said: “Knowingly breaking the speed limit is a dangerous approach to driving, whether you think you can justify it or not, and the risks associated with speeding 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 per cent more fuel than driving at 70mph, so this can have a significant impact on the business’ bottom line.”

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