NEARLY a quarter of all fleet breakdowns are the fault of company car drivers, according to figures released recently by the AA.

Analysis of the four million breakdowns the recovery organisation attended last year revealed that 'own goals' such as flat batteries, keys lost or locked in the car, and empty or mis-filled fuel tanks accounted for 24.7% of all call outs.

Drained batteries were by far the highest problem, with a staggering 18.5% of all call outs caused by lights left on, doors not shut properly and other power-sapping errors. A spokesman for the AA, said: 'Fleet managers should make sure their drivers are aware of how to avoid potential problems.

'Driver errors resulting in breakdowns are costing businesses millions of pounds a year. Small things like leaving lights on and locking keys in a car can be avoided. 'The stresses and strains of fast-paced modern living are causing many of these errors, and are taking their toll.'