INCREASING numbers of drivers caught speeding are using the excuse that they have been set unrealistic targets by employers.

Evidence from safety camera partnerships on why drivers speed suggests that the majority of employers are not getting the message that pushing employees to race from one appointment to the next is putting lives at risk.

Steve Callaghan, safety camera manager at Cumbria Safety Cameras, told Fleet News: ‘We’ve received a number of letters from company car drivers caught speeding saying they do so because they have been set unrealistic targets by their sales manager.’

Despite repeated calls from the fleet industry that employers must sharpen up their duty-of-care skills, it seems drivers are still under immense pressure. Many safety camera partnerships have recognised this and launched campaigns targeted at businesses.

The Surrey Safety Camera Partnership has launched a multi-media campaign – ‘A Fine. Your Licence. Your Job. A Life?’. Project manager Duncan Knox said: ‘The aim of our campaign is to remind employers and employees of the value in driving at safe speeds and observing speed limits – for the sake of their lives, their jobs and for the sake of their business.’

And in October, the Kent operation is to step up a campaign started earlier in the year after only 100 firms took up free driver safety packs to encourage them to keep to speed limits.

Rachel Moon, communications manager for the Kent safety camera partnership, said: ‘As well as company car drivers, we find a lot of van drivers are having to get between jobs quickly and are getting caught. We’re trying to raise awareness with employers to stop them pushing drivers.’

All the partnerships believe fleet managers are the key to getting the message across to their employers.

Callaghan added: ‘I urge fleet managers to work with sales managers to ensure drivers are given enough time to get to their meetings or whatever without having to break the speed limit.’

Last month, it was reported that the human and financial costs associated with speed cameras was of growing concern to HR and finance directors.

Vehicle management company LeasePlan found a quarter were worried by the increasing costs – a figure up from 11% six months ago (Fleet News, August 31).