Fleet managers have identified three areas that present the greatest risk their drivers face.

The first – the threat presented by other road users – was identified by 24% of fleet managers in the recent National Car Rental/Fleet News survey as being the biggest threat to their employees’ safety while driving for business.

This was closely followed by distractions caused by equipment such as mobile phones and satellite navigation systems.

This suggests that a total ban on taking phone calls while driving, whether on a hands-free set or not, should be considered.

“This survey really highlights the concerns fleet managers have over the level of concentration their drivers give to the road,” said Lorraine Farnon, National Car Rental sales director.

“There’s clearly a dangerous tendency to multi-task behind the wheel – whether with GPS equipment or mobile phones – and this of course could also be illegal if the driver isn’t hands-free.”

A similar number of fleet operators (22%) said drivers were under such intense pressure to meet work deadlines that this was posing a threat to their safety.

While this trio of threats was cited as presenting the most significant risks to employees who drive fleet vehicles, 11% of fleet managers also felt their drivers’ poor skills behind the wheel presented a big risk to their safety.