COMPANY car drivers are among the worst offenders when it comes to bad driving habits, according to figures in the 1997 Lex Report on Motoring - 'Driving for Safety', published on Tuesday.

The report finds that 14% of company car drivers admit to having had an accident in the last year, compared with 9% of all drivers. They were also the most likely to admit to driving when very tired (47%), not signalling when changing lane or direction (37%), driving too close to the vehicle in front (40%) and overtaking on the inside lane of a motorway (28%).

Nearly six out of ten admitted speeding in residential areas and 81% said they had driven over the speed limit on a motorway. Company car drivers were not, however, so tolerant of other drivers' behaviour with 78% admitting they had been tempted to verbally abuse or gesture to another driver and nearly a third having felt like following another driver aggressively.

Copies of the report costing £295 are available from Lex Service, Lex House, 17 Connaught Place, London W2 2EL.

DIESELS are suffering a drop in popularity, according to the report, with a fall in the number of people who are certain they would choose one for their next car.

Following bad press over environmental issues, just 7% of all drivers asked said they would certainly buy one, compared to 10% last year. The proportion of diesels among new cars sold dropped from 21% in 1995 to 18% in 1996. Company car drivers are, however, more likely than other drivers to opt for a diesel, with 11% certain they would choose one in the future and 12% saying they would be very likely to do so.

THE report shows that new car sales in the UK continue to be dominated by Ford, Vauxhall and Rover, which together accounted for 45% of total sales in 1996.

However, while the marketshare of these major players has held steady or dropped, smaller manufacturers are increasing their marker share. Ford had the largest market share (19.7%), with GM/Vauxhall on 14.1% and Rover on 11.3%.