The pressure to cut costs has resulted in a reduction in headcount with a disproportional drop in workload, meaning that remaining employees may be busier as they absorb the left-over activity.

For those employees who drive for business, this may mean longer working days and higher annual mileages, says Masterlease.

Recent research from the Department for Transport shows that about 300 people are killed each year as a result of drivers falling asleep at the wheel and about four-in-10 of these crashes involve someone driving a commercial vehicle.

Masterlease’s advice would be to assess your current working practices, particularly if you have revised your job descriptions recently as a result of the recession.

It may be that you need to update your driving for work policy and add guidance for workers who are working longer hours.

A compromise may be that you offer accommodation or overnight night stays when a worker is a long way from home.