Survey reveals grey fleet risk

ALD Automotive has announced the results of the latest ALD Automotive/YouGov survey of UK financial directors, which reveals that 63% of businesses are potentially exposing themselves to an unnecessary level of risk associated with private vehicles being used for business purposes.

Meanwhile, 20% of those surveyed had no knowledge of whether the private vehicles were insured for driving on business purposes.

The concern is founded on the fact that almost two thirds of fleets have no policy on the age restriction of private vehicles being driven on business – the ‘grey fleet’ - and no minimum safety specification either, thereby increasing the liability associated with occupational road risk compared with - newer company owned cars.

There are an estimated five million employees using their own cars on business and with corporate manslaughter legislation now firmly established, companies are being urged to review their HR and fleet policies, despite cost control remaining the biggest challenge facing UK business.

ALD Automotive works with businesses to help manage the ‘grey fleet’ via their award-winning service, CARRS – car allowance road risk solution. CARRS provides an online solution via ALD’s online fleet management portal ‘threesixty’, which provides protection for companies and their employees.

CARRS generates reminders to fleet managers, which include prompting on renewed MOT’s, insurance validation and road tax renewals, to ensure on-going compliance with relevant legislation.

Keith Allen, managing director of ALD Automotive (UK), said: “This survey shows that, despite the high profile given to corporate manslaughter legislation the grey fleet is still a big issue in the UK.

“Formal guidelines need to be incorporated into fleet policy whether business journeys are carried out in a company owned vehicle or a private vehicle.”