Company car drivers see maintenance as someone else's responsibility

According to a survey from Venson, only 42 per cent of company car drivers see maintaining their vehicle as their own responsibility, with the remainder considering it the responsibility of their employer; even in situations where the driver is legally accountable. Venson has urged fleet managers to make their drivers aware of the responsibility they have for raising awareness of technical issues. Only 52 per cent of respondents said they checked their water coolant levels, with 53 per cent checking oil and 66 per cent checking their tyre pressure.æ Meanwhile, nearly one-in-three drivers (28 per cent) said that they had recklessly ignored warning lights on the dashboard. Gil Kenny, operations director at Venson, said: 'Only 42% of the company car drivers we surveyed see maintenance as their responsibility, which could see fleet managers facing hefty charges at the end of the vehicle's lease. 'This could be avoided if fleet managers, with the support of their fleet provider, communicate about service and maintenance responsibilities, not only at the time of handing over the keys of the car to an employee, but throughout the term of the lease to reduce wear and tear costs. 'In addition, by encouraging regular maintenance checks, businesses can identify issues early. This should include pre-collection inspections, prior to the end of a contract, to allow any damage to be identified and rectified. 'Fleet managers could also consider implementing a policy whereby company car drivers are fined as a result of issues not being reported, and result in unnecessary costs being incurred by the business for persistent offenders.î