Almost one in three British fleets is currently failing to educate or train drivers in vital areas of road safety, according to new research. The Brake and Licence Bureau questioned 228 fleets (around half of which run less than 100 vehicles) about driver education regarding topics such as mobile phone use and speeding. The survey found that 29 per cent of these fleets do not currently provide education or awareness on any of the key topics listed. The majority of respondents provided no instruction to drivers to slow down to 20mph when working near schools, homes and shops.æ As well as this, six out of ten fleets didn't currently instruct drivers to look twice for bikes at junctions. Two-thirds of respondents currently tell their drivers not to use their mobile phone at the wheel, with only one in four (26 per cent) requesting that phones are turned off.æ Perhaps most tellingly, almost one in four didn't tell their drivers to take any of the standard precautions. With 95 per cent of crashes estimated to be the result of driver error, it's vital for fleet drivers to understand the importance of safety, and the value of taking even these rudimentary precautions. Mobile phone use in particular is considered a key risk, with studies showing that at-work drivers are far more likely to use mobiles at the wheel than those who don't drive for work.æ Drivers speaking on phones, meanwhile, are four times more likely to be in a crash that causes injury. Other distraction risks including eating and drinking, smoking, adjusting music players and modifying sat-navs.æ Distraction is estimated to be responsible for almost one in four (22 per cent) crashes. Ellie Pearson, senior professional engagement officer at Brake, said: 'It's crucial that all fleet operators are providing regular and ongoing education and awareness training for their drivers, and it's worrying to see that three in 10 operators still fail to do this. 'It's very positive to see operators providing training on key issues such as distraction and hazard awareness, but obviously we'd like to see a holistic approach to education, covering all areas of risk.î Studies also show that a large proportion of organisations do not currently plan efficient routes and realistic schedules that would remove the pressure on drivers to speed, and only 46 per cent won't consider penalising drivers for running over time.