Ticket To Ride – Car And Van Drivers Rack Up Massive Fines

A leading UK fleet operator has revealed that company car and van driving fines are up 15% on last year totalling a staggering £8m.

Lex Autolease's annual survey of its 275,000 vehicles has raised questions about whether poor driving standards or greater scrutiny from Local Authorities are to blame for the spike while others suggest the value of fines reflects the surge in bus lane infringements and congestion charge penalties.

Guy Mason, Head of Lex Autolease's Fleet Operations, said: “The rise in the number of company drivers caught in a bus lane could suggest that many are using them as a shortcut to complete their journeys as quickly as possible.

“If this is the case then businesses need to discourage drivers from behaving in an irresponsible fashion.”

“However, many company drivers believe they have been penalised unfairly due to inadequate or misleading signage and increased surveillance by local authorities capturing those that briefly strayed into a bus lane. These factors, rather than a disregard for the rules, may explain the 25 per cent spike in bus lane infringements last year.”

Despite the increase in fines and driving infringements, general traffic related offences such as entering a box junction or stopping in a red route, reportedly fell by 17%, from 20,582 in 2012 to 17,080 in 2013.

The figures also revealed that offences such as speeding, dangerous driving and driving whilst on a mobile phone increased by two per cent to 34,495 fines in 2013 from 33,930 in 2012

Mr Mason, added: “Fleet managers have placed a great emphasis upon health and safety and driver training in recent years. Therefore the modest rise in the number of offences during 2013 suggests their efforts are beginning to have an impact.”

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[Image courtesy of Albert Bridge, Geograph.ie]