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Company car drivers texting and emailing behind the wheel
Date: 09 September 2009
Almost 40% of business car drivers surveyed by ING Car Lease have admitted to texting or sending an email while driving.
In addition, 61% of the 120 respondents felt under greater pressure to make or receive calls while driving as a result of the recession.
ING said the research shows there is a "clear pressure to perform other business tasks while driving."
"It is clear that the recession has had an impact on driver safety even indirectly by adding greater pressure to drivers to perform a number of tasks at once," said Diarmuid Fahy, ING's head of risk. "What is clear is that even if companies have a policy on mobile phones when driving, it is not being adhered to."
Fahy also described as "unacceptable" that 16% of respondents didn't know if their company had a policy on using phones while on the road. "Driving should not be looked upon as spare time," he said. "It needs full concentration to ensure maximum safety."
