Thanks to the changes to tax rules for company cars, a large number of employees have returned to using their own car for work purposes, in exchange for a raise and/or a competitive benefits package.
However, according to a new report out today, private cars are rarely checked for safety, with as many as one in four vehicles used on business being affected.
The so-called grey fleet, named because of the lack of information available about these vehicles, comprises over one million cars, which may be poorly maintained or incorrectly insured for use on business.
Leading business car specialists, Arval, claims that up to 83% of companies have no system in place to ensure that private cars are adequately maintained, while 53% don’t check the owners’ insurance.
Shockingly, 35% of businesses don’t even check their employees’ driving licenses.
The Department for Transport estimates that there are around three million company cars on the road, and roughly one million of these will be involved in some kind of accident each year.
With so many unchecked private cars making up the company car numbers, it seems about time for both employees and businesses to take more responsibility when they hit the road.
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