- Mileage driven by fleets before a collision decreased by almost 20% in 2023
New data shows professional drivers are travelling fewer miles before a collision, in a worrying safety trend.
The total distance per collision driven by trucks, vans or taxis in the UK has decreased by almost a fifth (19.2 per cent) in the last year, according to a new report from transport solution leader Geotab.
This has led to calls for a renewed focus on safety for motoring fleets.
A new study has found that the number of miles driven by professional drivers – those behind the wheel of HGVs, vans and buses – before a collision has decreased in a worrying trend
Geolab analysed telematics data from over one million commercial vehicles globally.
In 2023, the total distance driven by professional drivers before a collision was 740,000 – down from 920,000.
For a large British company running a fleet of 1,000 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) each driving 75,000 miles per year, that meant there were on average 20 collisions last year.
This is a concerning reversal of 2022’s positive 17.5 per cent improvement in the number of miles drive prior to a collision compared to 2021.
The overall trend worldwide was for an increase in the number of collisions, with Germany the worst, followed by Portugal, and the UK
Geotab’s 2024 State of Commercial Transportation report – which also found the UK is better suited to switch its fleets to EVs than any European neighbours – analysed the telematics data from one million commercial vehicles globally, and alarmingly the overall trend worldwide was for an increase in the number of collisions.
Germany was the worst-performing market, posting a 27.3 per cent reduction in miles before an accident.
Portugal was second-worst performing with a 30 per cent decrease, followed by the UK in third and the US in fourth, having witnessed a 12.6 per cent fall in miles driven per collision.
A few countries did buck the trend, seeing a reassuring increase in miles driven before a collision.
The most significant countries were Spain, with a 5.7 per cent increase, Italy with a 5.4 per cent jump and Brazil up 4 per cent, suggesting these countries are taking measures to improve vehicle safety.
David Savage, Vice President for the UK and Ireland at Geotab said: ‘Just over 20 per cent of all road casualties occur in driving-for-work collisions. As an industry, we have a duty to reduce these numbers – which we can with better safety measures.’
Calling for more focus on safety measures for fleets, Geotab has found its own safety features reduce collision rate by 40 per cent, compared to those not using the safety features.
Increase road safety measures including smart motorways, speed limits and low-traffic neighbourhoods are some of the leading driving policies up for debate with the forthcoming election, so it’s likely ways to improve collision rates will be under review with the next government.
‘Keeping drivers and other road users safe should be a top priority for all fleet decision-makers,’ said David Savage, Vice President for the UK and Ireland at Geotab.
‘Just over 20 per cent of all road casualties occur in driving-for-work collisions. As an industry, we have a duty to reduce these numbers – which we can with better safety measures.’
