A recent survey from Venson Automotive Solutions has revealed that 58 percent of company car drivers think it’s their employer’s responsibility to get their car serviced at the appropriate time, even though the employee is accountable.
When asked if they undertake any vehicle maintenance, company car drivers are least likely to top up water coolants (52 percent) with only 53 percent checking oil levels. In contrast, 66 percent check their tyre pressures regularly and inflate if necessary.
Gil Kelly, operations director at Venson says, “Only 42 percent of the company car drivers we surveyed see maintenance as their responsibility, which could see fleet managers facing hefty charges at the end of the vehicle’s lease. This could be avoided if fleet managers, with the support of their fleet provider, communicate about service and maintenance responsibilities, not only at the time of handing over the keys of the car to an employee, but throughout the term of the lease to reduce wear and tear costs”.
The survey also revealed that almost one in three drivers (28 percent) ignore warning lights on the dashboard.
Regular maintenance checks are an important part of keeping your car in tip-top shape but can easily get side-lined or forgotten with busy everyday lives. Checking fluids like engine oil and coolant not only prevent bigger issues from occuring, they also help your car run at its best so fuel economy is better too.
“By encouraging regular maintenance checks, businesses can identify issues early. This should include pre-collection inspections, prior to the end of a contract, to allow any damage to be identified and rectified,” said Kelly.
Incorrectly inflated tyres wear out quicker, unbalance the car and use more fuel and excessive wear means a loss of grip which increases stopping distance. The maximum fine a court can impose for driving on a defective tyre is £2,500 plus three penalty points per tyre.
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