Company drivers accrued £9.42 million in motoring-related fines and penalties in 2014 compared to £8.08 million during the previous year, according to the annual Company Driver Fines and Penalties survey from Lex Autolease.
The data, which is compiled from a fleet of 290,000 vehicles, revealed that company drivers committed 20,525 more offences in 2014 compared to 2013, with the total number of offences increasing to 144,955 – up 16%, following a surge in speeding and parking infringements.
Parking fines increased by almost a quarter (23%) to 58,089 last year, mirroring a trend seen amongst non-company drivers, and sparking further debate about whether the rise is due to greater enforcement from local authorities and private parking firms.
The number of company drivers caught committing endorsable offences such as speeding, driving dangerously, or driving whilst on a mobile phone increased by 16%, from 34,495 in 2013 to 40,001 last year. Those offences are typically more serious in nature and can result in drivers receiving penalty points on their licence or a potential driving ban.