At-work motorists drive too close and too fast

Road safety charity Brake said its study involving 4,500 motorists showed that many "at-work drivers" felt so "pressurised" to get to their destinations quickly that they were "putting lives at risk."

The survey revealed that 61% of motorists driving as part of their work admitted to leaving less than a two-second gap between them and the vehicle in front. This compared with 40% of other drivers.

Three-quarters of at-work drivers (74%) confessed to speeding at 80mph or more on motorways, compared to half of other drivers (49%). In addition, 77% admitted to driving at 35mph in a 30mph limit, compared to 62% of others.

According to Brake, driving too close - often known as "tailgating" - was a contributory factor in at least 54 deaths in 2006. Department for Transport (DfT) figures showed that motorways were a "hotspot" for such crashes.

Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns for Brake, said: "It's horrifying that so many drivers admit breaking such basic road rules as leaving a two-second gap or sticking to the speed limit, especially when they drive for work.

"Work pressures are no excuse for impatient and aggressive driving. Given the terrible death toll of nine people killed every day on our roads, there can be no room for complacency."

Two-second gap

The charity called for Government action, including urging the DfT to publish its research into satellite-controlled vehicle speed limiters.

Brake also wants the fixed penalty for speeding raised to six points along with a £1,000 fine, together with legislation to enable all unsafe driving to be classed as "dangerous driving".

The organisation added that employers which pressurised workers into tailgating or speeding should face "tough penalties" for breaching their duty of care, and that individual managers and companies should be prosecuted under existing manslaughter and/or new corporate manslaughter laws in the event of a fatal crash.

Brake claimed speeding was a contributory factor in more than a quarter (27%) of deaths on UK roads. It said 856 people were killed and almost 5,000 seriously injured in crashes in 2006, where "exceeding the speed limit" or "travelling too fast for the conditions" was cited.

The Highway Code says motorists should leave at least a two-second gap between vehicles, and that this distance should be doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads.