Europcar has found that 37% of companies offer cash for car schemes and almost one in six companies (15%) said they operate 100% cash for car fleets.
However, the introduction of next month”s Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act will significantly tighten this area of business.
More than 300 businesses in the UK took part in a survey conducted by Europcar which has found that almost 25, 000 company car drivers had opted to take cash and use their own vehicle for business purposes.
”Transport has got to be straightforward and cost-effective and so it”s easy to see why many businesses encourage staff to use private vehicle for business, or offer cash for cars,” said Europcar corporate sales director, David McNeil.
”The problem with this is that a vehicle used for business travel, even for the occasional office errand, is regarded as a place of work and is therefore subject to all the same health and safety legislation that applies to the workplace. Something as everyday as a member of staff visiting the post office in their own car will now be covered by the new law.”
The new legislation will mean that for the first time, companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter on the basis of gross corporate failures in health and safety.
McNeil added, ”Businesses need to act quickly to ensure they have the policies in place that will protect their employees and their businesses from the consequences of an accident. While vehicle rental is not the sole solution, at Europcar we believe it should be a key element of a risk management strategy.”