A new study into young at-work drivers has found huge failings in the current driving test and highlighted the need for additional post-test training by fleets.

Therefore, it has been suggested that extra driving education for young workers who drive for a living could prevent road accidents and van insurance claims.

The investigation focused on the risks associated with drivers and concluded that motorists aged between 17 and 24 do not have the road skills needed to cope with driving at work, despite holding a valid driving licence.

As a result of the study, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) stated that some novice drivers are ill-prepared when they take on a role that involves getting behind the wheel.

More than two-thirds of young employees are driving vehicles at work that are larger than a car and in which they have not been tested or trained to drive.

Alarmingly, three-quarters of bosses questioned said that their young workers were driving in situations that were not covered by the current test, such as icy conditions or driving at night.

The reason why young drivers are unprepared for road safety and driving qualifications is because the current driving tests fails to groom young motorists in a satisfactory way for the challenges of driving at work, according to the Department of Transport (DfT).

"The current system of learner driver training and the driving test does not cover all of the situations in which young drivers will find themselves when driving for work, or all of the skills they will need for driving for work," it said.

Positively, the report also showed that many fleet managers are already aware of the problem and are trying to find ways to identify the risks young drivers present and reduce accidents.

"Employers are not relying on the driving license as evidence of competence in driving for work. Many conduct their own assessments before allowing their employees to drive."

Fleet managers also believe that the current driving tests are inadequate, with 60% stating that it failed to prepare young motorists to drive for work. Almost 90% of bosses who took part in the study  via telephone replied the same.

As a result, employers are urging the government to make much needed changes to the driving work sector, with more than half desiring a post-test driving qualification.

Bosses believe that creating safer driver attitudes, enhanced risk perceptions, different driving conditions and motorway driving would greatly enhance a post-test qualification.

Driving to success

One company that has adopted the road safety and work accident prevention ethic is driving firm GM UK. The group saved more than £1 million after banning workers and their family members aged under 22 years old from driving company cars.

The organisation found that insurance claims were heavily influenced by younger drivers. 17-21 year old motorists accounted for 30% of the insurance costs with an average claim of £6,500, a cost of more than £1 million per year.

The company's vehicle operations manager, Simon Monk said: "We just could not live with this and could no longer ignore the reality of the situation. We saved £1.2 million within the first two years of taking under 22s off the insurance."

Changing lanes

As a result of the ever increasing problems connected to young motorists and at-work drivers, the two factions have been identified as 'priority groups' in the Government's evaluation of road safety regulations.

Therefore, the DfT is working towards introducing post-test driver training: "Employers would welcome post-test training as long as their concerns over costs and relevance are met," the group said.

The new scheme will tackle training light van drivers as well a car motorists.