Accidents cost 'twice as much'
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• Accidents are costing ownerdrivers more than twice the amount they estimate because they don't monitor the effect they have on their businesses.
According to Will Murray, who completed a six-year study of commercial vehicle accidents for the University of Huddersfield's transport and logistics department, many hauliers fail to monitor all their accident expenses. "There are costs such as vehicle downtime and missed deliveries," he says. "Where we've asked people to monitor these they double their real accident costs."
Acknowledging the real cost of accidents is only half the problem, he says. Owner-drivers also lend to skip the extra train
ing that would prevent many accidents. "I'm not telling them how to suck eggs," he says, "but you can save 3 to 5°0 of fuel costs just by correct gear and clutch control."
Around 30% of truck scrapes occur while reversing at delivery and collection points but each firm is likely to spot its own accident pattern if it monitors all of them.
Murray has drawn up a 12point "myth list' hauliers use to avoid admitting their accident costs. They frequently exclude lost wing mirrors and minor dents or claim their insurers deal with all their accident claims. Many keep no record of accident damage valued below their insurance excess.