Fleet drivers said they experience most vehicle accidents when their parked assets are hit by non-fleet vehicles, an incident that is often the product of distracted driving but may also be a fabricated event by the drivers.

Approximately 66% of driver nationwide said they would make phone calls while driving through parking lots, while 63% said they would program GPS systems, and 56% admitted to texting, according to a National Safety Council public opinion poll.

There’s also the possibility that the fleet driver may have made up the incident to divert responsibility of potential vehicle damages that they caused. Having a thorough hiring process and a robust safety training program may help in alleviating concerns with regards to potential fabrication.

Meanwhile, rear-end crashes were also prominent accident for fleets, occurring when fleet vehicles rear-ended other vehicles, and also being on the receiving end from non-fleet vehicles.

The top five accident descriptions are ranked as follows:

1. 14% occurred when another vehicle hit a parked fleet vehicle.  

2. 11% occurred when another vehicle rear-ended a fleet vehicle.

3. 11% also occurred when a fleet driver hit a stationary object.

4. 7% occurred when a fleet driver rear-ended another vehicle.

5. 5% were other forms of comprehensive damage.

“Being rear ended at a traffic light, or coming back to your vehicle in a parking lot and finding damage seems unavoidable, but there are things a driver can do differently to lessen the chance of this happening, from parking in a safer, less congested space to beginning your stop earlier, which can give the driver behind you more time to react. These safe habits are teachable moments worth reflecting on before and after an incident,” said Brian Kinniry, senior director, strategic services, The CEI Group.