Medical Staff Most Likely To Be At Fault In Car Accidents

GPs and those working in other medical professions have a greater chance of making a claim on their car insurance for being at fault in an accident, according to recent research from Gocompare.com Car Insurance.

If this sounds like you, you might consider leaving your expensive or classic motors in storage for cars in Devon until you are more relaxed and less likely to get involved in an incident.

Indeed, Professor Andrew Smith, an expert on occupational and health psychology from Cardiff University’s School of Psychology, said GPs are more than twice as likely to make an at-fault claim (12.98 per cent compared with the national average of six per cent) due to their highly stressful career.

He stated: “When people experience particularly high stress levels, it’s common for them to become especially clumsy or absent minded as they struggle to concentrate on tasks.”

Professor Smith added the stressful aspect of the job, together with their long hours could lead to lapses in concentration when driving.

GPs were not the only medical professionals who made significantly more at-fault claims than the national average, and the top ten occupations that had the highest proportion of accidents in the last three years all worked in the health industry.

Indeed, 12.65 per cent of hospital consultants have made at-fault accident claims, as well as 12 per cent of chiropodists and 11.13 per cent of surgeons. 

Those who were shown to be the best drivers and made the fewest claims included many occupations that involved driving for a living. For instance, only 4.24 per cent of van drivers, 4.7 per cent of couriers and 4.69 per cent of milkmen have made at-fault claims in the last three years.

It is not surprising many people have to make at-fault accident claims on their car insurance after recent research revealed the number of drivers in the UK who have been caught speeding.

According to figures from the National Driver Offender Retaining Scheme, 1.2 million drivers had to attend a speed awareness course last year, 170 per cent more than in 2010.