GPs take worst drivers crown

General practitioners have been crowned the most likely of any occupation to claim on their car insurance, according to research from Gocompare.com Car Insurance.

The study found that GPs were more than twice as likely to make a claim than the national average (six per cent) with just over one in 10 (13%) GPs having made at least one at-fault claim in the past five years.

Occupations in the health or medical professions dominate the top 10 list of the most accident prone drivers, claiming eight of the top 10 spots.

Those working in insurance also tended to have higher claims than the national average with three professions appearing in the top 20; insurance consultants (10.18%), insurance representatives (9.42%) and claims adjustors (9.39%).

Other occupations with higher claims than the national average include; milkmen (6.09%), health and safety executives (6.83%) and optometrists (9.34%).

In contrast, occupations amongst the least likely to make are claim are car dealers (2.05%), abattoir workers (2.36%) and car wash attendants (2.41%).

Dr Craig Knight, honorary research fellow at the University of Exeter, and director of Haddleton Knight, specialises in the Psychology of working environments. He said, ‘Jobs in the health sector seem likely to attract high-risk car accident factors for a number of reasons.

‘Firstly, the roles carry a significantly raised degree of cognitive load – making decisions that will affect somebody’s chances of sustained well-being or survival which can lead to distracting thoughts whilst driving.

‘Secondly, almost all of the professions in the top 10 are working with clients who themselves are typically stressed, adding to the demanding nature of their job. Stress has a level of contagion which doesn’t help with concentration.

‘Thirdly, health professionals are often completing short hop journeys, usually in sub/urban areas where most accidents happen. Either that or they are driving into hospital car parks, which are notorious accident black spots.’

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