New research by Webfleet has found road safety and congestion are the top concerns for European van drivers.

68% of van drivers across Europe cited traffic congestion as either extremely challenging or challenging

Its 2023 European Driver Study saw 68% of van drivers across the region cite traffic congestion as either extremely challenging or challenging when asked to rate potential issues on the roads, making it the joint most challenging factor cited in the report.

Italy ranked top for this issue, with 80% of drivers scoring traffic congestion as extremely challenging or challenging. This was followed by France at 77%, Poland 71%, the Netherlands 63%, Germany 63%, the UK 61% and Spain 56%.

Increased road safety was the most commonly cited response among van drivers Europewide, when asked what would make their jobs better.

The issue was found to be particularly prevalent in Italy, where more than half (51%) of those drivers surveyed said they wanted safer roads. This compares with 48% of drivers in Germany, 45% in Spain, 43% in Poland, 41% in the Netherlands and 40% in France.

The study has also found that spending less time stuck in traffic is the number one thing that would improve UK van drivers’ working lives. Almost half (46%) of UK van drivers said it would help improve their job satisfaction, according to the study, closely followed by better road infrastructure, cited by 44%, while increased road safety took third place with 36% of the vote.

Despite the challenges that UK drivers face, job satisfaction remains high, with 91% reporting that they are either extremely satisfied or satisfied with their job. More than half (51%), meanwhile, said that doing their job well was important to them.

Beverley Wise, Webfleet regional director for Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, said: “This research paints a very clear picture of the work our van drivers do, the problems they encounter and the support they need.”

“There are variations between countries, but it’s clear to see that traffic, safety and infrastructure are persistent pain points across the continent.”

Wise also said the research showed that mounting pressures for commercial fleets to boost productivity were filtering down to drivers in the field.

“By supporting them with digital solutions to improve their lives behind the wheel, fleets can not only help to promote a happy and engaged workforce, boosting talent recruitment and retention, they are also better placed to deliver higher standards of customer service,” she added.

The full Webfleet European Van Driver Report 2023 is available here.