Many fleet van insurance customers could be risking the safety of workers and members of the public, as well as the price of their insurance cover, according to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA).
This revelation comes after VOSA carried out a series of spot checks during March and April and found that many operators are failing to meet the baseline safety standards of the Department for Transport.
The most common breaches related to poor load security and, inadequate use of the bulkhead and the poor condition of straps, all of which can result both in injury and fleet van insurance claims.
A VOSA spokesman commented, "Through the roadside checks both VOSA and HSE hope that this will help bring to the attention of the industry the dangers of load insecurity and that we will all see an improvement."
He added, "Fatal and major accidents have occurred both on the road and in the workplace because loads have not been secured properly."
Fleet van insurance companies have responded to the news by calling for the drivers of commercial vehicles to tackle the issues of load safety.