Fleets urged to choose 'life-saving' vehicles

A survey by automotive technology firm Bosch found that most (94%) corporate fleet decision makers thought "vehicle reliability" was the most important factor when choosing vehicles. This was closely followed by "safety" (89%) and "duty of care" (87%).

However, despite the findings, fewer than half of those questioned said they actually set a requirement for vehicles to be fitted with certain safety equipment.

Bosch claimed that crash avoidance technologies had opened up a "new dimension" in driving safety, and that electronic stability systems in particular had been heralded as "the biggest live-saver since the introduction of the seat belt."

Its Electronic Stability Programme (ESP®) system detects the risk of a skid at an early stage - even before the driver - and uses the brakes to "steer" the vehicle safely back on track.

A study investigating the effectiveness of electronic stability systems on UK roads by the Department for Transport (DfT), published last year, showed that vehicles featuring the equipment were 25% less likely to be involved in a fatal accident than those without it.

Accident costs

While two thirds of fleet decision makers confirmed they had heard of ESP, only 31% could describe its safety benefits, according to the Bosch study. In addition, only 19% made electronic stability a mandatory feature, as part of their company vehicle policy.

David Ward, director general of the FIA Foundation, said: "I would urge all fleet operators to take this simple step - if you are thinking of renewing your fleet make sure it has ESP on board!

David Fulker, head of UK marketing for the company, added: "The benefits of ESP in avoiding accidents has a direct impact on reducing a company's accident costs – which according to one industry source accounts for 13% of a fleet's total cost of ownership."

Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO) chairman, Julie Jenner, commented: "In 2007, 56% of new car sales were funded by the corporate sector, so in making their fleet choices, fleet managers need to be aware of vehicle safety technologies."

The Bosch study involved 215 fleet decision makers with collective responsibility for over 77,000 vehicles. The research was supported by ACFO, RoadSafe and eSafetyAware! which launched the pan-European ChooseESC! (electronic stability control) campaign in 2007.