A CALL has gone out to manufacturers to offer defensive driver training as a central part of their sales package to fleets, following the results of the NCAP crash tests. Driver training company NDI claims manufacturers invest millions of pounds in active and passive safety features such as ABS, airbags and side impact protection schemes, but ignore the driver.

Paul Austin, managing director of NDI, said statistics showed drivers were responsible for 95% of accidents - with mechanical failures accounting for the other 5% - therefore logic dictated that this was the area manufacturers and fleet managers should tackle to improve safety.

'While we applaud everything car manufacturers are doing on the safety front, we would like to see additional driver training being offered as a fundamental part of the sales process in the same way that warranties, finance deals or accessories are,' he said.

Currently, among mainstream car makers Mitsubishi offers free driver training, supplied by RoSPA, with every new Galant, and Audi with the new S8. Others, including Ford, Citroen, Nissan and Volkswagen offer driver training at preferential rates to corporate customers. Vauxhall's offer of free vouchers for instruction with BSM Fleet Training ended in March.