NON-fault accident assistance company Helphire is setting a good example to its customers with a major driver training programme for 130 of its driver. The company, which provides replacement cars to non-fault accident victims, has signed up the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to put all its vehicle delivery drivers through the advanced driving test.

Formalising the deal at Fleet Show 2000, Mark Finch, national branch manager for Helphire, said: 'When we first started, we had 70 to 80 vehicles and four to five drivers, but now we have 2,000 vehicles and 130 drivers. We are also expecting the fleet size to double, which will mean even more drivers coming on board and I considered that the drivers had had no training since passing their tests and that should be put right. It is not that we have a huge accident rate, but we have a lot of drivers.'

Bob Smalley, general manager of driver services for RoSPA, said an important part of the training contract was the retesting of drivers after three years to ensure they remained safe behind the wheel. Drivers will also be taking part in the RoSPA safe driver initiative, which rewards drivers for each year they avoid an accident and keep a clean licence.