Employers and their drivers are asked to make an online declaration on the RAC's website to keep to a series of promises as part of the RAC Report on Motoring 2003. Already pledges have included a promise to stop using a mobile phone while driving, to car share more often, invest in video-conferencing technology, to work from home once a week and to attend meetings by train.
A spokesman for the RAC said: 'In past reports, we have concluded our research with a call to action, often to Government. This time we are asking everyone to do their bit to make the most of our roads.
'We ask everyone to consider how they drive and the journeys they make. If we all cut out one short journey per day then car travel would be reduced by five billion miles a year, equivalent to a 4% drop in traffic.'
'It would also mean 300 million less gallons of fuel consumed each year.'
However, the RAC's own research for the report reveals the struggle fleets will face to persuade drivers to use alternative transport for journeys where there is not a viable alternative.
While 89% of drivers say they would find it very difficult to adjust their lifestyle without their car – the highest percentage since the RAC began its survey in 1988 – just 34% say they would use public transport more if it was better.
And 73% of drivers admitted that although they felt congestion had to be tackled, they would not change their driving behaviour.
Findlay Caldwell, managing director of RAC Consumer Services, said: 'Our roads are busy, stressful places and we need to adopt to a new way of thinking if we are to free them up for easy, pain-free travelling once more.
'Rather than submitting ourselves to further restrictions on car use by the authorities, we should turn the spotlight inwards. Making one small change could result in improvements for everyone.'
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