GM UK Fleet has become the first vehicle manufacturer to sign up for the Department for Transport’s road safety programme, Driving for Better Business.

It joined the programme as a business champion and will be promoting good practice in work-related road safety as well as raising awareness.

GM will attend conferences organised by Roadsafe, which is managing the programme, and talking with other companies about their position on road safety.

The campaign aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries occuring on work-related journeys.

Currently, more than 150 crashes each day involve vehicles being driven for work.

As part of the campaign, employers are encouraged to promote health and safety legislation.

GM UK Fleet signed up on April 6 to coincide with the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act coming into force.

“We want to demonstrate both to our customers and our staff just how seriously we are taking this new legislation,” said Maurice Howkins, director of GM UK Fleet.

He said GM UK Fleet did not become a business champion as a reaction to the new legislation, though.

It felt the aim of Driving for Better Business matched its own driver policies and joining was “the right thing to do”.

Mr Howkins added: “We, and every other vehicle manufacturer which sells to businesses, should do our part in ensuring that business car drivers and their organisations not only have, but understand, the information associated with being safe and legal on UK roads while going about their business.”

Adrian Walsh, director of RoadSafe, said: “It is vital that business leaders shoulder their responsibilities for ensuring the safety of their staff on the road.”

The campaign will run until mid-2009. For more information, including how to become a business champion, visit www.
drivingforbetterbusiness.com