Award for Arval
ARVAL has won the Fleet Service Award in the 2008 Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards for “the high standard of its own safety management and the dedication offered to the improvement of the safety of their customers”...
Tracey Young
The award, sponsored by Fleet Support Group, a supporter of the Government’s ‘Driving for Better Business’ programme, which is managed by RoadSafe, also recognised Arval’s industry-leading stance on electronic stability control (ESC).
The leading fleet and fuel management company, which deals directly with over 1.2 million company car and van drivers on UK roads, is making ESC standard on all vehicles within its company car choice list and believes that all fleets should follow suit.
RoadSafe is a long-standing champion of ESC and Arval fleet manager Tracey Young, said: “Around 40% of fatal road accidents are a result of skidding and studies show that ESC could dramatically reduce this. Obviously there is no substitute for careful driving, but this is a really valuable safety feature that will help reduce the risk of death or serious injury for our drivers.
“The benefits are broad as ESC does not just make drivers safer, it also helps fleets to meet their ongoing duty of care responsibilities and reduce their accident costs. With this in mind we believe that fleets should be making the technology a standard requirement when selecting vehicles.
“This commitment to ESC falls within a wide-ranging and ongoing programme that Arval delivers to ensure the safety of its drivers. This combines a clear policy on vehicle choice and specification with driver training and education, comprehensive information and regular vehicle checks.”
It is that focus that has also seen Arval become a ‘Driving for Better Business’ champion (see case study RoadSafe: spring 2008).
The Prince Michael Awards’ judges also praised Arval’s broad mix of channels to promote road safety to staff, customers and the wider community. In particular they singled out the company’s in-house ‘Drive4Life’ training, which has generated a responsible driving culture with noted effect - the third party claim costs have fallen by 40% over three years and employee speeding offences by 50%.
More Prince Michael Awards winners in the TNT Express case study and ESC to be included in Euro NCAP crash test article.