Enterprise is the UK’s largest dedicated maintenance service provider to the public sector and utility industry. It operates a fleet of more than 5,500 vehicles including around 4,000 commercial vehicles, 1,230 company cars and more than 400 special duty vehicles such as refuse vehicles. Additionally, a number of privately owned vehicles are driven on company business.

The company has set a target of zero accidents, which has already cut vehicle-related road incident claims by almost £500,000.

The savings, which amount to a 12% reduction in overall claims costs and a 13% (more than £100) reduction in costs per vehicle follow Enterprise’s increased focus on at-work driving safety with the launch of its Road Risk Steering Committee (RRSC), which has implemented a range of measures since its introduction in 2009. Some initiatives such as improved incident reporting and investigation are already reaping rewards while others, such as the introduction of telematics systems and the fitment of more vehicle speed limiters, have still to be introduced.

Michael Parish, co-director of the Driving for Better Business campaign, said: 'Enterprise has made huge strides in recent years to raise awareness of the importance of safe driving across the organisation.

'With the company being such a high profile organisation I am confident that the commitment it has made to encouraging safe driving through its various initiatives will give a major impetus to the campaign and encourage other like-minded organisations to follow its lead.'

Commenting on the company's new Business Champion status, Alison Moriarty, Enterprise’s health and safety manager, said, 'We are delighted that the measures we have already taken to protect our employees and all other road users have been recognised in this way. Most of our 13,000 employees drive as part of their work role or in a private capacity.

'Enterprise believes that the most important lesson to be learned from its experience in managing the safety of employees who drive for work, is that it is vital not to look at road safety in isolation from the way the company manages other health and safety issues.

'There must be a holistic approach to safe systems of work and a vehicle must be looked at in the same way as any other workplace.'