ANCAP sponsors safety award for fleets
Crash safety testing authority lends support to fleet association's safety initiativeOccupational Health and Safety for professional drivers is a new focus for ANCAP, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program. Fresh from announcing Australia's first five-star-rated van, the Mercedes-Benz Vito (pictured), ANCAP is backing a venture aimed at reducing risk to those who drive for a living.
The crash safety body, along with Driver Safety Services and O'Brien, sponsors the Fleet Safety Award, an honour bestowed by the Australian Fleet Managers Association (AfMA).
AfMA announces the award annually, with the South Australian Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure winning this time around for its light vehicle purchasing policy and procedure. The department's policy stipulates key vehicle safety features that must be fitted, as part of the purchasing criteria.
In presenting the award to the department, Lauchlan McIntosh, ANCAP Chair, stressed the need for fleet managers to eliminate vehicles rated at less than four stars from the purchasing decision.
"Fleet managers are responsible for more than half of all new vehicles purchased each year, and ANCAP believes it is vital to communicate with this group in pushing for four- and five-star purchasing policies," he said.
"ANCAP's strong advocacy over the years is now seeing far more four- and five-star vehicles on the market and we are rightly proud to see new car buyers with far safer options to choose from in making their decision.
"Over the past 18 months, ANCAP has turned our focus towards light commercial vehicles, which make up such a large part of Australian fleet as they are the workhorses of Australian industry. We have been disturbed at some of the crash test results among this group of vehicles, but alongside that we are pleased to see the first 5-star vans, the Mercedes Benz Vito and Viano, announced just last month.
"This is a milestone among these vehicles and ANCAP looks forward to seeing other manufacturers stepping up to the plate with these vans."
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