Car safety specialists Global NCAP is advising fleet managers to only buy five star rated cars for their company car drivers.

Global NCAP is also recommending that fleet managers confirm that the cars they purchase meet the most important minimum United Nations vehicle safety standards.

As well as calling for ‘five star’ cars wherever possible, the guidelines propose that fleets ask manufacturers to confirm that the vehicle passes the minimum United Nations safety regulations concerning seat belts, and front and side crash tests.

Vehicles that meet regulations for electronic stability control and pedestrian protection are also rated as “strongly preferred” and the new crash avoidance technology autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is “highly recommended”.

David Ward, Global NCAP secretary general, said: “Any organization can improve safety by carefully selecting the vehicles it uses. Global NCAP encourages all fleet managers both public and private to make ‘five star’ safety their goal in the UN Decade of Action.”

To try to avoid an inexorable rise in road injury the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed a Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020.

Max Mosley, chairman of Global NCAP, said: “If a company provides a car for their staff to use, it should be as safe as reasonably possible.

“A five-star or top pick safety rating is the best indication of this. It’s prudent also to check whether cars also meet the UN’s minimum safety regulations. With so many global brands neglecting to apply these regulations, fleet managers and company car drivers should not assume basic safety comes as standard.”