Fleet Summit partner and road safety charity Brake has recognised organisations and individuals making significant contributions to occupational road safety at its annual UK Fleet Champions Awards.
More than 300 fleet industry professionals attended the ceremony at New Dock Hall in Leeds, where winners and runners-up were announced across 12 award categories.
A total of 51 organisations and individuals were shortlisted, with winners selected by an independent judging panel drawn from across the fleet sector.
The awards, which Brake has organised for more than 20 years, recognise initiatives designed to prevent road collisions, improve fleet safety and reduce the environmental impact of work vehicles.
Opening the ceremony, Brake CEO Ross Moorlock highlighted the continuing human cost of road collisions, revealing that an estimated 445 people killed on UK roads in 2025 were involved in incidents where somebody was driving for work.
He welcomed the Government’s Road Safety Strategy, published in January, but stressed the importance of translating policy commitments into practical improvements.
“Strategies do not save lives. Action saves lives. Investment saves lives. Leadership saves lives,” he told attendees.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Kevin Storey Award for Outstanding Commitment to Road Safety to Vicki McCarthy of VolkerRail.
Following the death of her 16-year-old daughter Jordanna in a road collision in 2014, McCarthy has combined her professional responsibilities as a fleet training coordinator with advocacy work to raise awareness of the consequences of unsafe driving.
The award recognised her sustained efforts to improve road safety, particularly among younger drivers.
The event reinforced the importance of embedding road risk management into organisational culture, supported by effective policies, driver training and vehicle safety standards.
Mark Cartwright of National Highways highlighted the role employers can play through improvements in these areas, while Brake emphasised that protecting road users should be treated as a leadership responsibility rather than simply a compliance obligation.
The evening also raised £3,300 to support Brake’s road victim services and road safety campaigning.
Brake said the awards aim to showcase best practice and encourage fleet operators to adopt higher standards of safety across the industry.
Click here to see the full list of winners!
Image credit: Brake
