Automotive Fleet

OCT 2013

Magazine for the car and truck fleet and leasing industry

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30TH ANNIVERSARY ADTS' 5 STEPS TO AN EFFECTIVE DRIVER SAFETY INITIATIVE ccording to Phil Moser, vice president of Advanced Driver Training Services (ADTS), successful driver safety programs depend on fve key areas for success: A 1 All Drivers A Al ADTS provides behind-the-wheel training services to help improve the skills of drivers who spend their workday on the road. A network of 100-plus instructors cover the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, as well as Europe, Asia, and South America. gram in 1983. Today, it has more than 100 instructors located throughout the U.S. who conduct training at hundreds of locations in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, as well as in Europe, Asia, and South America. Over the years, the company has also developed additional programs and resources customized specifcally for clients, including variations of classroom, behind-the-wheel instruction, online training, a bimonthly driver safety publication, and driver safety seminars.   Implementing Safety Effectively into a Fleet Operation How can organizations take immediate action to increase driver safety? According to Moser, they must identify and train their high-risk drivers.  "[High-risk drivers] are the low-hanging fruit, and they provide an immediate opportunity to reduce vehicle crash rates," he advised. In fact, he describes the fundamentals of the most efective driver training programs as addressing both skill and attitude. He pointed out that a driver may be very skilled in the operation of the vehicle they drive, but unless they have an attitude that safe driving is a top priority, they will be more likely to have an accident. "Also, an efective driver safety initiative needs to use a multipronged approach," he said. "Tere are specifc areas that need to be addressed for all drivers, new drivers, high-risk drivers, and feld managers, as well as ongoing training." While some feets possess the tools that 54 AUTOMOTIVE FLEET I OCTOBER 2013 allow them to manage driver safety training inhouse, partnering with an outside vendor makes sense for other feets that don't possess the expertise necessary to implement one. "Te reason that our clients have brought ADTS into their organizations for driver safety training is because of our experience, resources, and credibility," Moser said. "With our background in law enforcement, traffc safety, police training, and motor vehicle crash reconstruction, we overcome any of the objections that drivers may have with regard to the relevance and necessity for them to go through driver training." When determining what type of driver safety training programs to implement, Moser advises organizations to consider using all types, including online tools. "Online training provides an efective tool for keeping safety in the forefront or to provide specifc training for a particular subject," he said. "Classroom and behindthe-wheel training provides an opportunity to address the needs of new-hire drivers and those who have not previously received driver safety training. Seminars reinforce safety, and one-to-one training addresses the needs of high-risk drivers." Te ADTS team takes pride in reaching its 30-year anniversary and continues to be committed to helping feets remain accident-free. "We are absolutely passionate about helping drivers get home safely every day," Moser stated. "We despise motor vehicle crashes and all of the pain and sufering that they cause. For us, a perfect world would be one without these crashes." AF To To promote driver accountability, drivers must be educated in proper safe driving techniques. "Provide all of your drivers with the important elements necessary for them to avoid collisions," Moser said. "Educate them so that they are aware that it is their responsibility to drive safely. Driving safely needs to be important to them." 2 New-Hire Drivers N Duri Du During initial training, new drivers are taught much of what they need to know to complete their job tasks. "Providing a comprehensive classroom and behind-the-wheel training program at the time of new-hire training is an effective way to stress that safety is important," Moser explained. "This approach has proven to reduce motor vehicle crash rates." 3H High-Risk Drivers Mo Moser advised that feet managers should track driving records and crash history of all feet drivers to determine which drivers are at risk. "Once a high-risk driver is identifed, it is imperative to take corrective action that is equal to the seriousness of the driver's history," he said. 4 F Managers Field It is also important to do more than just t tell feld managers that they must support feet safety. They need to be convinced by having the managers participate in comprehensive training as well. "The managers will improve their own driving habits and skills, learn how to conduct a proper ride-along with the people they manage, and be motivated to support feet safety," according to Moser. 5 Ongoing Training O On Safe driving is a learned skill, and continS ued practice leads to fewer accidents. Therefore, keeping driver safety in the minds of drivers is key. "Many companies have achieved great success with their feet safety initiatives," Moser explained. "To maintain those results, they have learned that they need to provide continued driver safety awareness."

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