Photo courtesy of Ford Press

Ford is going further on its commitment to reduce the number of traffic fatalities and injuries in the country by conducting regional refresher training courses for its global and award-winning Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) campaign.

Now on its fifth year, Ford DSFL provides training in both safe and economical driving practices to drivers from Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa markets, including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, India, Taiwan, and South Africa. So far, 50,000 have participated in the program across Asia with another 12,000 expected in 2012, including 2,000 in the Philippines.

The DSFL program has not only been successful in training drivers on defensive driving but it has also shown 20-25 percent short-term effect on fuel savings and 6-15 percent long term fuel savings on passenger cars with the potential to reduce carbon dioxide.
 
DSFL Instructors: Training for Improvement

Critical to the program's success is ensuring the trainers are of a high standard, which is why Ford is rolling out the Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program. TTT presents an opportunity for DSFL trainers to get together with top caliber instructors, who ensure that they are fully prepared when they present the program in their local markets.

In 2008-2010, professional instructors from the German Road Safety Council (DVR) executed DSFL Train-the-Trainer courses for Ford DSFL instructors in ASEAN, China, Taiwan, India, South Africa and Australia. This year, a refresher TTT course will be held for the Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Philippines and China markets by RAC Driving Solutions from South Africa. RAC specializes in, and has a proven track record in, transport risk management, fleet management, vehicle inspection and driver training across a range of disciplines in Africa and the United States.

In a special two-day TTT session with RAC, not only will instructors have their knowledge refreshed, but they will also be given new information that will  help them plan, design and deliver more effective DSFL programs.

The training includes a defensive driving skills audio presentation covering the system of car control, distracted driving, I.P.D.E awareness, driving under the influence of alcohol, the importance of safety belts and six positions of a two car crash. A Ford DSFL presentation covering the three important components of safety, fuel economy and cost savings, and the ten tips which Ford DSFL is based on, is also part of the training.

Instructors will also present a lesson plan for their local DSFL programme to the RAC trainers and receive feedback on it. An in-car practical driving session, which will require each person to instruct and drive, will follow. Trainers are also tested using the Dashboard reporting system, which will be used to ensure that all the safety and eco-driving skills are applied in actual driving.

Better Trainers, Safer and Greener Roads

In the Philippines, Ford’s road safety program started in 2005, re-launched in 2008 under Ford’s global DSFL program and has had more than 20,000 participants. The company has an ongoing partnership with the Tuason Racing School (TRS) to help raise awareness on safe driving practices, and has conducted sessions with a wide variety of audience, including university students, customers, car clubs, media and Ford employees.

Ford Philippines sent two representatives to the training held in Jakarta from April 11-12.

“As one the fastest growing automotive brands in the country, we are going further by providing our customers best-in-class vehicles but also by providing them with the right knowledge and skills to become safe, smart and fuel efficient drivers on the road,” said Anika Salceda-Wycoco, AVP for Communications, Ford Group Philippines.

For more information about Driving Skills for Life, please visit www.ford.com.ph.