Like many other companies, at Driver Hire Training – in normal times! – we deliver training in many different ways. Our most diverse range of training services comes under our DriveWise banner, where we offer in-vehicle, classroom-based and online services.
However, what really makes DriveWise different is the training techniques used to ensure the delegate retains and uses the information way beyond the end of the training day.
Effective training is the key to improving driving standards and improving road safety.
DriveWise courses draw on a range of techniques that have been proven to give good results in the short, medium and long term. It’s all about helping the delegate to buy into the subject matter – if they see a benefit to themselves or their loved ones they’ll be much more responsive and retain more of the information and techniques shared with them into the future.
When buying DriveWise services, you’ll find we spend time talking to relevant key stakeholders like the fleet manager, listening to the particular issues for your organisation and discussing possible solutions. We don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach to Driver Risk Management. Every intervention is different.
Once the agreed training is underway, effective delivery becomes paramount. DriveWise trainers are hand-picked and have a vast array of experience. They are classed as experts in the delivery of advanced driver training – but they’re much more than ‘just’ trainers. They are driving coaches, who listen and discuss different approaches to improve driving standards. It’s about finding the particular technique or training methodology that is most suited to each particular individual.
Two key elements underpin the trainers’ knowledge – the “Roadcraft System of Vehicle Control” and the “Goals for Driver Education” (GDE).
Roadcraft is the police drivers’ handbook. Written in consultation with professional drivers and trainers, it incorporates a systemised approach to driving that allows a driver to have time to respond appropriately to any hazard encountered during a journey. This approach is used and adapted by DriveWise trainers to improve vehicle control techniques, observation, concentration and awareness to create a smooth, flowing drive.
Being a completely safe driver also necessitates a level of self-awareness. A driver needs to know ‘who they are’ and how they will react to situations. GDE is a four-level matrix, used to identify how self-aware a driver is of their own actions and reactions. At DriveWise we believe this is an essential part of the learning process – and it is unique to each driver.
The four levels are as follows:
- Vehicle control – Does the driver know how to use the vehicle safely and maintain control of the vehicle?
- Dealing with traffic – Does the driver understand traffic regulations, and can they interact with other road users safely at all times?
- Journey management – Does the driver plan a journey that minimises risk at every opportunity and question every decision?
- Self-Awareness – Does the driver understand how their upbringing, life choices and affiliations influence their decision making and response to situations?
Most drivers meet the requirements of level 2 quite easily. However, many are unaware of the importance of levels 3 and 4 – and just how important journey management and self-awareness are to reducing their risk.
DriveWise trainers therefore put a great deal of emphasis on these two levels, asking the driver to consider the risks associated with their decisions and discussing the driver’s background, upbringing and how they might have been influenced and shaped by experiences in the past. If they are aware of how they might react, they can make allowances and respond differently in the future.
A self-aware driver is a safer driver.
