Safe Driver Training at NADS

One of the most common causes of work-related injury and absence from work are vehicle crashes. Human error is the leading cause of crashes. Training can reduce instances of human error. NADS has developed a driver safety and training program specifically targeted for corporate fleets and individuals who perform a lot of work-related driving. Safety training has several benefits including lowering insurance claims, boosting morale, introducing a culture of safety. We offer a two-hour safety training course that includes:

• Exposure to safety critical events in an interactive driving simulator
• Safety scenarios in urban, sub-urban, rural highway, and different road conditions
• Classroom style group discussion
• Quizzes that reinforce important concepts
• Certificate of completion

2010 Module: Situational Awareness

Simulator Drives - The 2010 Module simulator drives take participants through an hour of diverse driving situations where improving their situation awareness (SA) will help them be safer drivers.

• Urban SA - Urban driving often requires expecting the unexpected from other drivers; instances of other drivers not obeying the rules of the road such an off-cycle turn, not yielding right of way, and a U-turn, as well as a narrow lane due to construction.
• Rural SA - Slow moving vehicles and vehicles on the roadside emphasize the importance of gap judgment when passing; cues from the environment and other drivers may help them be more aware of situations and make better decisions.
• Visibility - Nighttime visibility is significantly shorter, even with high beam headlights, than daytime visibility; series of similar situations are presented in both daytime and nighttime driving conditions.
• Road Conditions - Stopping distance on wet or snow covered roads may be significantly longer than dry roads; actual stopping distances on three road conditions are shown to encourage maintenance of appropriate headways.

Classroom Course

The classroom component for 2010 focuses on Situation Awareness. As experienced drivers, complacency is a major factor in lower situation awareness that leads to crashes. During the course we cover how risk perception and complacency relate to situation awareness and attitudes and mental processes a driver can employ to maintain high situation awareness and avoid crashes. The course includes both presentation of concepts and discussion of how these concepts apply to the driving experiences and practices of the participants.

Future Modules:

Collaboration with our partners is key to providing safe driver training that is relevant and focused on issues training participants experience on the road. We look forward to working with our partners to develop training modules that address their specific needs.