Length of Course: 8 hours per level
# of Participants: 20-36
Recommended for: Heavy Commercial Vehicle Drivers
Prerequisites: Standard of Care (SOC) Presentation
Description:
Defensive driving is a big part of being a professional driver/operator. Anyone can benefit from applying defensive driving techniques because it is as much an attitude, as it is a skill set. The intent of the Defensive Driver Training (DDT) program is to identify all the attributes of a defensive driver and give you the skills to apply them in all your driving situations.
Course Components:
The DDT program has been specifically designed with a systematic approach for drivers who operate vehicles as all or part of their occupation. Advantage Fleet Services Inc. (AFSI) focus’ on creating awareness and changing behaviour in the way people drive. Defensive driving is one of the most important concepts for AFSI, and as such, it exists as the DDT program in 3 levels: Bronze, Silver & Gold. Each level consists of 8, one-hour modules.
The mandatory components for the Bronze session are:
- Introduction to Defensive Driving
- Professionalism
- Foundation of Driving
- Basic Driving Skills
* Plus 4 additional modules (chosen by client)
Additional Modules:
- Braking
- Rollover
- The Startled Driver
- Jackknife
- Urban Vehicle Conflicts
- Pre/Post-Trip Inspection
- Load Securement
- PPE & Regulations (OH&S)
- Tires and Wheels
- Impairment
- Fatigue and Diet
- Highway or Rural Vehicle Conflicts
- Animal Strikes
- Backing
- Time and Distance Relationship in Driving
- Winter Driving
- Mountain Driving
- Complacency
- Inattention/Distraction
- Automatic Slack Adjusters and Progressive Shifting
For clients that prefer half-day training sessions, each level can be split into 2 days.
DDT is delivered in a classroom syndicate based model and promotes a peer-to-peer learning environment. The purpose is to get the participants to drive as an ART not an ACT. Key components involve scanning intersections, braking, shuffle steering, acceleration (speed), hazard avoidance, animal situations, winter driving conditions (road surface issues) and tips for avoiding hazardous situations. Rules of the road and how they apply to defensive driving are also discussed.
Case studies and digital video scenarios are used to stimulate open discussion. It has been established that adult learners do not need to specifically experience something to comprehend the skill or concept. Hearing about an event (story) or seeing a potential situation (digital video) can be a learning experience for everyone. By sharing experiences in the classroom students can incorporate defensive driving into their core driving behaviour and know where to look, when to look, and what to look for. Defensive driving is managing and responding to the actions of other people by drawing on our personal experiences of driving and the information at hand.
Defensive Driver Training from Advantage Fleet Services Inc. goes beyond the status-quo and is a cornerstone for all training we deliver.