An interview with Drive Smarter
Drive Smarter offers driver training solutions to help businesses to improve the safety of at-work drivers. Recently launching a new product for smaller fleets, Drive Smarter can cater for the training needs of all types of organisations and prides itself on delivering flexible and affordable solutions. The company uses e-learning, risk profiling, workshops and in-car driver training to provide comprehensive training solutions. Key employees have many years of behavioural safety, technology, and journalistic and broadcast knowledge, gained across Europe and North America, giving Drive Smarter the right combined skills to produce the best training solutions possible.
Q: Driver training is often reported to be green as well as safe, saving businesses money on fuel. Just how does this work and how significant are the fuel savings?
A: Consider the following: a driver realises that if he/she drops speed, cuts harsh acceleration and sudden braking, then he/she will save fuel – by as much as 20%.Clearly, the worse the starting point, the more a driver can save. Even the more careful and gentle of us can typically save 5% on our annual fuel bill.
When focusing on ‘greener’ driving techniques, drivers are also thinking more about the way they are driving, which has the potential to make them safer because they are anticipating rather than reacting. They are planning ahead rather than knee-jerking. Nothing need come as a surprise. So the link between green driving and proactive safer driving is fundamental and sound.
Q: You recently launched a new small fleet training solution. What are the special adaptations you have made to suit smaller organisations?
A: We have taken a variant of our successful video-based e-learning programme and adapted it to an affordable fixed-price package that will work for smaller fleets. We have listened to managers of smaller fleets, and tried to create solutions that are easy to implement, readily accepted by end users and that will deliver significant cost-savings and safety improvements.
Q: You recently ran a ‘Blue Light Aware’ campaign to provide drivers with a guide on what to do when faced with an emergency vehicle on a call. Typically what do drivers do wrong when they see the blue lights flicker in the rear view mirror?
A: The biggest problem is that many drivers don’t actually use their mirrors, so they’re not aware of anything going on behind them. So we recommend frequent mirror checks. Other things drivers do is stop in inappropriate places (such as between two parked cars, thus blocking an emergency vehicle rather than helping it), cross red traffic lights (for which they can receive a £60 fine and three penalty points) and mount the kerb (bad for their wheels, dangerous for pedestrians). Many drivers panic because they don’t know what to do or where to go.
Regular use of mirrors usually ensures you can plan any action if it becomes necessary, rather than be caught out.
Q: A study of your clients shows the financial and safety benefits of your driver training. Tell us a little about the highlights of the report.
A: The study shows – in cold, hard terms, that drivers who have undergone some sort of appropriate learning, have fewer damage claims than those who have not. Also, their claim values is much lower on average. We have seen AD costs reduce by as much as 50%. Also, the severity of accidents reduces too.
Q: Drive Smarter offers its training in foreign languages too. What languages do you cover?
A: So far we have provided Welsh and German versions of some of our e-Learning modules. The modular way our system has been built allows any language to be used. Everything from the help messages to the video content can be produced in any language.
We also ran into some challenges when we needed to know the Welsh word for ‘Yes’. There are, apparently, 14 different ways of saying ‘Yes’, depending on the circumstances!
Q: Are your training solutions suitable for users of all different vehicle types; e.g. Cars? Vans? Trucks?
A: The subject matter currently focuses on cars, but because the content is about encouraging behavioural shifts, the programmes work equally well for drivers of other categories of vehicle. After all, van drivers and truck drivers are also car drivers.
Q: How can driver training help businesses comply with legal obligations governing health and safety?
A: Employers are required to manage driving at work in the same way as they manage any other work based activity. That means complying with health and safety regulations. Assessing the risk posed by individual business drivers, and then providing the means for them to be safer on the road, is a legal obligation for a business. More important, it is likely to ensure a significant financial saving by reducing crashes and claims. An effective training programme also demonstrates that you as an employer are meeting the ‘Duty of Care’ responsibility that you owe to your people.
Q: What does Drive Smarter’s training actually involve for the individual participant?
A: We offer two programmes – a one-off that focuses on the driver, the vehicle and the journey, and a monthly long-term programme that offers a ‘drip feed’ of information.
Our e-Learning programme require, at most, a small monthly commitment of less than 25 minutes. Each monthly ‘module’ (which is accessible online) contains a short video, a set of notes and a 10-question quiz.
Our one-off and Small Fleet packages require only a one-time commitment of less than 60 minutes to work through an individual risk profile and a series of three learning modules.
Q: If you could change one motoring law, what would it be and why?
A: We believe the British government is dragging its heels on alcohol and drug legislation. We would therefore immediately reduce the drink-drive limit from the present 0.08 BAC down to 0.05, thus bringing it in line with the vast majority of European countries. We would also make it an absolute offence to drive with any drug in your system. The need for the police to prove impairment should be abolished.
Q: Finally where should our readers go for more information on Drive Smarter?
A: Visit www.drivesmarter.co.uk or call 0845 619 7577.
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