It started in the USA, but has since been rolled out in some European countries, and bearing in mind the heavy toll on our roads – particularly among young drivers – it might be a good idea to start something similar in Cyprus.
Ford recognised that young drivers face special risks associated with impaired driving, reckless driving and distracted driving, and back in 2003, researchers identified the lack of four key skills for teen drivers – hazard recognition, vehicle handling, space management and speed management. At Ford’s DSFL events, students learn those critical skills in hands-on driver training by top professional driving instructors.
“The Driving Skills for Life program is just one example of Ford’s overall commitment to safety,” says Jim Graham, community relations manager of Ford Motor Company Fund. “We know it can work. The state of Illinois piloted a teen driving safety program based on DSFL in 2008 and has seen a remarkable reduction in teen auto fatalities by more than 50 per cent.”
According to the USA’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 20. Teenaged drivers are in three times as many fatal crashes as other drivers, claiming the lives of nearly 3,000 teens each year. The under-20 age group also has the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes.
Ford DSFL visits high schools with a full day of multi-faceted activities to build skills in the four key areas: driver distraction, speed/space management, vehicle handling and hazard recognition.
“Driving is a privilege, not a right, and parents need to set certain limits to ensure their teens stay safe,” adds Barbara Harsha, executive director of The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). “We recommend that parents talk with their teen drivers and together establish rules, including limits for the number of passengers, night-time driving limits and a committment not to text and drive. Every state has graduated licence requirements and it is critical that teens and parents are aware of and committed to follow these provisions.”
Ford awards grants to GHSA members to conduct teen driving initiatives incorporating the DSFL programme. As part of this initiative, the Wisconsin DOT Bureau of Traffic Safety created a teen safe driving event that included the PEERS driving simulator, which demonstrates the dangers of distracted driving.
Developed with the Governors Highway Safety Association, Ford Driving Skills for Life is recognised as the USA’s most comprehensive driving skills programme, with free professional driver instruction, free materials for parents and educators and a Web-based curriculum that includes ‘The Academy’ on www.drivingskillsforlife.com.
