Driver Training for All Ages; Individual and Commercial

Safety Driving for Individual and Companies

A sixth sense developed by drivers, knowing what to do and not to do when driving is something they learn through their experiences or maybe by the wisdom of their age. Although, age could not always tell whether someone is a bad or a safe driver. Driving safely helps lessen accidents, where experience drivers can save thousands of dollars, according fleet managers.

A 2012 statistics from fleet safety company Fleet Response says that, the percentage of accidents involving drivers aged 26-35 are very close to drivers aged 46-54 (24.4% versus 24.1%).

As fleet managers start accepting staff that are considered young drivers, rates as with the newly licensed drivers insurance policy of parents rise. The awareness of the plausibility of accidents and its increase cost should still be in the minds of companies though most of the fleet drivers range above the considered “youthful driver” which are in the range of 16 to 24. Alan Adkins, a product director for business auto at Nationwide Insurance, said that, “Recognize that hiring inexperienced/youthful drivers can potentially lead to higher insurance premiums, as driving statistics show these drivers have a greater likelihood of being involved in accidents.”

Fleet managers should be very keen in confirming the validation of the employee’s motor vehicle records (MVRs) before giving them the access to fleet vehicles, as Adkins advised. Also, a driving safety programs should be held for the proper training of fleet drivers on the equipment they will be using together with the regular inspection of the vehicles or the vehicle maintenance program ensuring the safety of the vehicle.

The operating officer of Farmers Business Insurance, Andrea Stuermer also gave stress to the idea of the driver safety training’s importance which helps a lot in keeping the rates down. She also said that this include some incentives for the employee and a dedicated fleet safety manager.

Some believe that training drivers to be safe can be more than just reteaching the rules they already know which can also be found in the manuals. Richard Harkness, CEO of Advanced Drivers Education Products and Training, believes that continuous training is important to drivers of any age.

Harkness said, “We’ve done extensive research on aging drivers to focus on what happens when you hit 50 and beyond. These drivers have plenty of experience, but they do not necessarily know where to look effectively or surprisingly even how to adjust their mirrors.” One of the main causes of accidents of drivers from 20 to 50 is the lack of visual cognition, having a hard time to see other cars. These drivers need training in spotting hazards, where to look, and in less distraction while driving.

Statistics of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that in 2012, 3,328 died due of distraction-affected crashes. The vision of the driver becomes limited and misses the peripheral details when distracted, according to Harkness. He also said that, doing things such as looking away from the road, moving the hands away the stirring wheel and mind is off the driving can really lead to accidents caused by distractions.

Neurocognitive psychologists said that, the part of the brain that does the driving shuts down by 40% when texting or answering phone while driving. Causing inattention blindness, multitasking weakens the visual perception, according to Harkness.