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Teaching safety - Brian Kerr of DaimlerChrysler’s Driver Training Academy.

Understanding new truck safety technology is a major element of the modern truck driver’s skills set.

Without doubt, drivers are the most important link in the road safety chain. It is ultimately up to the person behind the wheel to navigate the vehicle safely to its destination. A shortage of skilled truck drivers is a major obstacle facing South Africa’s transport industry and a combination of poorly maintained vehicles piloted by underskilled/unfit drivers is a major contributing factor to the high number of accidents on our roads involving trucks. If vehicles are properly maintained, it is the driver who is held accountable in the event of an accident. To save their own skin, truck drivers need advanced driving skills to prevent a collision on our congested roadways. FleetWatch asked driver trainer team leader at DaimlerChrysler SA, Brian Kerr, to give us some insights into defensive driving. 

What is defensive driving?

This is a process where a driver applies certain disciplines and methods to avoid accidents and preserve life. A defensive driver will drive cautiously and attentively, ensuring that he or she is always prepared for, and can react to, the unexpected. 

What techniques does it comprise?

Firstly we need to take note of our external factors. These factors are things like other road users, road surface, traffic density, visibility, weather conditions etc. The human factor is probably the most important aspect in this equation and the techniques around perception and anticipation can result in better judgement and the adjustment of driving behaviour in any given situation.

To do this, we teach drivers how to identify external factors and how to react, how to understand the human factor in traffic situations. We teach techniques on field of vision, like acute vision, line of view, attention switching, stressrelated changes in information processing, and how to identify driver misjudgements. 

We also use basic techniques like: how to identify blind spots and the correct driving techniques, the following distance rule, SIPDE technique (Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide and Execute your decision) and lastly the ABC of driving (Attitude, Back down, Clear space). In essence, applying our driving philosophy will mean drivers become more professional. Stress is lowered, safety is improved, fuel consumption is reduced, downtime costs are reduced, transport efficiency is optimised, wear and tear costs are reduced and there is also a very important reduction of the environmental impact of truck accidents. 

How does defensive driving/training in SA differ to that in Europe? 

Firstly, we are accredited through Germany as international driver trainers. We use a global driver training system, which is the same all around the world. However, due to the difference in drivers, their educational backgrounds etc, we sometimes employ various techniques to bring a driver to a level where he or she can understand our international driving techniques. 

How should management manage drivers with regards to defensive driving and road safety in general? 

Defensive driving and safety is a shared responsibility between driver and management. I feel that management needs to get more in tune with what drivers go through and listen to them more. Many companies only look at profit and could not care about safety and training. Management has a responsibly to train drivers correctly, and to put a management system into place to monitor these drivers so as to create an effective system for the transport company and to promote safer driving on our roads. 

What is the general status of learners that come to you as far as knowledge of defensive driving is concerned (Have they heard of the concept)? 

This is an interesting question. Many drivers have their own thoughts on this topic but knowing something and applying it properly are two separate issues. I sometimes pose the question to drivers regarding reaction time and stopping distance at varying speeds. Maybe 5% of drivers will know the answer, because my point with this question is all about planning ahead and how to react to situations that change from second to second. It’s all about situational driving and limitations imposed on drivers. The techniques we use however look at the psyche of a driver, an important thing when one considers the number of drivers with defensive driving training who are not fully aware of their potential to apply these techniques. 

What are your general thoughts on road/truck safety and how to improve it? 

Presently road safety/ truck safety needs a lot of attention due to the high accident rate. I feel the problem is directly related to the shortage of drivers and the transport companies’ desperation to keep their loads moving. It seems that in many companies there is no time for training. This is a major factor in accidents, coupled with the practice of overloading, unroadworthy vehicles, bad road conditions and various other factors. 

To improve this situation we need to improve the image of the truck industry, standardise driver conditions of employment and enforce these conditions to attract more drivers. We need to educate the transport industry on the training centres and on organisations that can assist with driver training. The industry also should take advantage of Driver Training Learnerships that exist to up-skill the younger or inexperienced drivers to overcome the driver shortage and to create jobs. The industry as a whole will need to work together to improve the driver shortage and the accident rate. 

With the technology that exists today, drivers have to be trained to get the best out of that vehicle, this will directly add benefit to the profit margins of transport companies and will result in safer driving. I have never come across any driver in my years of training who has never benefited from driver training. We all learn something new every day. We can’t pull technology back, but through training we can bring the level of the driver to the level of technology. Technology is there to improve the driver’s job on the road and if we look back over the years, we can see clearly the leaps and bounds that have been achieved in this regard.