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The DSFL program was established in 2003 by the Ford Motor Company Fund in conjunction with the Governors Highway Safety Association and a panel of safety experts. Officially launched within South Africa in 2010., the panel came together to create the Ford Driving Skills for Life program which teaches legal drivers of all ages the necessary skills for safe driving beyond than they learn in a typical driving school lesson.
The series of steps taught in the course are international in scope not only in South Africa but in many areas around the world. The main premise behind Ford Driving Skills for Life is to provide a step up in the learning process with new skills and information that are not currently shared with newly licensed drivers in basic driver education courses.
Training is conducted in a hands-on curriculum and the entire program is available free of charge. The training conducted under the Ford Driving Skills for Life program addresses the inexperience factor as well as issues surrounding distracted driving and fuel-efficient driving tips.
According to statistics, a total of 1,685 people died on the roads during the 2021 holiday season, a 14% increase compared to the previous period. Ford’s DSFL program is dedicated to lowering this number by helping drivers improve their skills in key areas that contribute to 60% of vehicle crashes, such as:
Hazard Identification:
With Hazard Recognition, the driver learns how to scan for trouble, especially in busy situations such as entering – and turning into – an intersection. Key safety areas are identified, and drivers are taught how to minimize distractions to avoid fatigue.
Vehicle Handling:
Vehicle handling involves learning to control the vehicle’s balance and the forces acting on it when in motion. Drivers will experience the effect of acceleration and braking on a vehicle’s stability, and driving techniques designed to transition between them smoothly. This helps maintain good grip and traction on the road surface at all times. DSFL also teaches drivers how to recover from a skid and the different dynamics between front- and rear-wheel drive vehicles.
Space Management:
South Africa’s increasingly busy road network makes space management an important defense against road accidents. Being aware of the space around the vehicle will reduce the chance of a rear end collision, or having an accident.
Speed Management:
Excessive speed can endanger not only yourself but those around you. DSFL instructors will help demonstrate these dangerous and reckless driving behaviors while also demonstrating how emergency driving techniques can supplement active driver aids, which are equipped in the vehicle.
Distracted and impaired driving:
One of the main causes of collisions is drunk driving, which has a significant impact on the driver’s concentration levels, general awareness, depth perception and peripheral vision, reaction time and reflexes. To prove the point, the DSFL team uses drunk goggles that simulate the dramatic effects of driving under the influence of alcohol. Phone use while driving is quickly becoming one of the major contributors to traffic accidents, and the Ford DSFL program highlights the shocking reality of how texting while driving comes to life.
As a driver, you need to be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times, especially when driving in areas with pedestrian activity. Always stop for pedestrians at a zebra crossing and never pass vehicles stopping at zebra crossings as they may stop to allow pedestrians to cross the street. Always Stay focused and slow down where children may be.
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