DriveTech launches video training series
DriveTech, part of the AA, has launched Driver’s Mate, a video training series which it says represents an innovative new way of communicating safety with professional drivers.
Designed to remind drivers of their moral and legal obligations just before getting behind the wheel, the innovative series of 90-second videos champions and reinforces on-road safety practices.
With hundreds of videos already available, Driver’s Mate not only encourages better behaviours but is designed to refresh a driver’s awareness and ensure a change in attitude, says DriveTech, so that learnings are applied in practice.
The 90-second clips share messages about compliance, driver behaviour and cost savings portrayed through engaging short stories, ideal for viewing on mobile devices.
David Wales, one of DriveTech’s product solutions specialists, led the development of this suite of Driver’s Mate videos.
The series was founded on insight from his years of driver training experience, specifically within the commercial / professional vehicle marketplace. David was inspired to provide an additional training solution for professional drivers which would offer quick ‘nudges’ to promote best practice that would work around their busy daily lives.
Specifically targeted at commercial vehicle drivers, the team at DriveTech works with fleet managers to evaluate driver needs and provide a suite of videos that suit the exact requirements of the business in simple digestible parts.
This ensures drivers have a series of key learning outcomes that will benefit their safety and encourage them to become better drivers over time, says the training provider.
Leo Taylor, head of product solutions at DriveTech, commented: “After spending time evaluating training programmes with our customers, it became clear that there is a role for us to support businesses in communicating safety practices on a more ongoing ‘little and often’ basis.
“We know that reinforcing and reminding of policies and procedures works but this needs to be in an engaging and manageable way for the business and drivers. This led us to create ‘Driver’s Mate’, which is an informal, effective way of keeping fleets up to date with their training in just 90-seconds.
“With DriveTech’s depth of driver risk and driver training experience, we have developed hundreds of episodes, meaning that drivers could be prompted with nudge reminders almost daily.”
DriveTech has also recently launched a new online risk assessment service for HGV drivers, which it says will give businesses a more accurate picture of the nature and weight of risk that any driver is likely to be exposed to based on their vehicle type, the nature of their journeys and work demands.
This, the firm says, will enable further support and training to be better tailored to a driver’s or organisation’s needs.
Leo Taylor added: “We’ve continued to invest in our digital offering to ensure we can deliver tailored risk management support online for businesses and drivers. Our new assessment for drivers of HGVs will be pivotal in helping businesses evaluate and identify risk in their fleet and what next steps to take.
“As we move along the government’s roadmap to easing lockdown, it’s vital that businesses don’t overlook driver risk assessments as society changes once again.
“All businesses will be impacted differently and face varying challenges, whether this is the traffic building on the roads again or passengers returning to public transport, so understanding each driver’s risk profile is important and now it’s simple, quick and cost-effective to do.”
