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Free Winter Driving Video Andy Turner, November 21st 2011
Winter weather can bring delays, difficulties and dangers. But preparing your vehicle, planning your journey and identifying specific weather-related risks can improve your safety.
Blue Light Aware launches today Andy Turner, May 19th 2011
A NEW video, ‘Blue Light Aware’ (www.bluelightaware.org.uk), is launched today by driver education specialist Drive Smarter. The five-minute video, which is available for free universal viewing, seeks to offer advice to drivers on how best to help an emergency service vehicle on a ‘blue light’ run.
The advice is based on the advice available in the Highway Code and addresses specific situations identified as causing confusion for motorists.
The video production follows a three-month consultation period in which emergency service representatives and road safety professionals were invited to provide their expert comment on how each situation should be illustrated and explained. The finished video now has the endorsement of the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Chief Fire Officers Association, the Driving Standards Agency, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, RoadSafe, the Motor Schools Association and the Institute of Advanced Motorists.
Andy Turner, managing director of Drive Smarter, commented: “Our research showed that the vast majority of road users want to help an emergency service driver. The difficulties come because it is not always clear what they are expected to do in order to provide the best help. As a result, too many members of the public are putting themselves in danger, breaking the law or risking damage to their vehicles while trying to assist an emergency vehicle on a blue light run.
“The need for a new information video has been raised frequently in recent years. The Blue Light Aware resource, with the video at its core, has been developed to reduce confusion and doubt for motorists. We are pleased to be providing this information that we believe will act as a bridge of understanding between emergency service drivers and other road users.
“Emergency service drivers make ‘blue light’ journeys because someone needs their urgent help. We in turn can help them by giving them the room they need. In so doing, we may well be helping to save a life.”
In the news: Blue Light Aware to feature on ITV Daybreak tomorrow (May 19th) Andy Turner, May 18th 2011
THE LAUNCH of the Blue Light Aware video and website will be given a significant boost, thanks to an item on the ITV Daybreak programme. For the feature, reporter Michelle Morrison went to Plymouth to record their own blue light run with Tom Baker, Driver Training Manager of Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue.
ITV Daybreak is broadcast on weekday mornings between 6 and 8.30am.
Blue Light Aware set to launch May 19th Andy Turner, May 18th 2011
Drive Smarter is thrilled by the level of support gained in the run-up to releasing the video to the public. The video follows months of careful planning and consultation involving input from more than 100 representatives of the emergency services and road safety organisations.
Deputy Chief Constable Ian Shannon of North Wales Police is the lead on Police Driver Training for the Association of Chief Police Officers. He was happy to endorse the video, saying: "This video is a useful educational tool to assist drivers to respond appropriately and safely to emergency service vehicles responding to calls for help from the public."
Other positive comments have come from a wide range of organisations:
First class and professional. It is well shot clear and edited very well. In many respects in my opinion it is well overdue as recently we have been discussing this issue with some of our local ADI drive trainers as this is not actually a competency for learner drivers, which no doubt has prompted your work! Well done. Gareth Morgan, South Wales Police and Chairman of National Blue Light Users Conference
I have reviewed the footage and feel this can only add to the information already out there regarding how to act when confronted with a blue light situation. In fact it supports the information we have given to those ADIs in the treatment group for the ADI Trial we are currently running. Paul Hebling, Assistant Chief Driving Examiner, DSA
This production is excellent and provides a great message. Well done. Sgt Paul Sochon, Kent Police
It ís a good common-sense approach video. Susan Storch, Dyfed Powys Police
I think for a 5 minute awareness video it hits the mark well. The bus lane and traffic light one is always a grey area and one which requires a common sense approach which the courts by all accounts fail to have when tested so therefore your advice is sound. Well done, you put a lot of hard work into this and it shows. Frank Johnstone, Norfolk Fire and Rescue
Overall this film is very good, congratulations. John Lepine, Motor Schools Association
A fine effort. Ian Grant, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue
It is a good source of information and we feel it may be a good thing to include showing this video when a person sits the theory test, that way we are getting people from the start of their driving career, as this will be shown from time to time it will serve as a refresher. Adrian Garner, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue
Overall in my opinion it is very good and should be of great benefit to other road users. I very much like the calming influence in the video. Well done. Chris Harrison, Cornwall Fire and Rescue
This looks good to me. It will be a really good training aid for us as well as for the general public. Jon Porter, South Central Ambulance
In the news: Stay cool on the road James Luckhurst, April 8th 2011
It's happened to us all. You're driving through London, minding your own business, when suddenly a police car looms up in your rear-view mirror, its blue light illluminating the inside of your car, its siren making your heartbeat rise a little.
Many drivers' first reaction is to hit the brakes causing chaos for motorists behind. Their second reaction, however, is as infinitely variable as the number of motorists on the roads. Police, ambulance and fire crew have witnessed panic-stricken motorists crash into each other in their haste to get out of the way....
To read the article in the London Evening Standard, click here.
In the news: Blue Light Aware James Luckhurst, April 6th 2011
Drive Smarter is producing a public information video about exactly what to do when drivers see the emergency services on a blue light run. The video is being produced by Drive Smarter with sponsorship from GEM Motoring Assist Charity and Volvo. Support is coming from ACPO. ACPOS, DSA, RoadSafe and many more organisations across the UK.
In the news: Interview with FleetDirectory.co.uk Andy Turner, January 18th 2011
Read our interview with FleetDirectory.co.uk where we discuss green driving, fuel savings, the financial benefits of a driver training programme and a business's duty-of-care responsibilities.
Drive Smarter Small Fleet Launches Andy Turner, January 11th 2011
DRIVER E-LEARNING PROVIDER Drive Smarter has launched a low-cost programme to assist small fleets with compliance, cost-savings and risk reduction. The ‘Drive Smarter Small Fleet’ programme is designed as an affordable package, with easy to understand pricing and content, that delivers not only the required duty-of-care to employees but also contributes towards reducing accident damage costs.
Comments Drive Smarter Managing Director, Andy Turner: “An average repair costs between £600 and £1,200. But this doesn’t include soft costs such as time out of the office and administration. These costs quickly add up, even on a small fleet.
“Our programme provides a positive and engaging learning opportunity that can cut accidents and incidents, as well as reducing their severity. Green driving techniques are encouraged throughout the programme, with the potential for significant fuel savings, too.”
A Drive Smarter Small Fleet site licence costs from as little as £499 and includes an individual Risk Profile, video-based e-Learning modules, reporting, support, maintenance and updates.
New Green Driving Video Preview Andy Turner, June 30th 2010
The general trend for fuel prices is up and research shows that road traffic is the second biggest cause of global warming. Yet it would be hard for most of us to live without a car.
Drive Smarter modules always contain a message about greener driving. However, if you require an e-Learning module that focuses solely on the subject, then try our new module - Techniques for Greener Driving. Below you can preview the video but for a complete demo, including a preview of our e-Learning system, contact us today.
New Multilingual Capabilities Andy Turner, May 24th 2010
If your organisation has operations in other parts of the world, you may be interested in knowing that we have just launched a multilingual capability to our entire system. This means that, as well as creating videos in the language(s) of your choice, we can also translate every part of the web product (from the multiple-choice questions and answers through to the smallest error message) into any language.
Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue begins
Drive Smarter e-Learning Programme James Luckhurst, May 17th 2010
We are very pleased to welcome Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service as a new customer. A group of their staff, both front-line and non-uniform, have embarked on a three-year Drive Smarter e-Learning programme. Driver Training Manager Kevin Dell said he had chosen us because we allowed him to go a long way towards achieving compliance, while also ensuring a top-class user experience. “Drive Smarter offered us a trial of their system. I chose 20 colleagues from across the Service to take part. Their feedback was unanimously positive, and I am delighted that we were able to make a business case for purchasing a programme and introducing this style of learning through the Service. I have high hopes for its long-term success,” he said.
Client study shows the real financial benefits of our driver safety programme Andy Turner, May 12th 2010
We are well aware that, in today’s economic climate, it can be difficult to justify to the Finance Director that spending money on driver safety is a good idea. But why not let the figures speak for themselves! We have just completed a study, with one of our clients, to demonstrate the very clear benefit of what their Drive Smarter programme saved them, compared with what it cost them. For example, their drivers who completed the programme reported a 30% reduction in incidents, an almost 50% reduction in accidental damage costs and an average saving of nearly £400 on the cost of a motor damage claim. We would be happy to share more details of this compelling study - contact us today for a copy.
Blue Light Aware Campaign: Sponsorship needed! James Luckhurst, May 10th 2010
As a road user, do you know what to do when there’s an emergency vehicle coming past on a blue light run? The sight and sound of a police car, fire engine or ambulance tends to cause many of us to tense up and panic. The result can be that we hinder rather than help the emergency vehicle, and we also risk putting ourselves in danger. Drive Smarter is working with the emergency services to help remove that tension and panic. We will be producing a short, informative movie that sets out clearly what to do in these situations - and what NOT to do. There are currently opportunities for involvement and sponsorship. We are working towards a high profile national launch later in the year, so it is an exciting project to be involved with.
What concerns do the public have when it comes to assisting Blue Light drivers? James Luckhurst, January 20th 2010
Drive Smarter’s James Luckhurst assumed it would little more than whether or not to move across a red traffic signal when he put out a request for questions and comments to the readers of Good Motoring magazine. But he found there were questions on all sorts of issues, which he was able to put to Inspector Mary Chapman of Thames Valley Police, Kevin Dell of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue and Jon Porter of South Central Ambulance. He first asked Jon Porter about how someone with a hearing impairment – and therefore a reduced ability to hear sirens - might best assist a blue light driver...
Click the Blue Light Discussion link below to hear the interview.
