Driver Safety Training Is Going Digital

Driver safety training is essential to teach best practices for defensive and safe driving to reduce crashes and fatalities. With advances in technology, new options are becoming available for driver safety training. Here’s a brief look into the pros and cons of traditional training options and the benefits of newer options. 

Old Training Solutions

Below are some of the most common traditional driver safety training solutions. Each of these could be used as a stand-alone—but for most drivers, they’ve had a blended mix of these options.

Books & Pamphlets

Books and pamphlets are great tools for driver training because they accurately cover important facts and details, such as the basic rules of the road, driving laws, and what different signs mean. Nothing is overlooked and the information is easily accessible for studying and memorization.

Unfortunately, books provide no practical experience driving. A driver may be able to recite information, but that doesn’t mean they actually understand how to operate a vehicle in certain situations. Also, some people are not visual learners and may have a hard time internalizing knowledge from words alone.

Classroom

Whether instructor-led training courses occur in person or video, they provide a human touch to driver safety training courses. Instructors are valuable, as they create opportunities for discussion and conversation, rather than just cold facts from a book. 

However, instructor-led training can be subjective and inconsistent, as teachers may pick favorites and skim over or ignore certain topics. Also, classroom training omits practical experiences and provides only logic-based knowledge.

On-the-Road

Usually the best way to learn is by doing. Many people learned how to drive by jumping behind the wheel. This is an excellent option for those who excel in hands-on learning. The biggest strength of on-the-road training is the practical, real-world experience it provides.

Unfortunately, it is also easy for driving instructors or chaperones to support bad habits. Performance assessments may not catch every error, and mistakes can be overlooked or forgotten. Another weakness is that learning can be limited depending on where you live, and a driver usually doesn’t gain experience in all road and weather conditions. 

Modernize Training with L3Harris’ Driving Simulators

Driver safety training is going digital, driving simulators are the way of the future. They create a controlled environment where drivers can consistently and safely learn and perfect their skills.

While driving simulators don’t replace traditional driver safety training courses, they are a valuable asset when added to training curriculum. Learn more about how L3Harris’ driving simulators help improve fleet safety training, increase learning retention, reduce accident rates, and save money.