PDV Caribe Dominica Limited has embarked on a training exercise geared at encouraging company drivers to develop safer attitudes towards driving.
A two-week defensive driving training exercise which commenced last week is part of the company’s program of activities to observe Health and Safety month this April.
Martin Joseph from Omega Driving School based in Saint Lucia, has been brought to Dominica to facilitate the training exercise.
“My job is really to train the company drivers,” he said. “We started off with the drivers who drive the 40-foot containers and we trained drivers in lower classes of vehicles as well,” Joseph confirmed.
Joseph said the training exercise is designed to change the mindset of drivers to be more vigilant.
“A lot of people do things dangerously, it’s become a normal part of their driving, they do it every day, and get away with it. What my company is trying to do together with Petro Caribe, is to change the mindset of drivers, not just the drivers of Petro Caribe but of ordinary drivers as well,” he said.
Joseph explained that defensive driving involves being observant, exercising good anticipation skills and always questioning the actions of other road users.
He noted that defensive driving is based on good observation initially.
“A lot of people drive, they use the same route everyday and they really don’t think about it. Some drive on automatic pilot from the time they leave home till they arrive at their destination, they are not actually seeing things that they should be seeing,” he noted.
He notes that “if everything goes ok it’s not a problem, but if something happens to interrupt drivers’ normal procedure, then it does become a problem”.
In speaking on the subject of anticipation and control skills, Joseph said anticipation means what people are going to do while driving. He used the following illustration to make his point.
“Let me give an example, you are driving down the road, there are parked cars on either side, one of the things we should be anticipating is children running in between the cars. Obviously because of the height of the child you may not see that child above the height of the vehicle, so it’s important that we anticipate,” he explained.
“Would you be coming up to a junction, you are on the main road, you see a vehicle on your left, whose waiting to enter, you’ve got a bit of speed, what you’ve got to anticipate, is what you are going to do if that vehicle that is supposed to wait till you pass him suddenly emerges in front of you?” he stated.
He said getting out of that situation would be dependent on good anticipation and control skills.
The defensive driving training exercise by OMEGA driving school, will examine other topics including information about the importance of air bags and of wearing the safety belt.
The training exercise which involves drivers from other local companies will come to an end on Friday April 19.
DNO Admin: I hope you print my comment.
Here goes. My understanding of the condition under the petro caribe agreement is that, the funds retained should be used for social projects. This begs the question therefore, is this initiative a social programme worthy of support under the agreement? The topics and issues highlighted by Mr. Joseph are very important ones, which I believe should be handled by the police traffic dept. in similar type workshops. I’m also of the opinion that the driving test in Dominica should be changed to include just these topics and that the practical test should focus also on observation and awareness skills.
Now finally, isn’t there anyone in Dominica capable of delivering such training to our drivers? I question this because it appears to me that this is yet another avenue for the money at PVD to be siphoned to people’s pockets through kick backs. It may not be a huge amount but as we sometimes say “one, one full the basket”
All you who own PDV . anybody know nuh. The last time I checked PDV was owned by one man the peepeeep minister. Someboy prove me wrong nuh please.
If I had to give a gift to a new driver, or to any driver for that matter, It would be a Defensive Driving Course. I have seen many seasoned drivers , when selected to go on a DDC, complained bitterly that they do not need it. After completing the course they were among the first participants to shake the Driving Instructor’s hand and thank him,
all the bus drivers need to do at list twice in other words if it is a 2 week course they should do 4
we didnt need a driving school operator from st.lucia to come hear and teach that,this basic drivingour lcoal driving schools are all aware of that trust me.we need more traffic signs on the road for one,if you drive around roseau and you are from the country side you might have to spend some time to look for the signs, some hidden, some delappidated, some you only see the pole and no sign,and goes on and on.
I agree!! and to add to that, Dominican drivers are simply selfish! they dont think of other drivers on the road. They idle in the middle of the street to hold conversations; their indicators show the oppOsIte of what they’re doing because they dont care that you’re using the road as well, and that you need to know what they plan to do (by indicating)….and thats for those who actually use their indicators eh…the list goes on. it’s just plain SELFISHNESS!! Because THEY KNOW BETTER
Long time comining great initiative, my hope is that such courses should be offered to all those who sit behind the wheel and drive on our roads. It`s becoming ridiculos to witness how some of our drivers behave while useing our roads their vehicles has become offences weapons we need to call it for what it is come on my people the life you save my be your own.
thats a very good move ,keep on the good work guys