Ford has continued its Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) programme in Malaysia, recently hosting workshops for students at the Malaysian Multimedia University (MMU), aimed at raising awareness of safe driving.
The half-day DSFL workshops are free of charge and emphasises the importance of safe driving. Ford did one round of DSFL at Taylor’s University earlier this year and the programme will continue in 2016. It is the company’s flagship global corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.
“Driving Skills for Life is a hands-on driver training programme designed to help drivers develop essential skills to be safe on the road, which is especially important for newly licensed drivers like university students,” said David Westerman, MD of Asia Pacific Emerging Markets at Ford Motor Company.
DSFL training includes both classroom sessions covering theory as well as a hands-on driving session to apply the knowledge. In addition to the programme’s core content, an emphasis on the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol has been incorporated this year, including having participants wear a specially designed suit that simulates the experience of driving while movement and coordination are impaired.
“As a global company with an established presence in Malaysia, we are passionate about instilling road safety awareness among drivers, with the aim of making the roads safer for drivers, motorists and pedestrians,” Westerman added.
“Being a new driver and a huge car enthusiast, I loved having the chance to learn new skills to drive safer on the road. The programme taught me to keep a safe distance between my vehicle and the car in front, and how to use proper braking techniques in an emergency situation,” said Noor Azlan bin Mahmud, a first year student at MMU.
By the end of 2015, Ford DSFL will reach more than 150,000 people with behind-the-wheel training and hundreds of thousands more through online training, school programmes and safe driving campaigns in 32 countries. Initiatives like DSFL are good for Malaysia, which according to MIROS, recorded 476,000 accidents in 2014, resulting in over 6,600 fatalities. Shocking numbers.
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