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Decrease Distracting Driving Behaviors Among Commercial Drivers
Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety Program Offers Train the Trainer Workshops to Increase Driving Safety Awareness and Decrease Distracting Driving Behaviors Among Commercial Drivers
By Jill Rybar, MPH, Deputy Director, Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety, University of California, San Diego
With fiscal 2019 High Priority Grant program funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety (TREDS) program at University of California, San Diego has developed an educational program to reduce the risk distracted driving poses to the commercial motor vehicle industry and all roadway users.
The “Just Drive: Deliver Distraction-Free” course is a one-hour class designed to increase driving safety awareness and decrease distracted driving behaviors among commercial motor vehicle drivers, specifically addressing the use of cell phones and electronic communication devices. The curriculum can be delivered in-person or virtually and utilizes a variety of engagement methods such as PowerPoint®, polling, case examples and video. Over the past year, TREDS has delivered 11 “Just Drive” train the trainer programs at no-cost to Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, preparing 180 commercial motor vehicle industry and law enforcement professionals to become course instructors. Comments and feedback from the workshop participants have been overwhelmingly positive with many expressing enthusiasm for delivering classes in their respective states.
Additionally, 100% of the instructor students agreed that the curriculum adequately covered the risks and consequences of distracted driving and 97% agreed that they planned to use the program.
TREDS has developed support materials to augment the “Just Drive” curriculum, including: • Social media posts • Newsletter copy • Video clips that highlight risks and reinforce safe driving • A four-minute video comprised of testimonials from commercial driver’s license holders that addresses a variety of distracted driving topics (can be viewed on the TREDS website)
Two train the trainer programs, held virtually, will be available in 2022. If you are interested in becoming an instructor, visit the webpages listed below to register. • Tuesday, May 3, 9-11 a.m. PST bit.ly/JustDriveMay2022 • Wednesday, July 13, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. PST bit.ly/JustDriveJuly2022 n
