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by Drew | Jul 7, 2024 | Blog, Corporate Driver, Driving Tips

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Understanding and Mitigating Our Risk: A Call to Safer Driving

by Drew | Jun 30, 2024 | Blog, Driving Tips

In July 2023, the United States witnessed over 500,000 motor vehicle crashes. The primary causes of these crashes, injuries, and fatalities can be traced back to a few critical factors for safer driving. Distracted Driving: This remains a significant cause of...

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The post Deadly Distractions: The Critical Impact of Poor Driving Skills and Violations on Road Safety appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

In the high-octane world of emergency response and pursuit driving, precision, speed, and safety are paramount. Over the years, DriveTeam’s E.R.O.C. (Emergency Response Operation Courses) Division has emerged as a trusted name, consistently delivering top-notch training to law enforcement professionals across the nation.

Spanning Regions and Delivering Results

DriveTeam’s E.R.O.C. Division boasts an impressive track record, having trained police officers and sheriff’s deputies hailing from over 120 law enforcement agencies. These agencies are not only scattered across the State of Ohio but also span Western Pennsylvania and numerous other states in the U.S.

The core focus of these training sessions revolves around Emergency Response and Pursuit Driving. And the results speak for themselves. Following the completion of these specialized courses, there’s been a notable decline in vehicle crashes and, even more importantly, a marked enhancement in the safety of both officers and the general public.

Convenient and Comprehensive Advanced Emergency Response Training

Understanding the busy schedules of law enforcement professionals, DriveTeam ensures that their courses are both efficient and comprehensive. Each course is meticulously designed to cover the breadth of required knowledge – all in just ONE DAY.

The Advanced Emergency Response Course: A Step Above

DriveTeam is elated to share that its Advanced Emergency Response Course has been approved for Continuing Professional Training (CPT) accreditation. This accolade stands as a testament to the course’s quality and relevance in the evolving field of emergency response driving.

Participants of the Advanced Emergency Response Course can look forward to a holistic training experience that encompasses:

• Classroom Learning: Fundamental principles and advanced theories are imparted to trainees in an interactive classroom environment.
• Simple Vehicle Dynamics: Grasp the basics of how vehicles move and respond.
• Complex Vehicle Dynamics: Dive deeper into the intricate ways vehicles operate under various conditions.
• Weight Transfer: Understand the critical role of weight distribution in a vehicle’s movement.
• Advanced Braking Techniques: Master the art of rapid deceleration without compromising control.
• Cornering: Navigate sharp turns and bends with precision.
• Driving Physics: Get to know the science behind the speed, momentum, and balance.
• Professional Decision Making: Because being behind the wheel in high-pressure situations requires not just skill, but also impeccable judgment.

In conclusion, for those in law enforcement seeking holistic, effective, and time-efficient training in emergency response and pursuit driving, DriveTeam’s E.R.O.C. Division stands out as the premier choice. With their commitment to excellence and continuous improvement, officers are guaranteed not only improved driving skills but also an enhanced understanding of the responsibilities that come with being on the road.

EROC: Advanced Emergency Response Training is Open!

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The post DriveTeam’s E.R.O.C. Division: Leading the Way in Advanced Emergency Response Training appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

Police officers in pursuit must drive at high speeds in a wide variety of potentially dangerous conditions. Fire trucks are heavy, large vehicles barreling down busy roads as they rush to get to an emergency, sometimes facing drivers who don’t provide the right-of-way or encountering debris blocking their way. It’s imperative that emergency personnel understand how to drive their vehicles as safely as possible in all kinds of conditions.

According to the CDC, in the last 10 years, on average, an officer per week has been killed on our nation’s roads. From 2011 to 2020, there were 286 officer line-of-duty deaths due to vehicle crashes (21% of the total).

Accidents involving fire trucks have also been on the rise for the past several years, according to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for on-duty firefighters. Firetruck crashes, occurring at a rate of approximately 30,000 crashes per year, have potentially dire consequences for the vehicle occupants and for the community if the firetruck was traveling to provide emergency services.

Emergency Vehicle Driver Training is Key in Crash Prevention 

Being on the road while working in emergency response is a hazardous business, but the dangers can be mitigated through proper training and safety protocols. Driver training should be a critical component to any police or fire department’s training program.

Ways your personnel will benefit from specialized emergency response driving courses:

They’ll understand the laws that apply to emergency vehicles.

Every state has specific driving laws that apply to emergency response vehicles, and through a specialized driver training program, officers and firefighters will understand all the ins and outs of these laws and regulations as well as being drilled in everyday precautions that are often forgotten or unenforced when in a high-stakes situation. (For instance, a study found that a dangerously large number of firefighters don’t wear their seatbelts, leading to unnecessary fatalities.)

They’ll learn how to properly navigate with “due regard.”

When an emergency occurs, professionals are trained to act as quickly as possible, and be so thoroughly conditioned to the correct procedures that they can do them without having to stop and think about them. The ability to react in a split second is key.

Officers and firefighters need to be trained to operate a motor vehicle such that it becomes second nature and reactions to obstacles or hazards are nearly instantaneous. Then in a real-life situation, when the adrenaline is pumping, the driver can react automatically in the safest way possible so that they are always driving with “due regard” which is defined as “driving in a manner to avoid any predictable collision.”

They’ll learn to avoid the most common errors that lead to crashes.

Some of the most common errors made by emergency response personnel include:

• A loss of control due to improper use of the vehicle’s steering, braking, and other controls;
• Exceeding the vehicle’s tire traction, leading to loss of control;
• Lack of awareness of their surroundings;
• Distracted driving;
• Driving too fast.

These are the types of issues that drivers will train to become more aware of and they will learn techniques for maintaining control of their vehicle in all situations.

They’ll be thoroughly familiarized with their vehicle.

Every police car or fire truck is full of various controls, and the drivers need to not only understand how the mechanics and technology operates, but also be comfortable with the act of driving. Additionally, learning how to drive in emergency mode when the lights and sirens are activated is key to being a safe driver.

They’ll get practical, hands-on training.

Not only does a comprehensive firefighter driver training program involve extensive classroom time, but attendees also get plenty of experience actually learning how to drive the vehicle correctly. Hands-on training helps them feel more comfortable in their skills when it’s time to respond to a real emergency.

Remember, you can’t take care of an emergency if you never get there!

DriveTeam’s mission is to raise firefighters’ and officers’ skills and safety levels through classroom and hands-on driving for real world experience. Our Emergency Response Operations Courses (E.R.O.C) are designed to train emergency response professionals in practical, hands-on driving. Contact us today for more information.

The post The Benefits of Driver Training for Emergency Response Personnel appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed its investigation into Ford Explorer model years 2011 to 2017 is ongoing after a consumer safety group repeated its appeal for a recall.

The issue has extended to the Explorers modified for police use. Ford said it hasn’t found any problems or carbon monoxide intrusion into the vehicles’ cabins that could explain the problem.

“Explorers are safe,” said Elizabeth Weingandt, safety communications manager. “Ford’s investigation and extensive testing has not found carbon monoxide levels that exceed what people are exposed to every day.”

She said customers can bring their vehicle to their local Ford dealer for a free service designed to reduce their concern.

NHTSA officials, however, say Ford’s customer satisfaction campaign does not bring closure to this issue. (Continue reading the full story)

Federal safety officials said they will continue to evaluate complaints submitted to the agency and will review the completion rate of vehicles repaired under Ford’s customer service program. Federal officials encourage owners to contact dealers. The agency asked that owners who experience exhaust odor or have concerns about carbon monoxide exposure contact NHTSA by calling 888-327-4236 or going to NHTSA.gov and clicking “report a problem.”

Source: Alert International via the Detroit Free Press (January 23, 2018)

The post Ford Police Explorer SUV Information appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

Several years ago, my wife Mary experienced such a winter weather “quick change”.  She was driving to our home in rural Medina County from the airport in Cleveland.  When she left the airport, the sky was cloudy and the roads were clear.  Halfway home, the winter snow machine kicked into gear. Visibility dropped to zero and the roadway disappeared into a virtual wall of white.  Most of her visual reference points had disappeared.  Stopping was not a viable option because she could not find what she felt would be a safe place to do so.  Mary’s normal 30 minute drive quickly turned into a 2 hour “white knuckle” trek.  Fortunately, Mary was able to remain calm, employ her excellent driving skills, use what visual references she could (mostly roadside mail boxes), and make use of our Jeep’s winter traction capabilities.  Eventually, Mary made it home safely.

So, how do those of us who must drive in winter conditions do so safely?  First of all, we must understand that as road conditions deteriorate, traction is drastically reduced.  Therefore, the abilities of our vehicle to accelerate, turn and stop are seriously compromised.  Of special concern is the fact that stopping distances greatly increase as grip decreases. All-wheel or four-wheel drive can help but they’re not infallible by any stretch of the imagination, they don’t help much with braking, and can actually lead to a false sense of security.  In order to combat a loss of traction, we must return to the basic premise of driving in adverse conditions.  SLOW down, be SMOOTH, and apply SIMPLE dynamics.  One of the instructional tenets I try to impart to officers taking our driving courses is that “too much speed in the wrong place or at the wrong time WILL hurt you”.   Adverse winter conditions are, without question, the “wrong place and time” to carry too much speed. If an officer does drive too fast for the conditions he or she will quickly learn about the unforgiving nature of the Laws of Physics.

Smooth inputs into the throttle, brake and steering wheel will also help to manage available grip. Remember, “garbage in = garbage out”.  Harsh inputs into the controls by the driver equal negative responses from the vehicle.  Smooth inputs into the controls equal smooth, controlled responses from the vehicle.  Harsh inputs equate to an increased potential for loss of grip while smooth inputs will help take advantage of available grip. Braking properly is extremely critical: brake early and brake smoothly!

Winter road conditions will also require the driver to be extra aware of the concept of simple dynamic weight transfer.  In other words, only ask the vehicle to do one thing at a time.  Brake and accelerate in straight lines and avoid braking or accelerating while turning.

Understanding how to make corrections for a loss of grip is an important aspect of being a good law enforcement driver but, being proactive by preventing skids is even more important.  Being smooth, controlling speed and asking the vehicle to do one thing at a time are critical to being proactive.

As we are all human and prone to making errors, sometimes we do become involved in skids.  Remember, we cannot defeat the laws of physics. If we become involved in a skid situation and that skid becomes too severe, correcting it becomes nearly impossible, even in today’s modern vehicles equipped with Electronic Stability Control and Anti–Lock Braking capability.  Electronic stability control loses much of its magic if you are driving on worn tires, drive 70 mph in a snowstorm or enter an icy corner going 20mph too fast.  Anti–Lock Brakes (ABS) keep the wheels from locking up during emergency braking thereby permitting some ability to steer the car but, even with ABS, applying the brakes too hard in the wrong place, such as in an icy curve, could lead to problems due to excessive weight transfer.  Also, ABS works well for the average driver but, there is some evidence that expert drivers can actually outperform ABS braking, especially on slippery pavement.

One of the major factors in controlling skids is to recognize and respond to them early.  As soon as we feel the vehicle staring to skid we must react.  We will react based on experience and training.  The average driver will most likely, based on their experience and training, stomp on the brake pedal and hopefully attempt to steer out of the skid if necessary.  ABS can help in this situation but much more experienced driver may respond differently.

Training to improve your skill and to gain an understanding of your vehicles capabilities under varying conditions are the only ways to truly become proficient at avoiding and correcting skids. Finding a safe snow covered parking lot and setting up some cones to delineate a skid course is a great way to practice skid control and correction.  Work on understanding the difference between rear wheel skids, front wheel skids and all wheel skids and how each responds to your corrections. Experiment. Try turning the steering wheel into a skid and then try turning in the other direction to see which way works the best to correct the skid, you’ll find out very quickly! Learn what happens when you try different things (or nothing) with the brake or the throttle during a skid. Practice looking where you want the car to go when correcting skids.

Better yet,  DriveTeam EROC offers Winter Driving Skills courses geared specifically toward police officers. We employ state of the art skid vehicles along with expert instruction. Our skid vehicles allow us to vary the amount of traction available. This allows us to change from full grip to nearly zero grip and initiate front, rear or all wheel skids, in real time, at the push of a button. Check out this course and all of our EROC courses for 2017!  The goal of our staff of active and retired police officers at DriveTeam EROC is to do everything we can to provide the professional level of training to keep officers safe while doing one of the things they do the most – DRIVING.

Until Next Time:  Stay Safe!

Dave Schultz

Lead Range Instructor

EROC Blue Division

DriveTeam Inc.

The post It’s About Grip, Not Slip – Police Driving in Adverse Weather Conditions appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

If your company oversees a fleet of vehicles or employs a mobile sales force, implementing a corporate driver training program is vital.  These programs can save the lives of your employees, but they can also protect your company’s financial resources and guard you against liabilities associated with any accidents due to any sort of impaired driving.

Drugged Driving Facts

According to crash statistics from the Ohio Department of Transportation, drugged driving crashes have increased by 25 percent over the last four years. You may have noticed new drugged driving statistics posted on highway signs across the state; these signs were designed to raise awareness about the growing problem here in Ohio. 130 of these electronic message boards have been implemented across the state to date.

In 2016, there have been over 3,500 drugged driving crashes, a number that equals around 33 percent of all impaired driving crashes. Around 4,000 drivers are killed each year with drugs in their systems. While ODOT doesn’t have a complete breakdown of the types of drugs are involved in these fatal crashes, knowing that drugs or a combination of drugs caused around one-third of all impaired driving crashes is enough to realize that action must be taken.

The difficulty with drugged driving is that it can be more difficult for law enforcement to recognize. Drunk drivers are generally easy to spot, but someone under the influence of drugs may display much less obvious signs and symptoms.

Talking to Employees about Impaired Driving

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, and you know your employees will be out and about celebrating the season with friends and family.  Encourage them to make smart decisions while they are out celebrating. If your employees are driving a vehicle impaired in any way, they are putting not only their own lives at risk, but all those sharing the roadways with them. Have a conversation about the recent drug epidemic.

You should also consider implementing a corporate driver training program to educate them about safe driving techniques they might have little to no knowledge of – a lot may have changed since they first obtained their driver’s license!

It’s vital that employers implement these types of programs within their organizations, including addressing impaired driving.

The costs of setting up these programs can be minimal when you compare the cost an accident will incur to your company. Create a clear and concise policy regarding driver safety and communicate it to all employees.

When it comes to a policy regarding alcohol and/or drug use and working, OSHA provides a sample statement to implement company-wide, which says:

“(Name of Company/Organization) has a vital interest in maintaining safe, healthy, and efficient working conditions for its employees. Therefore, the consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs by any employee during “duty hours” is prohibited. Duty hours consist of all working hours, including break periods and on-call periods, whether on or off company premises. The consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs while performing company business or while in a company facility is prohibited.”

This can be the first step in talking to employees about working while impaired, and these rules should of course apply to employees who drive as part of their job.

There’s no time like the present to consider implementing a driving program for your employees.  Drive Team offers corporate driver training courses to teach your employees how to be responsible, safe drivers throughout the year. Leave us a comment below or tweet us @DriveTeamInc to let us know what types of programs have worked for your company.

The post Protect Your Company from the Effects of Impaired Driving appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

The 80% rule, however, does not apply only to the vehicle.  Exceeding 80% of the driver’s capability or skill level can also result in an increased probability of a loss of control.  Many things can have an effect on the driver’s skill level and his or her skill level is not always constant.  Training properly is the most important method of improving driver capability.  The instructor teams at EROC know that our programs will improve driver ability to the point where operating the vehicle at its 80% level is fully achievable.   However, there are other human factors that can vary from person to person and from situation to situation that, while identifiable, are much more difficult to deal with in a training environment.  Some of those factors are:

• Distractions – both mental and physical as well as inside or outside of the vehicle
• Emotions – angry, competitive, worried, “contempt of cop”
• Fitness – tired, ill, on medication, age
• Perception – eyesight and depth perception issues, other cognitive issues
• Space management – inability to make proper judgments in a spatial environment
• Alcohol or drugs – hangover, prescription drugs, drug or alcohol addiction

The Society of Automotive Engineers recently conducted a study which showed that, when confronted with an emergency situation, the average driver’s skills begin to fail at just 40% of the vehicle’s capability. While it must be acknowledged that people have different skill levels, the fact that the “average” driver begins to fail at such a low level of performance is disconcerting.  A police officer operating a patrol vehicle must be held to a much higher standard of performance.  Here at EROC, we have scientifically based training programs that can identify the maximum handling capabilities of a vehicle as well as any percentage of that capability. We can train the officer to understand the vehicle capabilities and his or her own skills and stay well within them, creating a margin of safety.  We can improve the officer’s proficiency so they are far beyond the “average 40% driver.”   We can also help the police officer become more cognizant of those “human” factors which can sometimes interfere with driving success.

With the fast approach of winter weather, our focus for next month will be on winter driving skills.  Until then:

Stay safe out there!

Dave Schultz

Senior Range Instructor

EROC Blue Division

DriveTeam Inc.

The post Driver Capabilities appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

The understanding of vehicle dynamics and how the operator can control those dynamic forces can go a long way in helping to maintain control of the energy produced by our patrol vehicles.  Our Emergency Response Operations Courses (EROC) here at DriveTeam, teach that the 80% Rule is the #1 rule of controlled driving.   Simply stated, the 80% rule means that the operator of a patrol vehicle should NEVER exceed 80% of their vehicle’s capability nor should they EVER exceed 80% of their own skill level.  This month we’ll discuss managing vehicle capabilities.

Our primary focus in our EROC courses is to help the operator learn their vehicles’ capabilities and to improve their skill level.  Our driving exercises are designed to gradually bring drivers up to the vehicle’s 80% level while, at the same time, analyzing and correcting driving techniques so that the operator’s skill level can be improved.

The understanding and recognition of the 80% level is crucial.  When the vehicle is pushed beyond 80% of its physical capabilities, the margin of error shrinks very rapidly.  If an operator is driving at 100% of a vehicle’s capability, there is virtually ZERO margin of error.  Between 80% and 100% the forces on the vehicle ramp up extremely fast. This is due to the fact that as vehicle speed doubles, the forces acting on the vehicle quadruple.

Many modern patrol vehicles have cornering capability,  under ideal conditions, of approximately 0.80g’s+/- of lateral force pushing the vehicle to the outside of a turn.  The vehicle’s tires push back in an effort to counter this force. If the force pushing the vehicle to the outside of the corner overcomes the tires ability to push back, a loss of control results.

Notice the effect of these forces in the following example:

Let’s drive our vehicle around a 100 foot radius corner at 25 mph.  Our vehicle is now generating about 0.40g’s of lateral force pushing it to the outside of the corner.  We will easily make it around the corner because it is generating less than half of the force which the tires are capable of resisting.  Doubling the vehicle’s speed to 50 mph around the same corner (25×2) produces 1.60gs’ of force pushing us to the outside of the curve (0.40×4).  The results will be predictably disastrous,  for we are now asking the vehicle to exceed 2 times it’s cornering capability (1.60g’s vs 0.80g’s). If we drive at 100% of the vehicles capability(0.80g’s) we would negotiate the same corner at  about 35 mph with absolutely no margin of error.  Operating the vehicle using the 80% maximum rule we could negotiate the corner at0 .64g’s at about 31 mph and still have a safe margin of error.   As can be seen, the difference between not making the corner and safely negotiating the corner is only a few miles per hour.   There is nothing wrong with taking the same corner under 80%.  Remember, 80% of the vehicles capability is our MAXIMUM.

The “double the speed, quadruple the force” formula applies to straight line velocity and braking also.  Our 4000 lb. patrol vehicle, moving forward at 25 mph, produces about 88,000 foot pounds of energy.  Increasing our speed to 50mph. now produces about 352,000 foot pounds of energy – four times as much as at 25mph.   Braking from 20 to zero mph. should take about 32 feet to for the average patrol vehicle to accomplish. Braking from 50 to zero mph will take about 128 feet.  This does not include driver reaction time.   As can be seen, too much speed in the wrong place greatly increases the probability of things turning out badly.

How do we know if we are coming close to exceeding 80% of our patrol vehicle’s capability?  Experiencing vehicle responses during training is the most important factor.  Our Essential and Advanced EROC courses are specifically designed to gradually approach 80% of the vehicle’s capability and then complete a series of repetitions at the 80% level.  Changes in the vehicle’s responses are discussed between runs.  Drivers successfully completing 80% runs are next encouraged to drive at upwards of 90% to 100% of the vehicles capability in order to experience vehicle responses at the very limits of control or lack thereof.   More 80% runs will follow. Debriefings and comparisons of vehicle responses are made.  At the end of the training day officers will have a much stronger understanding of what their specific patrol vehicle can and cannot do.

Next month we’ll spend some time discussing the 80% rule as it applies to the driver.

Check out our Fall 2016 Essential, Advanced, Pursuit, Winter Skills and Pursuit Supervision Courses. Above all, Stay Safe!

Dave Schultz

Senior Range Instructor

EROC Blue Division

DriveTeam Inc.

The post The 80 Percent Rule appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..

VEHICLE FACTORS

Tires: Tires provide grip.  Correct, well maintained, properly inflated tires will enhance grip.  Incorrect, worn, damaged or improperly inflated tires will decrease grip, leading to a degraded level of vehicle control.  Police vehicles generally are supplied with all-season type street tires.  All season street tires are a compromise lying somewhere between high performance street tires and winter specific tires.  The tire construction and tread design of all season tires allows for “adequate” dry, wet and light snow operation.  Mixing different types, sizes (unless specified by the vehicle manufacturer) or brands of tires on the same vehicle disrupts vehicle handling.  Also, it is recommended that winter specific tires be used on all four wheels during the winter driving months.  Placing winter tires only on the front or rear of a vehicle will cause an imbalance in handling characteristics.  Proper tires, with proper inflation pressures, are also imperative to the proper function of Anti-Lock Braking, Stability Control and Traction Control systems.

Tires must be properly inflated to function at their optimum.  Under or over inflated tires can be hazardous (especially severely under-inflated tires). Check tire pressures weekly, at the very least.  We advocate using the recommended vehicle manufacturer cold tire pressures. Information on the proper inflation pressures can be located on the tire placard posted the door edge, door post, glove box or fuel door.  Also be aware of the instrument panel warning icons indicating severely low tire pressures.

Worn tires will not perform well, especially in wet or snowy conditions.  The purpose of tire tread is to remove water and snow, mud etc. from between the tire and the road surface, thereby maximizing the tire contact patch.  If these substances cannot be removed, the tire will not make effective contact with the road surface (e.g. hydroplaning) and vehicle control will be severely degraded.  Tires have wear bars in the tread grooves.  If your tires are wearing to the point where the wear bars are close to becoming exposed, it’s time to replace the tires.

Suspension:  Worn suspension parts such as springs, dampers (shocks), ball joints, linkages and bushings will be detrimental to vehicle handling. These parts should be checked and replaced as needed on a regular basis by your department’s vehicle maintenance facility.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

The driving surface plays a major role in grip.  Dry surfaces provide more grip than wet surfaces.  Snow provides less.  Packed snow even less, and ice virtually none.  Debris like sand, oil, dirt, gravel etc. also effect grip.  Environmental changes can occur rapidly and unexpectedly.  Drivers should be looking far enough ahead in order to analyze the road surface and prepare to react to any possible change.  As the driving surface changes for the worse, the driver must slow down appropriately and be as smooth as possible with the controls.  It is always preferable to drive proactively by making adjustments ahead of a problem as opposed to being reactive by trying to fix a problem after it presents itself.

Remember, as discussed last month, the most important factor in maintaining grip is the driver.  The driver has the ability to comprehend, detect, adapt or react to vehicle and environmental issues.  If the driver does not act proactively or reacts inappropriately, a loss of vehicle control could become a serious reality.

Our EROC programs at DriveTeam train police officers to better understand themselves, their vehicles, and the environments in which they operate those vehicles.  Our instructors are proud to present these programs with the goal of keeping police officers safe while performing the task that many do most frequently – driving.

Stay Safe!

Dave Schultz

Lead Range Instructor

EROC Blue Division

DriveTeam Inc.

The post It’s About Grip, Not Slip Part II appeared first on DriveTeam, Inc..