Keyholder Response

Keybury staff, collectively, drive over half a million miles a year. So seven years ago we decided to introduce defensive driving training.

Apart from the obvious benefits of driving safely, the hidden costs of accidents can be significant when you factor in lost production, vehicle repairs, loan vehicles as well as administration time etc.

All company drivers take the course on joining the company and then have a refresher course every three years.  Each course lasts a full day and includes some classroom work but most of the day is spent on the road with the instructor, Mr Unsworth. He has a wealth of driving instruction experience and provides a full assessment of the driver’s driving ability both before and after the training which clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the course.

Topics covered during the course include: reaction to hazards, space awareness and vehicle and personal safety.  Multiple environments are also taken into consideration such as:  urban roads, multi-lane roads, country lanes, junctions and roundabouts.

Keybury staff who have completed the training tell us how much it has helped their understanding of driving and built on their skills with noticeable improvements.  They state that learning how to gain the best visibility of the road and taking in the larger picture as they are driving increases their awareness of possible hazards.

Driving practises were also introduced to help them deal with unexpected events such as more advanced emergency stops.  This better equips them to deal with unforeseen hazards that may occur during their working day.

The reduction of accidents since undertaking this training has been very encouraging, keeping our employees safe and ensuring we get to our customers safely and on time.