Denver7 Interviews DriveSafe Driving Schools on Colorado’s Increased Traffic Accidents
Denver7 broadcasts a recent report from the Colorado Department of Transportation, in which they announced traffic deaths in Colorado reached their highest levels since 1981, a 57% increase from even just a decade ago. As the leading driving school in Colorado, we recognize the importance that education plays in combating the risks drivers face on the road.
Denver7 interviews one of our state certified instructors, Jake Dinwiddie, for comments on this rising issue. As the population in Colorado increases, roads are “getting bigger, faster, and we’re getting more cars,” Dinwiddie says. “[Roadlaws] are constantly changing. And when you think about it, that means the majority of people out on our roads learn something that’s probably different than the way it’s supposed to be done now.” The more roadways evolve, the more complex it can be for drivers at any experience level, to manage.
This is why our #1 goal as a company is to empower drivers with the proper knowledge and defensive driving skills to keep themselves, and others, safe on the road. While it’s important to understand the dangers and risks of driving, we believe in the importance of teaching drivers how to identify and face those challenges with confidence. We empower and install that confidence in our students through a non-fear based approach to our curriculum, with an emphasis on defensive driving.
Foundation for Defensive Driving
To develop defensive driving habits we focus on a decision making process called IPDE (Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute) to teach our students attentive and agile driving skills.
- (I)dentify = Information Gathering
- Keep your eyes moving in an orderly visual search pattern to scan for potential hazards in your environment. Seek clues for potential hazards, everything from road conditions to other drivers or pedestrians’ behavior.
- (P)redict = Risk Management Plan
- Predict hazards that could unfold and anticipate possible points of conflict. Assess the risk to you and others, and evaluate your options based on all available information. Position yourself at a safe distance from other drivers, this allows for more reaction time and maneuvering.
- (D)ecide = Decide on Your Response
- With information gathered and anticipation of hazards, decide your best course of action to maintain yours and others’ safety.
- (E)xecute
- With awareness, maneuver your vehicle safely. Remain alert and agile as things can change suddenly
With practice, these principles become second nature. IPDE helps you avoid collisions through attentive and defensive driving techniques. With the IPDE decision making processes, and live practice, these tactics can help debunk the complexities of the road and diffuse the overwhelm of driving, which help fuel the confidence in students who learn through our program. We go into greater depth on many ways to apply these skills within our curriculum and training. As laws continue to change and roadways get more challenging, we highly recommend education as a solution to increasing driver safety and reducing traffic accidents.
Lastly, we recognize that as road laws change, so do education requirements. We believe in equal access to education, but recognize that as a business, driving courses need to be affordable for everyone. In response to this; we collaborate with the Colorado Department of Human Services to offer affordable driver’s education through the SNAP Program. For more information on how to apply visit CDHS SNAP to receive access.
Like any problem solving we do in life, the more resources and information we have, the better equipped we are to handle obstacles. At DriveSafe, we’re here to make our customers safe and confident drivers for life, no matter the challenges they face out on the roads.
Click here to read the full Denver7 Article
Thank you to Denver7 News Channel and Reporter Meghan Lopez.
