Safety and driving fun – not just for beginners

Cars are becoming safer and safer. Innovative automotive suppliers such as HELLA are ensuring that this happens. But one thing is also clear: Real road safety starts with the driver. If you can also control your vehicle with ease in extreme situations, your driving experience will not only be safer but also more relaxed. A driver safety training course can make a decisive difference – and not just for novice drivers.

In many countries such as Austria driver training is an integral part of the driving licence qualification. A glance across the Alps shows that this makes a great deal of sense: Since the introduction of compulsory courses, the number of accidents involving young drivers has fallen by more than half – an indication of how effective targeted training can be. But not only novice drivers benefit from this: Even seasoned commuters, experienced drivers and senior citizens with decades of driving experience can regain valuable safety by participating in training – safety that often slips away unnoticed over time.

Professional driver safety training is usually a combination of theory and practice.
The theoretical part communicates:

• The fundamental principles of driving physics
• Correct sitting position
• Eye movement and steering technique

In practice, the training takes place in prepared practice areas where realistic but controlled scenarios are simulated:

• Braking on slippery roads
• Avoiding an obstacle
• How to respond when cornering too fast

These manoeuvres are almost impossible to practice in everyday life – but driver training under professional guidance and with sufficient repetition makes it possible.

In addition to classic basic training courses, there are specialised offers – depending on the vehicle type or season:

• Winter training: Handling on ice and snow, controlled braking and steering, avoiding skidding.
• Off-road training: For SUV or off-road vehicle drivers, focussing on vehicle control when driving on inclines, along side slopes and on uneven terrain.

Even drivers with all-wheel-drive experience can still learn a lot about the characteristics of their vehicle here.

A central element of all training is the person behind the wheel. Many problems in road traffic are not caused by a lack of knowledge, but by stress, incorrect reactions or a lack of confidence in one's own ability.

That's why we also focus on mental preparation:

• How do you keep a cool head in an emergency situation?
• How do you avoid panic reactions?
• How do you deal with distractions or time pressure?

Because a few seconds often decide the outcome of a situation.

Driving training can also be useful in new phases of life. Anyone returning to driving after a long break must first rebuild their confidence in themselves and for driving in road traffic. Training also helps you get used to the new handling characteristics when changing vehicles – for example from a small car to an SUV or when switching to an automatic transmission.

Seasoned drivers often develop risky habits in everyday life without even realising it:

• short response times
• insufficient eye movement
• delayed braking

Driver training helps to recognise and correct these patterns. Scenarios are also practised that are rare in everyday life but can be decisive in an emergency – such as emergency braking or sudden evasive manoeuvres.

Additional advantage: Better understanding of your own vehicle in extreme situations – for example by experiencing traction, load transfer and braking behaviour.

The cost of basic driver training is usually in the lower three-figure range. It varies depending on the provider, region and type of training. Many occupational groups receive subsidies from employers' liability insurance associations or accident insurance funds for example. Some insurers also grant discounts on premiums – a further incentive to invest in your own safety.

Modern assistance systems such as electronic stability programmes or adaptive lighting technology make driving safer. But they can only realise their full potential if the driver knows how to use them correctly. Driver training sharpens awareness, strengthens handling proficiency and gets technology, knowledge and experience working in harmony – for greater safety and a more enjoyable driving experience on the road.