Ford driving to make roads safe

Ford Vietnam last week started the fifth year of its successful Driving Skills for Life programme, along with its road safety partners in Vietnam and Asia Injury Prevention Foundation.

Reducing the number of traffic fatalities and injuries remains the key mission for Ford’s global Driving Skills For Life (DSFL) campaign across the company’s global markets. The programme has utilised online, classroom and practical training to enhance the learning process and bridge the experience gap of more than 500,000 drivers of all ages.

DSFL provides training in both safe and more economical driving skills. Many DSFL participants in Asia are first-time drivers, as the region’s emerging economies are driving a rapid rise in vehicle ownership. So far, 50,000 have participated in the DSFL programme across Asia with other 12,000 expected in 2012, including 1,500 in Vietnam.  

In 2011, Ford Vietnam provided DSFL training to more than 1,800 licenced drivers, free-of-charge, bringing to 5,000 the number of Vietnamese drivers who have participated in DSFL since it was launched in 2008.

“We are not only committed to providing our customers with vehicles that are leading in safety, quality and fuel efficiency, but with our DSFL training, we also hope to enhance their knowledge and help make them drive better, safer, and with more awareness of other vehicles on the road,” said Hoang Van Minh, vice managing director of Ford Vietnam.     

In addition to safe and fuel efficient driving techniques, Ford also kicked-off a ‘No Horn’ campaign under the DSFL umbrella in support of Vietnam’s Safety Traffic Year 2012. This campaign aims to raise awareness of using a vehicle’s horn properly and appropriately in traffic for safety.

Road traffic accidents continue to cause a high number of fatalities each year in Vietnam. Based on National Traffic Safety Committee, 43,786 traffic accidents were reported in 2011, causing 10,950 fatalities and 48,356 injuries.