Driving Skills for Life programme to promote safe, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly driving
Johannesburg, 25 August 2010 – Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) launched its globally successful Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) programme in South African this week.
The campaign was launched to a group of South African media, who were briefed on the driving tips and techniques taught in DSFL, followed by a practical driver’s training session at Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria West.
DSFL aims to promote Eco Driving while simultaneously tackling the country’s poor road safety record. The programme is a first for South Africa, where environmental concerns have traditionally taken a back seat.
The driver education course mixes classroom and practical training to help increase awareness of safe driving techniques that also help improve fuel efficiency, and ultimately minimize the spread of CO2 emissions. FMCSA will initially roll the programme out to dealers, employees and fleet customers, before it is made available to the general public.
“The driving programmes generally available in South Africa are either directly meant to promote the performance of a specific vehicle brand, or fall short to promote fuel efficient and Eco driving in the tough conditions that exist on our roads,” explains Jeff Nemeth, FMCSA president and CEO.
“What sets DSFL apart is that it is applicable to all South African drivers, no matter their age or the type of car they drive, and has the three benefits of safety, fuel efficiency and environmentally conscious driving – the latter of which has been overlooked in South Africa for way too long.”
Although the Government’s pending Carbon Emissions Tax is a step in the right direction, we believe that programmes like DSFL will go even further in teaching South Africans about the importance of reducing our emissions, and give us ways to practically achieve this,” concludes Nemeth.
