6 Strategies For Effective Online Defensive Driving Training

Training your employees in defensive driving today isn’t the same as it was a year ago. What can you do to continue keeping your drivers safe in all this uncertainty?

Hosting in person training is difficult if not altogether impossible. However, safety training is just as important now as it was before. Your employees face the same risk of accidents and injuries while on the job. If you want to improve your safety results and continue protecting your people, you should consider investing in online defensive driving training.

The Benefits of Online Training

Traditional training takes place in a classroom. There’s an instructor who lectures and educates the group via a combination of presentations, videos, quizzes, activities, and discussions. This has been the standard because, for the most part, it’s effective. However, it’s not your only option for employee education and training.

Online, self-directed learning can be just as, or more effective, than traditional training. If you utilize online defensive driving training, you will benefit from:

• Lower costs of training
• A faster training cycle
• Easy-to-access training materials
• Fewer accidents
• Reduced cost-of-loss

There will always be a need for in-person training. However, if you want to save yourself time, money, and resources otherwise spent on your employees watching stale PowerPoint presentations, online defensive driving training may be a great solution.

Strategies for an Effective Online Training Program

The benefits of online training are clear: you easily train your employees on essential defensive driving materials in less time and for less money. However, there’s a right and a wrong way to go about it.

Introducing an online training program is a big change for many companies. Change is destined to face resistance. Not only that, but if you have yet to dip your toes into the pool of e-learning, you may not know about some tools and technology that can make your life a whole lot easier.

Here are six strategies that will get your online training program off on the right foot.

1. Get a learning management system (LMS).

The first step to success in remote learning is investing in an LMS. An LMS will allow you to upload your own content to your workforce, track participant progress, and allow your employees to access it from anywhere on any smart device, computer, or laptop.

A program like The Fleet Safety Course includes access to a Learning Management System. This makes for easy access to professional defensive driving training, but also allows you to upload your own custom training.

2. Make a plan.

Just like a teacher needs to have a lesson plan, you need to plan your e-learning content. Set a schedule and stick to it so you can stay on-top of your organization’s e-learning goals. Most Learning Management Systems make it easy to set-up a launch schedule for your content.

Of course, investing in off-the-shelf light-duty fleet safety training can make this step easier.

3. Communicate your plan.

A lot has changed in the past year, leading to uncertainty. It’s time to be transparent with your employees. Once you set a plan for your e-learning curriculum, communicate that plan. Open communication will help ensure participation from your workforce.  Share your goals and the benefits your employees will have by engaging in online learning.

4. Get aggressive with your goals.

Depending on your industry, your employees may have more downtime than usual. Of course, this puts stress on your organization, but it could be a time to be opportunistic. Now’s the time to invest more resources into employee development if you’re able. This sets you up for future success.

5. Make yourself available.

As your workforce begins e-learning, there is sure to be questions and concerns from participants. Make yourself available to your employees. IF necessary, set aside time on your calendar to answer emails each day that could be backlogging. Better yet, set-up “office hours” where employees can call you with questions.

6. Stay connected.

Social distancing creates unique challenges. For one, it’s impossible to meet in-person. Set-up video conferencing with your employees to engage the learning material together. Ask probing questions and open the floor for discussion to create a deeper learning.

Confront Your Safety Challenges

You’re facing new and unique roadblocks between you and your safety goals. In person training, behind the wheel instruction, and mentoring is all extremely difficult. However, you don’t have to throw in the towel just yet. Invest in online defensive driving training. The upfront cost will quickly be covered and then some by your reduced accidents, saved resources, and saved time.

Protect your people with online defensive driving training.