Our programs are successful
because they are:
• Easy and exciting to learn
• Practical to use every mile of every day
• Enthusiastically accepted by students
• Convincing drivers to adopt safer driving habits
Traffic Collision Statistics
If you have driver training needs, it is a good bet we can meet them.  All training can be conducted at a location of your choice.  We don't teach people how to drive, we teach them how to improve their driving.  We turn unsafe drivers into "good" drivers—and good drivers into better drivers!   Our goal is Zero Preventable Collisions.

One Day Training

ADVANCED DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAM
This is an excellent behind the wheel overview of Smith System principles.
 
We come directly to your location to present this valuable course to your employees. The focus of this class is hands-on, on-road learning in actual driving environments.  We start with a brief classroom introduction and finish on the road.  In the classroom, discussions and video presentations include:
• Collision statistics (customized to your organization upon request)
• The common factors that cause collisions
• An introduction to Smith System's "5 Keys to Space Cushion
Driving"
• How the "5 Keys" can be used to avoid backing collisions
• And, much more!
The remainder of the day is spent in a vehicle, on the road; the best place in which poor driving habits can be identified and overcome.  Students participate from behind the wheel and from their observation seats.  During this segment, they learn:
• How to use important traffic information to their advantage
• How to isolate and insulate the vehicle in traffic
• How to forecast the probable activities of other drivers
• How to reduce fuel consumption
• How to reduce vehicle maintenance costs
• And, much more!
At the conclusion of the class, students will receive a Driving Checklist, an evaluation form, a backing pamphlet, "5 Keys" reminder sticker and a certificate of completion.
If you are unable to assemble your own group and need to participate on an individual basis, we have Multi-Company Advanced Driver training courses.

About the Class

We have a fifty-year track record of helping fleets get results because our training is easy to understand and it works.  Most of the time is spent behind the wheel in the real world.  This is the only place where poor driving habits can be detected and corrected.

The day begins with a short in-class session that lasts about two hours.  Our instructor will cover accident statistics and introduction to the Smith System concept of Space Cushion Driving.  There is also emphasis on backing collision avoidance techniques – backing is the most common collision for many fleets.  Finally, a video outlining our methods is shown before the class goes on-road.

The balance of the day is spent coaching and evaluating each student’s style. Every student will be behind the wheel three times as they learn to apply our safe driving techniques. Some areas of focus are: proper following distance, controlling intersection risks and anticipating driver error. Each participant will receive a written evaluation, handout materials and a certificate of completion.

The fee for all locations is $373.00. Please call our office for pricing in Alaska. This fee is due by credit card upon enrollment.

Multi-Company DriverDirect^SM One-Day Advanced Driver Training Sessions Dates And Locations for 2008

Reduced
New Class

** All class dates dependent upon sufficient enrollment

Two Day Training

TWO-DAY ADVANCED DRIVER TRAINING PROGRAM
This is our most effective approach to drastically cutting the collision potential of experienced drivers.  But the benefits don't end there.   The course will also yield a measurable reduction in fuel consumption and maintenance expenses.  These two educational days will bring about a vast change in how people operate their motor vehicles.  This program could be a very important investment in your drivers' future and your organization's bottom line.

During the two-day training course, we start by teaching students everything they would learn in the one-day training.  We will not only expand on every element of the one-day course content, we will also help students achieve another level of knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the skills required to maintain a consistent, collision-free driving record.

Students will be provided a written evaluation of their vehicle operation skills and they will participate in the formal evaluation of driver backing skills.  These evaluation processes will give our graduates tangible ideas and concepts to practice as they build on the knowledge they will have acquired.

Instructor Training

If you have an internal safety or training department and wish to conduct your training in-house, we will teach people you select from within your organization to instruct Smith System on-road techniques to your drivers.
Whether you operate small vehicles, trucks or buses, we understand your problems and can build a training program around your specific needs. Our instructors have studied and understand the perceptual behavior patterns of drivers.  They know how to instill that knowledge in your driver trainers.  Once your instructors are certified, they will have the skills to bring our proven traffic collision prevention concepts to your fleet drivers. And they will be able to deliver the information in a way that is positive, interesting and very compelling. Your instructor trainees will learn to:
• Verbally outline Smith System principles.
• Observe drivers for the physical and perceptual errors that lead to collisions.
• Coach students as they operate the vehicle, accelerating learning tremendously.
• Evaluate students, in written form, as they drive.
• Educate their students in the art of backing a vehicle safely.
If you have 3 or more instructor candidates, we can teach a class at a location of your choice.  You can have an effective on-road driver training program up and running, in a very short period of time.
If you have less than 3 instructor candidates to be trained we have Multi-Company sessions offered nationwide to meet your needs.

Smith System ®has been teaching people to become safer drivers for fifty years. Our techniques are validated by the success of thousands of organizations worldwide. And they can work for you!

In just a few days with one of our Smith System Master Instructors, your in-house trainers can learn to teach these techniques to your drivers – no matter what type of vehicles they drive!

Classes are scheduled at our location in Arlington, Texas as well as regionally. The fee for attending is $1,935.00 per person and the regional course price is $1,935.00 per person. As enrollment is limited, we recommend you secure your attendance at least one month prior to the course date.

Certification includes learning:

• How to spot the driving habits which cause traffic collisions
• How to evaluate, in writing, driver performance verbally and in writing
• How to conduct a meaningful classroom presentation
• How to demonstrate our driving techniques behind the wheel
• How to coach students while they are behind the wheel.
• Plus much, much more!

Hosting your own class
If you have three or more trainers to be instructed, we can come to your location to conduct the course exclusively for your organization. The time required to educate your instructors will vary with the number of people you wish to have certified. Please contact us for details.

Multi-Company DriverTrainer^SM Instructor Course
Dates and Locations for 2008

Reduced Class
New Class

Note: UPDATE There is a 50% charge for cancellations made less than 21 business days in advance.

Instructor certification is for intra company use only. No commercial application of the course content or materials is permitted.

Instructor Refresher

AVAILABLE ONLY TO CERTIFIED SMITH SYSTEM INSTRUCTORS

If you have Smith System "Train the Trainer" graduates on your staff, you already have a significant investment in the education of your fleet drivers.  If you are like most of our clients, that investment is really paying off.  To keep your success on track, we have developed an Instructor Refresher Course.
Studies show that in any educational process, only a percentage of what is taught is actually retained.  Furthermore, over time, some of that retained information is forgotten or unintentionally altered.  The end result is that a year or two after completing our course, Smith System certified trainers are teaching a program that may be substantially different than originally designed, in essence, a program that may not deliver positive results.
To prevent this problem, we strongly encourage your trainers to attend a Smith System Instructor Refresher Course every two years.  Not only will this maintain training consistency and strengthen your legal documentation, but it will also renew enthusiasm about the program as well as keep your trainers abreast of our newest teaching techniques and products.  You will be certain that your trainers' presentations are pure, consistent and accurate.  This course is a crucial step toward excellence for your driver training program.
There are two ways to participate in our Instructor Refresher Course: (1) you can hold your own course, or (2) attend one of our Multi-Company sessions.   Please contact your Smith System Regional Manager to schedule your participation or answer questions.

Multi-Company Instructor Refresher Training

It is inevitable, through time, your instructors will alter our proven format. Without periodic guidance, the potential exists for extensive deviation when the information finally reaches your drivers.
If you or your instructor has completed our Smith System Certified Instructor Training Course two or more years ago, you are encouraged to attend our two-day Multi-Company Instructor Refresher Course. Enrollment is limited to four (4) people.

Instructor re-certification includes:
• Improvement on all facets of on-road instruction
• Practice on the verbal explanation of the Five Keys
• Re-emphasis on teaching backing accident avoidance
• New developments in teaching Smith System®

Classes are scheduled at our location in Arlington, Texas as well as regionally. The fee for attending is $722.00 per person. As enrollment is limited, we recommend you secure your attendance at least one month prior to the course date.

If you would like to schedule a class at your location for your trainers, please call our office at 800/777-7648 and we will be happy to assist you.

Multi-Company DriverTrainer^SM Instructor Refresher
Class Schedule for 2008

Reduced Class
New Class

Note: UPDATE There is a 100% charge for cancellations made less than 21 business days in advance.

Instructor Audit

If you add up trainer and employee time, the cost of any training effort is significant. When done well, quality instruction has a tremendous long-term payoff. Conversely, when done poorly, training has little payoff. Ineffective training is the most expensive training of all.

Periodic audits of your trainers by our professionals will help to isolate and correct teaching deficiencies that may otherwise go undetected.

Typically, in a one-day session, our trainer will report to your designated site to evaluate your instructor in action. After observing a presentation, we will provide a thorough verbal and written report for the target trainer as well as your organization.

Contact us today to find out more about this crucial quality control tool.

Driver Skill Evaluation

Some organizations elect to have our instructors train their drivers directly.  Others have us teach their in-house safety personnel to do the job.  But almost all of our clients realize that a single exposure to safety training is not sufficient to obtain and maintain truly superior results.  Follow-up training is your insurance that the original training investment brings your organization the best possible return. 

Once the initial training has taken place, follow-up training can be provided by people with less formal education in the topic.  Supervisors can be taught to do refresher training on a ride-along basis.

That is the objective of the DRIVER SKILL EVALUATOR COURSE.

This program teaches supervisory personnel to coach drivers on the road utilizing Smith System principles.  In addition, each attendee is taught to thoroughly evaluate drivers in written form.  Armed with this information, graduates of this program can follow up on previous evaluations, isolate problem areas and take positive, tangible measures to help drivers overcome weaknesses that might otherwise lead to costly mistakes.  This program turns every driver ride-along into a powerful platform for driver improvement.