Ford Philippines conducted on Sept. 29, 2022, its first face-to-face session of its Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) workshop since the COVID-19 pandemic started two years ago.

Hundreds of participants, which included students, professional drivers, traffic enforcers, and the media, gathered at The Levels by Filinvest in Alabang to attend training sessions conducted by Tuason Racing School.

The program, now in its 14th year, covered various topics to keep drivers safe on the road. These include basic vehicle dynamics, pandemic driving precautions, car maintenance, driving in poor weather, safe driving technologies, fuel-efficient driving and road safety laws.

Ford Philippines also provided downloadable checklists and tip sheets that car owners can refer to.

The DSFL also included hands-on driving sessions, featuring the next-generation Ford Ranger, Ford Everest and Ford Territory. Drivers were taught how to parallel park, handle an emergency stop, drive more efficiently and prevent distracted driving.

Ford Philippines said the program is part of the company's Global Caring Month, which is celebrated every September.

"We culminate our Global Caring Month celebration in the Philippines this year with the launch of the DSFL and we're excited to finally be able to conduct the DSFL as an in-person training program complemented by fully virtual sessions and hybrid face-to-face and virtual sessions to reach more drivers nationwide," said Ford Philippines communications director EJ Francisco in a press statement. 

"Each year, we innovate and find ways to enrich the DSFL experience by making it a training program that is relevant to the times and needs of our audience," he added.

Over 30,000 drivers trained

Ford Philippines said the DSFL has trained more than 30,000 drivers nationwide since it began in 2008.

The firm's communications manager, Herbert Haber, said at the event that around 1,600 participants were trained in fully virtual sessions in 2021.

Meanwhile, lead instructor and Tuason Racing School founder J.P. Tuason said they aim to teach 3,000 people by the end of 2022. He added that the program is free and available to everyone, as long as there are at least 75 participants who will attend.

The Driving Skills for Life program was established in the United States in 2003 by the Ford Motor Company Fund, the U.S. Governors Highway Safety Association and a panel of safety experts.  

Ford Philippines said it aims to teach newly licensed drivers the necessary skills for safe driving beyond what is learned in standard driver education programs.

Locally, driver training is regulated by Republic Act 10930, which was signed into law by then-President Rodrigo Duterte on August 2017. It overhauled the country's driver licensing system and raised the minimum standards to obtain a license.

The law also led to mandatory classroom and practical driving courses for new drivers, as well as drivers who are renewing their licenses. This is outlined in Memorandum Circular 2019-2176 of the Land Transportation Office, which was issued on December 2019.

Do you think programs like Ford's DSFL can improve road safety in the Philippines?