Global Actions: Commitments to Reduce Harmful Drinking. Sep 12, 2013

 

Global Actions in Focus

“Responsible drinking: don’t drink and drive”

Commercial driver training program
 

In partnership with the Institute of Road Traffic Education and College of Traffic Management (IRTE), Global Actions India held a series of training seminars, “Responsible Drinking: Don’t Drink and Drive,” to educate commercial drivers about responsible drinking and the consequences of drink driving. IRTE launched the seminars in April 2013 and will continue to run the training program through December 2013. The initiative targets Delhi commercial drivers, including bus, truck, and auto rickshaw drivers, and all training sessions are held at the Driver Training Center of IRTE in Okhla, New Delhi. From April 22 to August 31, a total of 4,745 drivers completed the training course.



 

During the first seminar in April, feedback from the participants was collected manually. After evaluating this method of data collection, the program transitioned to collecting feedback and suggestions from participating commercial drivers through a software application both before and after the training was completed. The survey questions, which are presented both in Hindi and English, are now displayed on an LED monitor. Instructors lead the participants through each question in the survey, and the drivers are able to choose their answer through a remote control. The software allows IRTE to test up to 25 drivers at one time, providing a faster and more efficient testing process that also allows semi-illiterate individuals to offer feedback on the training program.


 

From August 21 to 31, 345 drivers completed the drink driving training modules and also provided survey response about their driving behavior. While 339 drivers believed that consuming beverage alcohol before operating a vehicle would increase their risk of causing a road traffic crash, 150 of the respondents admitted to drink driving while operating a commercial vehicle. Out of the respondents, 221 said they had been a passenger of a motor vehicle being operated by someone who had consumed alcohol.

Among the program participants who have completed the electronic survey since May, 79% found the information presented during the training very useful and 94% believed the workshop should be integrated into existing defensive driving training programs. For more than two-thirds of the drivers, the “Responsible Drinking: Don’t Drink and Drive” seminar was the first training program on drink driving they had attended
 

Key Recent Milestones

· Worldwide: Global Actions Facebook page had 20,200 impressions in July and August and the ICAP Facebook page had 18,200 impressions during the same time frame.

What's Happening Next

· Vietnam: The launch of Phase Two of the Drink Driving Initiative in Da Nang, Vietnam will take place on September 18, 2013. Following the event, the International Center for Alcohol Policies and Pernod Ricard are hosting a responsible drinking workshop for 500 Da Nang University students.