KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia, 04 December 2019 – As part of the efforts to promote safe driving behaviour and road safety awareness in Malaysia, Ford and its local distribution partner, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion (SDAC), recently launched Ford’s flagship safe driver training programme, Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) for the first time in Sabah, East Malaysia.

More than 80 Ford customers and members of the public participated in a half-day workshop which consisted of both classroom and practical hands-on sessions. A total of four training sessions were organised over the weekend of 16-17 November.

The workshops were held in conjunction with the ‘Carlist.my DRIVE: Off-road Edition 2019’ event, allowing more of the public to learn about the DSFL programme and gain safe-driving information. The classroom and practical sessions took place at the SDAC Kota Kinabalu Branch and Likas Stadium respectively.

Provided free-of-charge, the DSFL programme aims to raise awareness of road safety, and aid the reduction of traffic fatalities and injuries, by helping educate drivers on the skills and techniques needed to drive more safely.

Malaysia has one of the highest vehicle ownership rates in the region. [1] While East Malaysia has less vehicles on the road, fatal road accidents are on the rise, with non-compliance to traffic and road safety regulations considered the main contributing factor. [2]

“At Ford and SDAC, we are committed to equipping Malaysians with safe driving knowledge, and that’s why we have decided to bring this programme to East Malaysia,” said Syed Ahmad Muzri Syed Faiz, Managing Director, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion. “Ford’s DSFL programme provides the know-how to help drivers understand a number of unpredictable scenarios that could happen on the road, while also equipping them with the tools to tackle potentially dangerous situations accordingly.”

The workshops addressed various driver risks with trainings focused on four main areas:

• Distractions - Making smart decisions behind the wheel to limit distractions such as mobile phone usage, and staying focused on the task of driving.
  
• Hazard recognition - Scanning the road ahead for potential dangers, particularly approaching intersections and safety zones.
  
• Speed and space management - Learning to adjust speed to maintain safe space around, ahead, and behind a vehicle while avoiding being rear-ended.
  
• Vehicle handling - Understanding the vehicle’s capability and learning to better control it by leveraging its safety features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Semi-Automatic Parallel Parking (SAPP), Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Warning.