ADVANCED DRIVER EDUCATION, SPRINGFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT; FINAL EVALUATION REPORT

During the fall of 1976, 104 members of the Springfield, Illinois Fire Department were trained in emergency and evasive-action driving by instructors from Eastern Illinois University. The course was based on the General Motors' Advanced Driver Training Program and called for participants to execute five maneuvers in both a fire truck and an automobile. This report assesses the success of training in developing the prescribed driving skills. An assessment of its effectiveness in reducing accidents would not be reliable given the department's low frequency of involvement. The findings indicate that the general level of proficiency increased, but not to a satisfactory degree in all five maneuvers. Tests conducted before and after training showed that the firemen could successfully evade an object while steering and braking, but they could not adequately back their vehicles. Critiques submitted by the firemen supported on-site observations and underscored the need to revise General Motors' curriculum to meet the special demands of fire department personnel. The report includes specific recommendations. /Author/

• Corporate Authors:

  Illinois Department of Transportation

  Division of Traffic Safety, 2300 South Dirksen Parkway
  Springfield, IL  United States  62764
• Authors:
  • Raub, R A
  • Wolfson, B J
• Publication Date: 1977-6

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 43 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Before and after studies; Braking; Curricula; Disasters and emergency operations; Driver performance; Driver training; Drivers; Fire vehicles; Firefighters; Hazards and emergency operations; Personnel performance; Prevention; Safety; Testing
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00167891
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 29 1978 12:00AM