DSA Chief Executive, Gary Austin, brings us up to date with all the latest at the Agency.
This month the Agency goes green and wants to teach Eco Driving

Eco Driving

We are busy developing a revised style of driving, which we hope will eventually be adopted by all drivers: both newly qualified and those that have been driving for some time.

Every day, between us, we make millions of journeys on busy roads. Each time we drive the fuel used produces emissions that damage the atmosphere.

'Eco Safe Driving' will improve road safety, benefit the environment and save you money.

Driving Style

Most drivers are aware that their vehicles cause pollution but don't really understand what they can do to help reduce the atmosphere damaging emissions.

We recognised this and decided to take some steps in an attempt to define some simple changes to driving styles that would help all of us to drive in an environmentally friendly manner.

An International Issue

We found initiatives already in place in other countries, and took part in a course that is on offer for all Swedish driving instructors. As a result of this training, two of our Assistant Chief Driving Examiners are now fully qualified 'EcoDriving' instructors.

Holland has developed a package of measures and all driving instructors are actively encouraged to teach environmentally friendly driving. Some countries actually examine environmentally friendly driving techniques as part of the driving test.

We have taken some of the techniques used in the rest of Europe and have developed and adopted them to suit our road and traffic conditions.

The outcome of a DSA trial indicated that the Eco Driver used 1.5 litres less fuel than the Non-Eco Driver over a 100Km (approx.62 miles) journey - at 80p/litre a saving of £1.20. This might not seem a lot, but for an average driver covering 12,000 miles/year it's a saving of £232. For 36,000 miles it's a saving of almost £700!

Planning

Most of the savings were made as a result of improvements to planning skills. Drivers need to be much more aware of developing hazards and plan so as not to brake and accelerate harshly and avoid stopping unnecessarily. A smoother drive reduces stress and helps traffic flow.

We have already started to share the information and the findings and are in the process of introducing Eco-driving skills to all DSA driving examiners as part of their continuous personal development. We have held a number of seminars with representative groups of the Approved Driving Instructor industry, and others are planned. We have also briefed representatives of the Police service, Ministry of Defence and commercial organisations. Everyone agrees that Eco Safe Driving is the way forward.

Talking about the way forward, we are looking for land at the moment on which to site our multi-purpose driving test centres. If you look on our web site and driving test centre notice boards, you will find areas where we would like these to be located. However, the plan is not yet set in stone. There will be an article in this summer's Despatch about the new motorcycle test coming into being in about the next four years.