Army Safe Driver Training in the Desert

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jorge Saucedo | An instructor from the Army Safe Driver Training course demostrates how to proper maintain conrol of a vehicle during skid loss exersice on a base in the Middle East on April 6. The skid loss simulates what it would be like if you loose traction for a moment and how to recover from it.  

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

05.01.2009

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jorge Saucedo 

Media Transition Team - Kuwait

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT - One of the requirements in the military is completing countless hours of training exercises ranging from job specifics to basic military duties. Arifjan offers specialized and potentially life-saving training programs that are not required but are very useful. One such training program would be the Army Safe Driver Training at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. The ASDT course teaches a range of driving skills from basic reverse parking to controlling your vehicle when losing traction in the tires.

"Since 25% of newly enlisted military personnel are not licensed when they enlist. I believe this program saves lives," said Henry Handler, ASDT supervisor. "We don't necessarily want to change the way you drive, we want to teach you skills that we hope will keep you safer."

The driver training is broken up into three different parts; the Regional Driver Awareness Program which is a classroom session; Humvee Drivers Training Program; and Tactical Vehicle Training Program which consist of the driving. Part of the course has on and off road recovery, collision avoidance with/without Anti-Lock Brake System brakes, reverse parking, skid control and recovery, and reverse driving.

"The course provided an understanding about braking, control through target focus steering and collision avoidance plus allowed the learning and development of these skills with instructors who showed patience and tolerance" said James Pritchard, Royal Australian Air Force Squadron leader, Executive Officer Force Support Unit — ONE, who took part in the ASDT course. "I now feel much more confident that I now know what to do, how to do it and can do it. If I were to find myself in a situation in which I am confronted by an obstacle in the road suddenly."

Recently, the ASDT course went over the 10,000 student trained mark. A major milestone since the start in November 2005. The ASDT course is the only facility in the world that runs this program seven days a week. The course is also run entirely of civilian contractors. Even though the course is not required it is a good thing to do especially if you don't drive that much or have never been in an accident.

• Date Taken: 05.01.2009
• Date Posted: 05.01.2009 03:05
• Story ID: 33078
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW