Drivetech, the driver education and risk management arm of the AA, is the first business out of the blocks in pioneering the Coronavirus forced switch from classroom to digital based driver education.

Working swiftly with UKROEd and the police, over 500 people have already successfully completed Drivetech’s online workshop, which went live less than one week after the COVID-19 Lockdown. The online version of the course has been shortened to 2 ½ hours from the 4 hour classroom based course.
 
This remarkable turnaround was made possible by collaboratively working with both Microsoft and Ricoh Digital Services to deliver a secure, reliable and accessible digital platform (Microsoft Teams). Drivetech’s quick response with Microsoft’s support ensures that thousands of motorists will not lose out on education by making an online version of the speed awareness course available having already opted for a classroom course prior to the lockdown.
 
The core mandate for the courses is to achieve behavioural change in order to improve road safety. Drivetech and UKROEd were determined not to allow COVID-19 to disrupt this powerful educational message designed to keep our roads safer. This is arguably even more important in the current climate – allowing those that need to use the roads for essential reasons – such as the emergency services and other key-workers – to be confident that they can do so safely and efficiently.
 
Commenting on the rapid progress made, Charlie Norman, Managing Director of Drivetech said “We have been delighted with the professionalism and flexibility of our qualified trainers across the country to adapt to this new means of delivery and their willingness to react with speed and enthusiasm. Similarly, the choice of online delivery platform is important as these need to be professional courses, delivered by professional trainers on a professional and secure digital platform such as Microsoft Teams”.
 
Drivetech is now working through those delegates that are already booked in to ensure those that have an imminent “critical date” (the deadline by which the police authority stipulates the course must be completed to avoid prosecution) can be dealt with first. They are proactively contacting existing delegates and getting as many onto the online courses as possible, working hard behind the scenes to ramp up the course capacity quickly over the coming days.
 
Des Morrison, Police Director for Drivetech said “With our parent company, the AA supporting the London Ambulance Service, we are also preserving a road safety option. The NHS can ill afford road casualties taking up precious resource when the priority needs to be focused on tackling the virus”.

Find out more on the Drivetech shift from venue-based to online digital classroom here.


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