Each year, 15,000 individuals, including corporate staff and private citizens, participate in Murcotts' Defensive Driver Training across Australia. The training imparts advanced skills and knowledge exceeding licensing requirements.

Effective education changes driver behaviour, which depends on the quality of the experience. Safe driving doesn't require adrenaline-fueled stunts, and relying solely on casual driving is ineffective, evidenced by high crash rates amongst all drivers, including the experienced. Thus, the training experience is vital for behaviour change, and research shows structured learning is the most effective for driver education.

Instilling good and safe driving habits

Murcotts' programs focus on adult learning theory, emphasising that changing unsafe driving behaviours is crucial for effective driver education. Many drivers mistakenly believe their skills are above average, often attributing their incidents to external factors rather than their own mistakes. Consequently, training must enhance drivers' insights before they will adopt new behaviours.

Therefore, Murcotts programs are structured to target the following learning outcomes:

Increasing insight into own driving behaviour and recognising habits and practices that are risky
Increasing hazard perception, risk assessment and risk management skills
Reducing risk taking behaviours
Increasing defensive and protective driving skills
Achieving the environmental, safety and economic benefits of safe driving
Maintaining a safe vehicle environment
Ensuring competence in basic vehicle control

These learning outcomes have been determined reflecting the findings from worldwide road safety research, collision data, behaviour based health and safety systems as well as data arising from our programs.

Murcotts' programs combine practical skills training with the psychological factors that are crucial for developing a driver safety culture. The BAAMS® Driver Profile targets the five elements that influence or determine a driver’s performance.

TRAINING METHODOLOGY

Changing driver behaviour is not easy. Providing information alone does not necessarily lead to changes in behaviour. In order to comply with Occupational Health and Safety requirements, WorkSafe states,

“... training should not be restricted just to delivering a talk on a specific topic. It should also involve practical exercises...”.

Murcotts' experiential learning programs enhance driver skills and promote attitude change through practical exercises and innovative methods tailored to individual needs. Group discussions foster self-reflection on driving habits, while personalized guidance during in-car sessions and essential knowledge-sharing in classroom theory, including understanding ABS and ESP systems, equip participants with robust safety principles. Our training also addresses driver fatigue, environmental impact, and teaches fuel-saving practices to reduce pollution, especially in off-road four-wheel driving.

The Murcotts Defensive Driving Approach

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