New training scheme to improve towing safety

Do your drivers have access to effective training?

For organisations that employ drivers who tow vehicles or trailers as part of their driving for work activities, it’s essential that the managers of those drivers have access to the most up-to-date and effective training resources.

New towing training from DVSA

The DVSA has recently launched a new accredited training scheme, which aims to improve the skills and safety of drivers who tow a trailer or caravan and which, in their words, ‘represents current good practice for driver training’

The training courses, which are now available to drivers in England, Scotland and Wales, have been developed to suit every level of ability, including:

• towing for the first time
• returning to towing after a break
• towing larger trailers
• refreshing and formalising your skills if you already regularly tow

They follow a new syllabus which has been developed alongside industry experts and will be delivered by accredited trainers.

• The National Register of LGV Instructors (NRI)
• The Safe Towing Scheme (jointly run by the National Trailer and Towing Association and Diamond Advanced Motorists)
• Skills for Logistics (SfL)

Driver Managers – reducing road risk

For Driver Managers, these courses are an excellent way to ensure your employees are receiving approved training updates, and can be used as part of both induction and refresher training for drivers.

Baroness Vere, Minister for Roads, who is a supporter and advocate for the Driving for Better Business Programme, said:

Towing safely is an important issue and I urge drivers to access the training to help keep Britain’s roads safe.
The new accreditation scheme will help them to get targeted training and improve their driving skills.
I want to thank the trailer training industry, stakeholders and our partners for their commitment and support in developing this training scheme over the last few months.

There are a number of resources for Fleet Managers and those that employ drivers on our website, specifically covering towing. You can access these from our free resources library under ‘towing’ and of course you can also access further useful information from the National Trailer & Towing Association website.