DEFENSIVE DRIVING COURSE TAKES A NEW DIRECTION

The National Safety Council's DDC (Defensive Driving Course) is described. The Council began DDC in 1964, and today, there are more than 35 programs. The history of the development of the DDC program is described. It is a program that works for grade-school dropouts and college professors, teenagers, and retirees. It was originally designed for those who wanted to learn safe driving, but today, about 60% of enrollees are from the traffic-court system. The course package consists of an instructor's manual, participant's course guide (workbook), eight films, flip charts and discussion cards. Details of each of these are briefly described. The course is technologically up-to-date. Anti-lock braking systems and how they work are simply explained. A strong point is that the course can be tailored to suit the needs of the class and the local area.