COURSE QUALIFICATION

The quality of courses depends on the instructors

The instructors, both male and female, of advanced driving courses must be truly exemplary from ali points of view. Their role is described in detail in the new manual far organisers of advanced driving courses.

The new manual far organisers of advanced driving courses and a number of transitory measures far this sector issued by the Executive Committee of the Swiss Road Safety Council carne into forGe. If we consider that, apart from a few rare exceptions, instructors afe not engaged in this activity on a full-time basis, they afe recruited essentially among driving school instructors, but also among traffic experts, police officers, etc. Their names must be communicated by the organisers of advanced driving courses recommended by the Road Safety Council. Instructors of advanced courses far drivers of motor vehicles must of course master the subjects they teach at a level that is clearly higher than what is required from the participants in the courses. Apart from their specific field, they must al so be exemplary people in more generai terms.

In the manual (available in French and German), it is stated in this connection that the instructor is a person with whom the participant in the course must be able to identify him/herself as far as driving behaviour is concerned. He/she must therefore be credible in ali senses, that is to say he/she must have a perfect mastery of the vehicle he/she drives and also must have the right attitude, traffic sense and a adequate knowledge of the regulations that govern driving. For the participants in the courses, who want to improve safety and the generai climate on the roads, the instructor must be seen as a truly exemplary role model.

Observer and teacher

However, the instructor must also demonstrate that he/she has excellent gifts as an observer and teacher.

He/she must also be able to respond to the training requirements of the participants within the framework of the organisational capabilities available. The instructor must have a strong personality and integrity, and he/she must be able to remain calm and maintain the necessary objectivity in any situation that his/her teaching activity may entail. In a more generai sense, the instructors of the Road Safety Council must satisfy the following requirements. They must:

• know and master ali the learning objectives and aspects of training associated with the type of course being taught;
• be able to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice;
• execute practical driving ex~rcises and demonstrations with ali types of vehicles normally used by the participants in the courses, at various speeds and in the conditions specified far a given exercise;
• be able to answer in a competent manner any questions asked by the participants in the courses.

Examination of the instructor

During the examination of the instructor, the candidate instructor may either, as he/she prefers, submit a short report or give a test lesson lasting ten minutes on one of the five themes covered in the programme course.
After that, two experts will discuss with the candidate instructor topics related to the advanced teaching of car drivers or motorcyclists within the context of a specialist discussion lasting ten minutes. Lastly, the candidate instructor must take a theoretical test lasting one hour and answer 30 questions contained in a specific questionnaire.

During the practical part of the examination, the candidate instructor of driving courses must drive along an assigned route through urban and country districts and along a motorway far 45 minutes accompanied by an expert and a member of the Commission who will evaluate whether his/her driving style is correct and based on a concepì of partnership with other road users, and also whether he/she displays adequate driving ability. A candidate instructor who wants to train motorcyclists must take the same examination on a two-seater motorcycle of at least 500 cm3 cylinder capacity. After these first four parts of the examination, each new instructor is examined during a test course on the basis of a special checklist.

Diploma issued far three years

The diploma is issued far a period of three years, if the candidate instructor has successfully completed ali five parts of the examination. The instructor must then participate in advanced courses lasting at least 15 hours and repeat this training after three years. In addition to the revision by the participant of the originai examination subjects, these courses afe useful far the instructors taking part, as they previde more in-depth knowledge and offer them an opportunity far an exchange of experiences with others.

It should also be recalled that the diploma of instructor of the Road Safety Council is renewed only if the candidate is able to demonstrate that he/she has acquired - a minimum of - practical experience as an instructor. The organisers of courses must submit the activity certificates of their instructors and confirm that they have attended the advanced courses once every three years to the Secretariat of the Road Safety Council as a cross check. The courses afe regularly checked through unscheduled sample inspections by the "Course Recommendation" Commission in arder to ensure a uniform quality level far ali courses recommended by the Road Safety Council.