County law enforcement staff face hazards every time they get behind the wheel at work. The Texas Association of Counties (TAC) is helping reduce those risks through its innovative driving simulator.
“My goal is to use the driving simulator to reduce cost to the county by reducing collisions and injuries to county drivers,” said Don Courtney, driving simulator consultant with TAC. TAC’s driving simulator creates real-world driving conditions in a high-tech environment that replicates situations drivers may actually encounter while on the road. Since its launch in 2000, more than 25,400 county drivers in over three-quarters of the state’s counties have used it to enhance their ability to make life-saving, split-second decisions in often dangerous driving conditions.
“Studies have shown that driver-training programs effectively reduce risks while educating drivers on safe-driving measures,” Courtney said. “Even professional drivers can slip into bad habits behind the wheel. The simulator training reinforces good driving habits that help improve employee safety and make them better prepared for the unexpected.”
