In January some 70 employees at the Hays County Transporta-tion Department took advantage of a driver education class taught by Texas Association of Counties (TAC) that involved time in a state-of-the-art simulator as well as classroom lecture and discussion.
“Our Transportation Department employees face hazards every time they get behind the wheel at work,” Transportation Department Director Jerry Borcherding, P.E., said. “This training is expected to help our employees avoid collisions and reduce injuries when collisions can't be avoided.”
“We appreciate that TAC is helping reduce risks to our employees through its innovative driving simulator,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe said. “Creating real-world driving conditions in a high-tech environment that replicates situations drivers may actually encounter while on the road is an excellent training device that we hope will reduce injuries and damage, saving taxpayer dollars.”
“Studies have shown that driver-training programs effectively reduce risks while educating drivers on safe-driving measures,” Don Courtney, driving simulator specialist with TAC, 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.”
Since its launch in 2000, more than 6,400 county drivers in three-quarters of the state's counties have used it.