The University of Cape Coast (UCC), has introduced a maiden sandwich programme worldwide that is promoting Driving Management Science (DMS) as an alternative academic professional driver training module to enhance the competence of drivers.

The DMS tertiary programme began on May 12, this year, with 43 graduate drivers having been enrolled for lectures. The initiative, which is the brainchild of Dr Godfred Akyea Darkwa, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Road Safety and Transportation Consultancies (RSTC), is aimed at avoiding all forms of human errors leading to road crashes.

Dr Darkwa, a Risk Manager, Road Safety Consultant and Chartered Insurance Practitioner, introduced the DMS concept in 2005.

A statement issued in Accra by the RSTC said Dr Darkwa identified the levels of road crashes and the amount of claims paid victims nationwide to conduct research into the matter.

According to the research, the statement said, human error is a fundamental challenge resulting from the low level of knowledge by drivers.
Drivers who are admitted to the school are supposed to successfully study through DMS Advance level course and pass an examination.

Under the three-year course, students are trained in advanced safe driving, features of modern vehicles terrain, management in driving, Highway Code and communication skills in French.

The students undergoing the course are made up of Junior High and Senior High School drop-outs, General Certificate Examination “Ordinary Level” holders with valid driving licenses and a minimum of two years driving experience plus a certificate in DMS Professional Basic Intermediate and Advance Level certificate holders, among other qualifications.

From 1991-2009, the National Road Safety Commission reported a total number of 189,172 crashes, which claimed 27,822 lives while 91,178 persons were seriously injured.

The RSTC, therefore, promoted its original copyright DMS educational concept as a road safety educational module to address the short fall.

In 2006, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed for the implementation of professional drivers programme as a tertiary curriculum under the Department of Geography and Planning and Tourism of the UCC.

Source: GNA

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