Honda Commits 101% to Road Safety Promotion

The Honda Group of Companies in the Philippines is in its final homestretch toward the grand opening of the much-awaited Honda Safety Driving Center – the FIRST world-class driver training facility in the country.

 
Honda Safety Driving Center (HSDC) -- established as a non-stock,  non-profit entity -- is deemed as an obligation of the Honda Company being the leading manufacturer of quality motorcycles and automobiles in the Philippines.  This initiative stems from the desire of the company to help improve the current road safety situation which has gone from bad to worse in the recent years.

 
Part of the Company’s Global Safety Philosophy is to do more than just building safe vehicles.  Safety values likewise extend to the development of the “software” element,  where venues and programs to teach correct driving know-how,  accident prevention techniques and proper vehicle maintenance are created. 

 
Just when most have turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the grim road safety landscape in the country,  Honda commits 101% in introducing its proven driver-training technologies and long-time technical expertise to Filipinos thru the Honda Safety Driving Center.  HSDC will be the Company’s  44^th Traffic Education Center in its network of driving schools,  worldwide.

 
The Center is set to operate an expansive training circuit for both automobiles and motorcycles,  where learners’ safety mindset and driving proficiencies are developed in a controlled environment.  What’s more:  the track is designed where vehicles and pedestrians have the opportunity to interact;  therefore,  allowing learners to experience actual traffic and road conditions while confidence is being developed.  This is contrary to the current teaching practice in the Philippines,  which readily exposes learners to public road driving in the raw.

 
Deemed to house a “first” in Asia outside Japan,  HSDC integrates in its track a “low friction” braking course where trainees will get to learn proper handling of automobiles and motorcycles in various slippery conditions. 
 

Furthermore,  a motorcycle dirt track is likewise included in the design to teach riders how to properly and safety negotiate unpaved terrain or roads that are debris-filled – which happen to be common in the Philippines.

 
Aside from learners courses,  the Center likewise offers programs for those who are already driving but are still interested in further honing their skills in the interest of safety or simply making driving a more pleasurable experience.  These Defensive Driving or Advanced Programs are available on both automobile and motorcycle instructions. 

 
HSDC also brings to the country Honda’s renowned expertise in developing driver-training programs for Fleet Companies.  It is the Center’s aim to assist these companies in driving up cost efficiency and productivity in the organization thru integration of driver training in the workplace safety programs.

 
True to its slogan of “Building a Community of Safe Road Users”,  the Center will do more than educating drivers.  Exciting modules  for school children,  commuters and senior citizens are also in the pipeline.  It is deemed that education of all road users is crucial to  achieving safer roads.    

 
HSDC employs highly-skilled instructors who have completed a rigid and comprehensive training program,  locally and overseas – under the mentorship of veteran Japanese instructors.  Further,  their skills are continually sharpened through their annual participation in riding and driving competitions outside the Philippines.

 
HSDC aims to achieve its annual rated capacity of training 8,600 drivers,   11,800 riders and more than 10,000 school children and senior citizens by year 2012.

 
With an initial investment of Php207M in building a driving school of world-class standards,  HSDC assures long-term commitment in promoting driver education and road safety among Filipino Road Users.

 
The center will be located in Km 17 East Service Road,  Paranaque,  occupying a 2.3 hectare of land space.   

 
HSDC will begin operations in April, 2008.  HSDC