OREANDA-NEWS.  Toyota Motor Vietnam and the Vietnam Traffic Police have jointly established a safe driving instructor training program for selected traffic police officers and Toyota employees. Participants who complete the program and pass the final examination will be able to not only teach others specific safe driving skills, but also provide guidance about the kind of mindset and behaviors that lead to safer driving. Program graduates will also organize safe driving courses for other Toyota employees, traffic police officers, and members of the public.

Since the safe driving program’s establishment in August last year, three instructor training courses have been taught by Toyota’s leading safety driving instructor, Toshio Kanno, who has 33 years’ experience as a test driver for Toyota and has trained over 60,000 people in his career.

Toyota aims to use this program to pass on knowledge about safe driving as widely as possible to make a significant contribution to traffic safety in Vietnam. Toyota Managing Officer Koki Konishi said: “As an automobile manufacturer, the promotion of traffic safety is a central CSR activity. Toyota believes safe driving involves more than just technical driving skills; respect and consideration of other road users is also a crucial aspect, and we hope to promote this aspect also through the program.”

Based on Toyota training tools and materials, Toyota Motor Vietnam and the traffic police have collaborated on the development of a safe driving curriculum that is suited to traffic conditions in Vietnam. Program graduates will begin training Toyota Motor Vietnam employees and traffic police this year, Toyota dealers in 2016, and the general public in 2017.

Deputy General Director of Traffic Police Do Thanh Binh said: “I very much appreciate the close cooperation shown by Toyota, especially between Toyota Vietnam and the Ministry of Public Security. This is a very practical way for us to reduce traffic accidents step by step, improve the traffic safety situation, and enhance the driving of traffic police officers and the general public. This program will also help build a closer relationship between Vietnam and Japan.”

Toyota Motor Vietnam’s goal since its establishment in 1995 has been to become the leading automotive company in Vietnam, and be a good corporate citizen that contributes to the development of society. Over its 20 years in operation, it has engaged in a wide variety of CSR activities including promotion of traffic safety, and environmental, educational, and cultural activities. The promotion of traffic safety is one of Toyota Motor Vietnam’s top priorities, and since 2005 it has worked with the Ministry of Education and Training to implement the annual Toyota Traffic Safety Education Program, to increase traffic safety awareness among primary school students nationwide.

Toyota Motor Vietnam President Yoshihisa Maruta said: “We expect that this program will contribute significantly to improving traffic safety in Vietnam. We also want to encourage the involvement of all road users in promoting traffic safety, for their own sake and the sake of their family, and others in their communities.”