RISK MANAGEMENT BULLETIN
ISSUE:	 	Defensive Driving Program for State Employee Drivers	
			MAINE DRIVING DYNAMICS									
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WHAT IS MAINE DRIVING DYNAMICS (MDD)?
It is a defensive driving course developed and supported by the Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Highway Safety.  It is now offered to State drivers through Risk Management Division.  The five and a half hour course is a combination of lecture, videos, and practical application.  Such topics as driver attitudes, safety restraints, impaired drivers, collision avoidance and sharing the road with trucks, campers, and motorcycles are covered.  It is considered so effective that upon completion, the student receives a three point credit on their driver's license through the Secretary of State's Office. 

WHY IS RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION OFFERING THIS COURSE?
It's simple: to reduce the frequency and severity of State vehicle accidents. Consider these loss statistics for State of Maine government: Risk Management Division has paid out over $2 million dollars in vehicle liability claims in the past eight years.  These costs are just the tip of the iceberg!  Add in the cost of workers' compensation for State employees who are injured in vehicle accidents.  Add in the cost of damages to State vehicles.  The indication is that this amount has exceeded $2 million dollars in the same time frame, Than, there are those costs difficult to quantify such as the time spent scurrying around for estimates, reporting accidents, cooperating with loss adjusters, trying to find a replacement vehicle until yours is repaired.  Also, the loss of productivity from your injured employee.  The bottom line is that vehicle collisions are costly, time consuming and can be both financially and emotionally devastating for the State and also for the individual employee.  Our goal is to prevent collisions from happening in the first place.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND THE COURSE?
Courses are set up and filled according to the following priority:
1) 	Employees who have had a preventable accident will be politely required to attend. 
2) 	Employees who spend a considerable amount of their work time on the road.
3) 	Employees who have occasion to drive on State business.
The approval of an employee's supervisor will be sought, in all cases.

WHAT WILL IT COST MY AGENCY?
Risk Management will provide the certified trainer and all materials as a loss prevention initiative.  The cost to your agency is limited to the employee's work time to attend.  The benefits will far exceed that cost.

HOW CAN I TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS TRAINING FOR MY EMPLOYEES?
A supervisor wishing to schedule one or more employees for this training should call RMD at 287-3351.  Our office has four certified trainers.  Classes are generally limited to 25 students each.  If you have enough employees to fill a class, we will work with you to set a time, date, and location convenient to you.  If you do not have enough employees to fill a class, we will take the information from you and put you in our database.  When we have enough employees in a specific area, we will schedule a class for that location and advise you of the date, time and location.  Every effort will be made by our office to accommodate your needs, and perhaps your in service training schedule.

Feedback on this program has been excellent. We encourage you to get the word out to your supervisors and managers.  It is a win-win program for the State, your agency and employees.  

Risk Management Division
State House Station 85, Augusta, ME 04333-0085
                                                                  Toll Free 1-800-525-1252; 287-3351; Fax 287-4008                      Revised June 2009