Goodyear and National Driver�s Academy Team Up To Make Ghana�s Roads Safer

Goodyear MEA and the National Driver�s Academy (NDA) have come together to raise overall standards of commercial drivers over the next two years starting through the months of September, October and November in a bid to make roads safer through healthier attitudes and education on safer driving techniques. The association is also supported by Goodyear�s exclusive partners in Ghana, Rana Motors. The campaign falls in line with the National Road Safety Commission�s overall vision for road safety with a focus on commercial bus driver training at terminals. With stations manned by NDA professionals, the training will look at numerous elements including building positive attitudes, behavior and professionalism on the road; enhance the drivers� ability to react to unforeseen circumstances in the right manner; as well as developing their technical knowledge of the vehicles, tires and parts. �Goodyear have always been a very community focused brand with an outlook to promote safer roads and driving whenever they can, and we know tire quality plays a big part here. With this association we not only have a partner who infuses high levels of safety into their products but also actively look for initiatives to support on a regular basis,� commented Etse Ladzekpo, Executive Director of the NDA. With over 2000 bus drivers targeted over the three month period, the training programme kicked off for the first batch of 1000 drivers on the Monday 2nd September in Kaneshie, Accra, with the second batch starting in the new year. �The National Driver�s Academy is a government affiliated organisation that we always saw ourselves being a part of here in Ghana. Making our communities� roads safer is an integral part of what we do at Goodyear. Having technically efficient tires is one thing, but we always strive to be part of programmes that actively help promote road safety,� commented Mitchell Peeters, General Manager, Goodyear Middle East and Africa. In October 2013, NDA will commence training of all commercial transport operator drivers via their associations at selected transport terminals. The associations are: GPRTU (Ghana Private Road Transport Union), PROTOA (Progressive Transport Owners Association), CO‐OP (Cooperative Transport) etc. These are all nationwide training programmes. The training which will take place at bus terminals across the country will include trainers from both NDA and Goodyear. Participants will receive numerous forms of merchandise that will remind them of what has been said and continue to impart knowledge that will improve their attitudes and skills on the road.