Driver training and risk management specialist DriveTech is helping Uber to increase driver skills and improve road safety under a new collaboration.

Uber is introducing the training videos from DriveTech as part of a wider collaboration

The road safety campaign runs across the UK and will use training videos (see here) produced by DriveTech, part of the AA, to help refresh drivers’ knowledge.

Jamie Heywood, Uber’s regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, said: “With millions of journeys every week, the safety of both passengers and drivers has never been more important and these new videos will ensure that drivers are fully prepared. Together with recognised industry leaders, like the AA, we can use our platform to increase road safety awareness amongst the thousands of licensed private hire drivers who use the Uber app.”

In particular, the training will support partner drivers with skills that are critical to their work such as reading the road ahead, road signs and markings, speed limits, space management, dealing with junctions and traffic lights, picking up and dropping off riders safely, and how to drive more economically. The videos will be utilised in all Uber’s ‘onboarding’ for new partner drivers as well as being communicated to all existing drivers via the app.

Edmund King OBE, AA president, said: “It is pleasing to see a business focused on passenger transport raising the profile of road safety and looking to strive towards better driving standards on the roads.

“As the UK’s leading motoring organisation and an award-winning road safety campaigner through the AA Charitable Trust we are all delighted when companies such as Uber take road safety and driver behaviour seriously to ensure standards are raised and that they continue to be maintained.”

The collaboration forms part of a wider agreement between Uber and the AA that also features roadside assistance and MOTs to drivers as part of the Uber Pro programme.

Charlie Norman, director at DriveTech, added: “We pride ourselves on the driver training products and services we provide to both UK businesses driving communities, and internationally too. We are delighted that we can provide this support to Uber and believe it will really help drive good standards.”