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University Daily Kansan
Monday, October 17, 1977
Defensive driving course sought
A weapon in the hands of each city employee may soon get its proper respect if Phil Leonard, Lawrence city safety director, gets his way.
Leonard said Friday that he and city officials were strongly contemplating the idea of providing a National Safety Council driving Course (DDC) for all city employees.
"When driving a car, it's a weapon in their hands," Leonard said.
"If you become aware of the fact that you can have an accident," he said, "you cannipotten."
He said drivers needed awareness and the DDC was an excellent way to learn that
The course is administered by trained instructors who usually hold four two-hour classes.
The DDC is a training program of the NSC designed to teach defensive driving. Defensive driving is defined by the NCS as "driving in a manner which will prevent accidents in spite of the actions of others or the presence of adverse driving conditions."
LEONARD SAID that five city employees recently had returned from a special course in Salina that qualified instructors to train usually was done at the NCS' headquarters in Chicago, but he got permission to attend the Salina course, which was originally for students of law.
He said it would take most of that time to receive the necessary materials from
The materials needed for one class are an instructor's manual, flip charts, flannel board, a magnetic chalk board and several rental films.
with the training instructors, he said, a DDC could begin the first of December.
Although he did not release any figures on what the materials would cost the city, he had to release those.
Leonard said that the DDC would fit into a safety policy booklet he was compiling for the city. The booklet would show what information was required or suggested for each department.
HE SAID THAT local governments were exempted from the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which is concerned with safety procedures used in private businesses, so any safety guidelines would be up to the city.
In that respect, he said, Lawrence was a
rare example because there were few cities with a safety director to watch internal operations.
Leonard said the city was considering the DDC to benefit its employees.
"We don't have to do it," he said. "We just want to."
Leonard said he did not expect employees
resist taking the course if it were imple-
mented.
Roger Garnett, an agent for Landrhead, McGrew and Johnson Insurance Agency, said he had requested that the city allow him to take the course if it were offered.
GARRETT SAID that in 1998 he was involved in the insurance company employer to take the course.
"I did reluctantly," he said. "But if the city makes it available I'm going to take it."
He said he needed retraining because he believed that Lawrence was a tough town to live in.
Garrett said this would be the third time
he has taken it. He last took it five years ago.
The course would pay for itself many times in the next few years by dropping the city's insurance premiums, Garrett said, and reducing the number of accidents city employees and vehicles were in.
An agent of Charlton, Holmes, Peck and Brown, Inc., the company that handles the city's automobile insurance, said that there was a hope that the DDC would cut down on accidents, but that there was no guarantee that it would decrease or premiums would go down.
The agent said that to him the DDC was a fairly new course and that there was a likelihood that the course would be offered by several to several of the Lawrence policy holders.
Liquidation Sale
Ride-On is closing its Lawrence Store
Entire Stock Up to 50% Off
Bicycles Skateboards Hiking Boots Tennis Rackets
Down Parkas & Vests Backpacks & Accessories Tires, Tubes, Tubulars Tennis Clothing & Shoes
After six years in Lawrence, Ride-On Bicycles is closing its original store at 14th and Mass. No merchandise will be moved back to Kansas City. Every item in the Lawrence store will be sold at huge discounts. Close-Out Sale lasts two weeks only. Hurry down for best selection.
We have appreciated the business and support from the students and townpeople, but we find that our Kansas City stores are requiring more and more of our time, and we are unable to service the Lawrence store any longer. All warranty work will be handled through our service centers in Ranchmart, 95th & Mission Park Rd and in Westport, at 40th & Broadway. The Kansas City stores at Oak Park Mall, Metcalf South, Ranchmart, and Westport welcome Lawrence business and offer a much fuller selection of outdoor sports merchandise than our store in Lawrence. Thank you and come save some money.
Ride-On Outdoor Sports
14th & Mass.
843-8484
SPECIAL SALE HOURS: Tues.-Fri. 12-6, Sat. 11-5
SUA and HAMZA PRODUCTIONS Presents
Friday, October 28, at 8:00 p.m. HOCH AUDITORIUM Tickets $6 and $7 Available at KIEF'S All Seats Reserved