Road safety in South and Central America just got a major boost! A specialized training session on heavy vehicle driving was recently held in Argentina, bringing together trainers from across the region. This initiative, a collaborative effort between FIA Region IV, the Professional Transport Foundation (FPT), and FADEEAC, aimed to equip instructors with the knowledge and skills needed to promote safer and more sustainable freight transport. But here's where it gets interesting...
The training, hosted at the Rogelio Cavalieri Iribarne Professional Training Center, focused on two critical pillars: road safety and sustainability. Participants dove deep into essential driving skills, including attention, anticipation, coordination, reaction, and fatigue management. The program was designed to be comprehensive, blending theoretical lessons with hands-on experience using driving simulators and practical maneuvers in controlled environments.
And this is the part most people miss: The event wasn't just about technical training. It also served as a valuable platform for regional exchange. Representatives from various clubs shared their experiences and challenges, fostering a shared vision for safer, more efficient, and sustainable mobility throughout Latin America.
The participating clubs included teams from the Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo, Automóvil Club del Ecuador (ANETA), Automóvil Club de Colombia (ACC), Automóvil Club del Uruguay, Touring y Automóvil Club del Perú, Automóvil Club Boliviano, and Automóvil Club de Costa Rica, along with representatives from FIA Region IV.
Ricardo Morales Rubio, FIA Region IV President, emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “The joint work of FIA Clubs across the region is key to strengthening road safety and professional training in freight transport.”
Sergio Ruppel, President of the Professional Transport Foundation (FPT), highlighted the mutual learning aspect: “Hosting the countries of the region and leading this training session is essential: we not only have the tools and technical capacity to train instructors in freight transport under sustainability and road safety standards, but we also learn from the challenges faced by each neighbouring country. That allows us to grow together and continue contributing to road safety throughout South America.”
This partnership with FPT, a key player in sustainable freight transport, underscores FIA Region IV's commitment to professional training and the development of safer and more sustainable mobility.
Now, here's a thought-provoking question: Do you think these regional collaborations are the most effective way to improve road safety, or are there other strategies that should be prioritized? Share your thoughts in the comments below!**
