RoSPA Level 2 International Award in Defensive Driving

About RoSPA, UK

Established in 1916, a UK charity organisation dedicated to saving lives and preventing serious injuries. Throughout the years, it leads the safety agenda, shapes government policy, raises industry standards, and drives behavioural change across all areas of life - work, road, home, and leisure. With a vision of Accident-Free World, the organisation is determined to make accidents preventable and create a safer society for everyone by convening leaders, setting standards, sharing excellence and driving change.

Course Overview

The Level 2 International Award in Defensive Driving is a globally recognized qualification designed to promote proactive approach and build a safety-first mindset among the participants. This will enable participants to drive safely with confidence, regardless of the environment and conditions in which they operate. To prevent incidents and develop positive driving attitude, this qualification offers insights on road risks, defensive driving techniques and strategies. As this course explores the psychology behind driving behaviours and impact on road safety, participants learn to stay focused, avoid distractions, manage emotions behind the wheel, and make responsible, well-judged decisions.

To provide participants with enhanced real-world driving insight and hands-on learning experience, this training primarily is structured as 70% practical and 30% theory. In addition, the course places strong emphasis on local driving laws and procedures within the Indian context to make participants familiar with Indian road rules and regulatory requirements.

NIST Global delivers this qualification by primarily focussing on the 4-wheelers with a clear focus on work-related driving—including company cars, pick-ups, and site vehicles—tailored specifically for Indian roads and operating conditions.

Training Duration

• 1 day (8 hours)

Target Audience

• Workplace drivers and employees on road duty – sales and service teams, field technicians, project staff, supervisors and managers who travel frequently for work.
• Professional and company-appointed drivers – car, SUV, pick-up and Tata Ace / commercial vehicle drivers operating on highways, public roads, and internal plant or industrial routes.
• Gig-economy drivers and delivery professionals – food delivery riders, grocery and parcel delivery personnel, cab drivers, taxi aggregators, ride-share platforms and fleet-based service operators.
• Drivers in high-risk industries – oil & gas, power, mining, construction, logistics, transport companies and remote-location operations where road risk is significant.
• Organisations seeking a structured safety standard – companies looking to adopt a recognised defensive driving benchmark aligned with international best practices.

Organisations operating four-wheel service vehicle can opt for this training to enhance driver safety performance and align with recognised defensive driving standards.

Course Benefits

Benefits for Organisations:

• Ensures reduction in accidents and vehicle damage
• Reduces insurance costs and minimises vehicle repair expenses
• Decreases likelihood of accidents, ensuring smoother operations and fewer disruptions
• Demonstrates a commitment to both employee wellbeing and public safety
• Enhances credibility and reputation

Topics Covered

• Legal, safety, and cultural requirements for driving a company vehicle, including road design, social norms, environmental conditions, and company-specific policies & procedures
• Purpose and features of vehicle safety systems
  • NCAP 5 ratings - New Car Assessment Program
  • Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
  • Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Advanced driver assistance systems
  • Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
  • Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
  • Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
  • Adaptive cruise control
• Human factors, journey purpose, driver attitude, behaviour, distraction, fatigue, and impairment affect road risk and ways to manage these risks effectively
• Defensive driving principles and hazard management
• Importance of pre-journey checks, including vehicle safety and readiness checks, journey planning, and ensuring all necessary equipment and documentation are in place.
• Practical demonstration of defensive driving techniques including
  • Pre-journey safety and familiarization checks
  • COAST (Concentration, Observation, Anticipation, Safety, and Time) method
  • Risk management
  • Space management

Assessment Type and Duration

Verbal Questions and Answers	Practical Demonstration and Observation
To demonstrate theoretical understanding, participants will be asked to respond questions on Defensive driving concepts Road safety principles Hazard recognition	It includes observation in real driving situations on the following aspects: Applying defensive driving techniques Hazard response Speed control Eco-friendly driving Overall safe behaviour

Assessments are typically integrated within the 8 hours total course duration, with trained assessors evaluating knowledge and skills during the program.