Everyone who drives Scouts should take this free online training course

Accidents are quite rare in Scouting.

But when one does occur, it probably didn’t happen while camping. It likely didn’t involve backpacking, canoeing or climbing, either.

The majority of Scouting accidents happen on the way to or from Scouting activities. They happen on the road.

As a Scout leader responsible for driving Scouts or Venturers to Scouting activities, you should do all you can to be a safe driver. That means requiring seat belt use, never texting while driving and obeying local traffic laws.

The latest step in that preparation: The Hartford Driver Improvement Program, which can be found on the BSA Learn Center. The course is free, requires no advance registration and can be completed online in about 35 minutes.

Once you finish, you’ll get a completion certificate, and your official BSA training record will be updated.

Why should I take this training?

Because you care about the safety of Scouts. And if you’re like me, it’s been a few years since driver’s ed. A quick refresher is a good idea.

You’ll learn how to drive defensively, recognize hazards and prevent collisions.

I’ll spare you any further lecture but will mention these sobering stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: In 2015 in the U.S., there were 35,092 deaths and 2,443,000 injuries on the road.

How do I take this training?

To complete The Hartford Driver Improvement Program, do the following:

1. Log in to My.Scouting.org.
2. Click the red BSA Learn Center box on the right.
3. Scroll to the heading “Expanded Learning.”
4. Click the box marked “Program Safety.”
5. Look for “Program Safety” again and click “+Add Plan.”
6. Click the “Program Safety” link, then click the “Drive Safely” link.
7. Begin the training.

What other resources are available?

For essential, easy-to-use advice to help keep Scouts safe, go to the Scouting Safely site.