This tragic video has been circulating through various social media platforms. It took place at Fort Tiuna in Caracas, Venezuela. The video is from a bodyguard training program. The many social media posts produced a multitude of comments. By far, the best and most accurate comes from Ivan Ivanovich. Ivan wrote – “The training market has become an amusement park,” – which aligns with what we have been saying for many years; when we look at some of the security driver training programs, we wonder – “is it training or is it entertainment.” 

The accident that occurred during an escort course at Fort Tiuna (plus video)

A video of an SUV rolling over during a j-turn maneuver is not uncommon. But this Caracas video ranks up as one of the largest doses of instructor incompetence I have seen in many years, and I have worked in the driver training profession for close to half a century. This terrible event brings to light a problem – the state of security driver training. 

This tragedy is symptomatic of a problem that needs discussion. Has the Security Driver training market become an amusement park? Are Security Driver training providers more concerned about entertaining students rather than educating them? Those are questions, not comments. The International Security Driver Association and I would like to know your thoughts.

ADAS and Training

We cannot discuss security driver training without discussing the type and age of the vehicle used in training programs. Doing a J turn or, for that matter driving through a lane change in an older sedan that does not have Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) has no resemblance to doing those same exercises in a vehicle equipped with ADAS – and most all executive vehicles have ADAS. 

ADAS affects backing, ramming, slalom exercises, braking, and lane changes. All three functions of the vehicle, go, stop and turn, are monitored by a computer programmed with an algorithm that will take control of the car if the information coming into the computer is contrary to a vehicle’s safe operation. A J Turn is contrary to the safe operation of a car. A professional driving instructor should know that.

What are your thoughts on Ramming, PIT, J, and Bootleggers turns?

Remember that vehicles equipped with ADAS will make it difficult, if not impossible, to perform these maneuvers. For example – training a student to ram in a vehicle not equipped with a Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system will not be the same as ramming in a vehicle equipped with FCW.