Now in its 22nd year globally, DSFL has provided free training to newly licensed drivers in over 40 countries, with over 5,500 students across the Middle East and North Africa participating since 2013. The program pairs new drivers with professional instructors to focus on five primary driving skills that can help avoid accidents: hazard recognition, vehicle handling, speed management and space management, as well as distracted and impaired driving. Rasha Ghanem, Director, Public Affairs & Communications at Ford Middle East and North Africa, said: “Our purpose is to contribute to building a better world and improving the lives of our people, the communities we call home, and the planet we all share. Unfortunately, road safety remains a critical challenge, here in the MENA region, and further afield”. “Given that drivers aged 19–29 accounted for 40% of fatalities, and 42% of injuries, last year in the UAE, we are, through DSFL, intentionally and directly addressing this dangerous upward trend, equipping new young drivers with the knowledge and practical skills to navigate roads safely and confidently, ultimately aiming to reverse these concerning statistics and save lives.” The road statistics from the UAE in 2024 show a worrying ascending spiral, where road accidents rose by 8%, injured individuals increased by the same percentage, and tragically, fatalities climbed by almost 10% to 384. This, too, comes at a time when close to 400,000 new driving licenses were issued, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive driver education. Data also reveals that human error is a significant factor, with most accidents occurring in agreeable weather and clear roads, when common violations—such as sudden swerving, failing to maintain a safe distance, lack of attention, exceeding speed limits, and entering roads without ensuring they are clear—highlight fundamental gaps in driver awareness and skill. DSFL modules cover everything from the basics—acceleration, braking, signaling for lane changes, emergency braking, and steering grip—to blind spot management and reverse parking. Crucially, students are also provided comprehensive instruction on safety do’s and don’ts, including practical demonstrations using specially designed “impaired vision goggles” that mimic the dangerous effects of tiredness or drowsiness on a driver's perception and reaction time.

Khalid Alraboy, Public Relations Manager, said: “We were thrilled to host the Ford Driving Skills for Life program for the first time at UOS. Our students truly appreciated the engaging nature of DSFL, which blended instruction with hands-on activities aimed at building safety awareness. Driving is a life skill and having safer drivers on the roads benefits everyone.” “I appreciated the importance placed on warning students of the dangers of texting while driving and impaired driving,” said one of the Medicine students who participated in the program. “It was also interesting to learn about how far and fast an airbag is deployed—and how useful ABS can be as a safety technology. But above all, the program taught us the importance of observing safety rules and road regulations, as well as the risks of mobile phone use behind the wheel. Overall, I believe it has helped me be a more responsible driver.” A second student, studying Dentistry, added: “It was my first time attending the Driving Skills for Life program from Ford, and the most exciting part was accelerating and then performing the emergency brake. I also learned something new about safe driving—how the electronic brake in the Mustang helps improve control and stability.” “I learned that ensuring all passengers wear their seatbelts is the driver’s responsibility,” mentioned another from the Electrics and Electronics Engineering course at UOS. “I also discovered the importance of proper hand positioning on the steering wheel—keeping them at 9 and 3 instead of 10 and 2—to reduce the risk of injury if the airbag deploys during an accident.” Since 2015, Ford Philanthropy has granted nearly $1.4 million across the Middle East and North Africa through disaster relief and Global Caring Month—where the Ford team is strongly encouraged to support communities in need, including the elderly, children with cancer, and people with special needs—and initiatives such as Driving Skills for Life which upskills young people with valuable tools and skills to help keep them safe on the road.