Doors open to dependents at Saber Driving Course Published June 18, 2010 By Senior Airman Clay Murray 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The unique program implemented by the 52nd Fighter Wing Safety Office to reduce minor and major accidents on and off base is shifting toward a new target audience - the spouses and dependents of Spangdahlem and its GSUs. The safety office is extending the benefits of the Saber Driving Course to a greater portion of the driving populace after more than four years of solely focusing on active-duty Airmen. "The only way to actually continue this reduction that we have is to reduce the total number of accidents," said Lt. Col. James Thompson, 52nd Fighter Wing chief of wing safety. "The bottom line is most people get into serious accidents because they lose control as they spin off the road. Our intent is to try and provide people with that skill-set so the first time they spin out of control it's not on the road - it's on our open parking lot. " Since the driving course began in February 2006, it has reduced accidents by one third overall. Its history dates back to 2004 when an ADAC program in Koblenz attracted drivers looking to be safer, but it eventually closed. The driving program was later moved to Spangdahlem and has since been operating here, pushing every Airman in the target group of ages 26 and younger through the class. "They invented their own program called the saber driving course in 2006, and it's with three Ford Taurus vehicles," Colonel Thompson said. "In August of 2008, our ground traffic safety manager started looking and realized they weren't ever going to catch up with everybody. We've doubled up our output, and we have been doing that for the last year. Because of that we are now almost to the point where we're done." According to Colonel Thompson, before the end of August, the majority of Airmen here in the target age group will have gone through the course. At the point when this is through, the course will finally open to the new students. "A lot of spouses are 26 and under - they don't have that skill set where they've spun out of control yet," Colonel Thompson said. "About 25 percent of our accidents are by civilians - either family members, spouses or otherwise. That's a lot of accidents still." The course is aimed at familiarizing people with different types of driving environments and situations from those that they are used to, Colonel Thompson explained. "The course is important for anybody who grew up like I did in (places like) the southwest U.S. and can barely spell ice," Colonel Thompson said. "The accidents on the road take place because the rumble strips aren't there - there are no shoulders - so the first time you find out you're off the road a bit, you're spinning. You have to know how to handle a spin at some point. That's the main theory - it teaches you how to develop some immediate spin control." Spouses and dependents can contact Master Sgt. Victorino Rodriguez from the safety office at DSN 452-6306 or 452-7233 to inquire about the Saber Driving Course.