Executive Protection And Secure Transportation Podcast

In this week’s episode, we are talking about the Tiger Woods accident, Event Data Recorder (EDR), and Secure Transportation.  The February 23 Tiger Woods accident has created questions concerning the Event Data Recorder (EDR) and ownership of the data collected by the EDR.  The question of who owns the EDR arose when the L.A. County Sheriff got a search warrant to seize the automotive black box in Tiger Woods’ vehicle. The warrant was issued because a judge believed that there was probable cause to believe a crime may have been committed. Law enforcement sources said that the possible offense is misdemeanor reckless driving. To better understand how this affects Secure Transportation, we need to define the function of the EDR or Black Box.  What is the Black Box – EDR  Since the term "EDR" can be used to cover many different types of devices, we believe it is important to define the term for the purposes of this podcast. When we use the term EDR, we refer to a device installed in a vehicle to record

In this episode, we are continuing with the results from the 2020 ISDA Training Survey. Just a quick recap from the previous episode. The purpose of the Survey was to supply those looking to enter the profession and those who want to expand their education with data that assist with the decision-making process. Also, to help those who provide training to determine the best methods of reaching their potential audience. The Survey was separated into five sections – GI Bill – Training Course Metrics – Financial - Motivation – Jobs after Training. The first Podcast covered the first three of the five topics. This Podcast episode covers what motivates students to attend a particular program and numbers concerning jobs after training. Training Motivation How did you hear about the training program(s) you attended? Word of mouth                                                            73.33% Advertising (print or digital)                                      30.67% Facebook groups or pages                         

Last year ISDA conducted an Executive Protection Security Driver Training Survey. The 2020 ISDA Training Survey Results Our goals were to determine the dollar value of the Executive Protection and Security Driving training market. To acquire metrics concerning what motivates potential students to attend one program over another- such as - How did they fund their training? - How many training programs have they attended during their career? - What was their motivation to participate in the training programs? We also wanted to determine what training subjects were covered and the average length of the training programs. We looked at the number of practitioners that use their GI Bill to attend training and how much GI Bill money goes to training providers. The purpose of the survey was to supply those looking to enter the profession and those who want to expand their education with data that assist with the decision-making process. Also, to help those who provide training to determine the best methods of reachin

Driving in reverse is a valuable driving skill to have.   Backing up slowly can be a problem but backing up fast is hard and dangerous if not done correctly. With that said, it is by far one of the most valuable driving skills to have, and a Security Driver can acquire. Along with being hard to do, it is hard to teach and, if not taught correctly – dangerous. What makes it hard and hazardous is the definition of fast. How fast you can drive in reverse is limited to the vehicle's gearing; in most vehicles, you can drive as fast in reverse, or a little quicker, as you can in 1st gear. The maximum speed depends on the type of vehicle. Very few get above 25 MPH – 40KPH, and those reverse speeds are an exciting experience.   What creates excitement is that cars are designed to go forward. Automobile suspensions possess a quality known as "caster." Caster is the force that helps to straighten out the front wheels after turning a corner. Caster also gives the car stability while traveling forward. Unfortunately, th

The Essence of Security Driving is Found in the Security Drivers Triangle. The driver's ability to avoid vehicle violence does not depend solely on their ability to control the vehicle. A driver is at the mercy of the environment and of the vehicle, they are driving. Driving, any form of driving, is a balance, and that balance is called the "driving system." The driving system is made up of three components: THE DRIVER, THE MACHINE, and THE ENVIRONMENT. In our world, it is called the Security Drivers Triangle. If a triangle's failure causes an accident or a successful ambush, the driver, the vehicle, or the environment failed. The Driving System is taken from an age-old concept called "The Safety Triangle." The Safety Triangle is made up of three components:  THE MAN, THE MACHINE, and THE ENVIRONMENT. It was initially used around the beginning of the industrial revolution when people started to interact with machines. The Safety Triangle was used as a tool to prevent industrial accidents – merely pointing out

There are two words that are often used in the automotive industry and protective driver training vernacular the words are handling and cornering. To get a better understanding of how the driver interacts with the vehicle requires understanding the difference between Handling and Cornering. While conducting a driver training program understanding this interaction is a must – when running a secure transportation operation, knowledge of this interaction adds to the principal’s safety and security. Read more on SecurityDriver.Com

Ensuring the passengers’ safety and security requires the driver to have the knowledge, skill, and experience to control the vehicle when confronted with an emergency. The emergency does not necessarily need to be a security scenario; it can often be an accident-producing situation.  As we have mentioned many times in the past, research and science define driving skill as the driver’s “ability” to use the vehicle’s “capability.” Former VDI or Scotti School students know that we were and are anal about training our students to maximize the vehicle’s capability. The more of the vehicle’s capability the security driver can use, the higher the probability that the driver will avoid an accident or other life-threatening scenario.  To pass the VDI course or be certified as an ISDA Security Driver, a driver must demonstrate they can use a minimum of 80% of the vehicle’s capability. The simple scientific fact is that every tenth of a percent that VDI can train the driver’s ability to use the vehicle’s capability is a

The topic for this week’s episode is Vehicle Dynamics and Passing. Passing the vehicle in front of you is one driving skill we often do but don’t give it much thought. Once you decide to pass a vehicle in an urban environment, realize, and remember that you and your car will be spending a good deal of time in the wrong lane. To give you an idea of how much time and distance, consider this scenario. If you are traveling at 50 mph or 80KPH and passing the average sedan or SUV going 40 mph or 64 KPH, you will need about 10 seconds and 736 feet or 225 Meters to complete the pass safely.  Essential points you can use to help in the decision-making process. Is the car you are about to pass aware of your presence? Sometimes it appears apparent that it is, but don’t assume the car in front of you is aware of your presence and that the driver will react rationally. Don’t assume the vehicle you’re passing has Blind Spot Detection System.  Are there side roads ahead that may hide a car about to turn into your path?  Ev

Hello, and welcome to episode 163 of the EPST podcast. I'm your host, Larry Snow. The topic for this week’s episode is the huge increase in carjackings. Statistically, driving the principal from point A to point B has been the highest risk the principal faces during their daily routine. A not so new risk needs to be added to that trip, and that is the dramatic increase, in fact, a staggering increase in carjackings in parts of the United States during the pandemic. If you are not familiar with the term, a carjacking is a violent, potentially fatal version of auto theft. Do a Google search for carjackings under the News tab you’ll see 3 New Year’s Day carjackings in St. Louis, another in Chicago, more in Oakland, and Washington D.C. According to ABC News, Minneapolis police report that carjackings there have shot up 537% this year. Carjacking calls to 911 in New Orleans are up 126%. Oakland police cite an increase of 38%. In Chicago, in all of 2019, there were 501 incidents of carjackings. So far that number h

As 2020 comes to a welcome end, we reflect on the effects COVID-19 had and look into its impact on the profession. There is no doubt that Covid-19 has changed Secure Transportation; the question remains: for 2021, how long the changes will last, and will those changes be permanent. It is impossible to accurately predict the overall impact that the COVID crisis will have on the Protection industry, but as we move into 2021, these are some thoughts and metrics. Thoughts and Metrics As in any crisis, those who can adapt to the changes will survive, and those who can't - won't. The financial impact on the Secure Transportation profession is unmeasurable. Not only was Secure Transportation, but also the Pandemic had a profound effect on Executive Protection and Event Security. How long this will last and can all of us survive is a question that, at this time, is hard to answer. But there are some basic business concepts that we can use as a guideline. Adaptability was the keyword for any business to survi

The topic for this week’s episode is an outline of the assassination of Iranian Senior Nuclear Scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, dubbed the father of the Iranian nuclear program, held the rank of brigadier general in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to intelligence reports, he was responsible for Iran's development of nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles. On Friday, November 27th, 2020, at 2:15 PM, Fakhrizadeh was ambushed while traveling in an armored Nissan Teana on a rural road in Absard. In the past, we've conducted many forensic analyses on attacks similar to the attack on Fakhrizadeh.  But analyzing this ambush was a challenge. The open-source pictures and explanations and reported information on how the attack occurred did not match the data gathered from Google Map images. Reports on how, where, and who conducted the ambush varied from completely automated facial recognition satellite remote control machine gun mounted in a pickup truck with no attacker's pr

Understeer and Oversteer are terms used to explain vehicle characteristics, and they are important signals transmitted to you by the vehicle, it is how the vehicle communicates to you. It is the vehicle’s way of telling you what you should do next. In a nutshell, understeer and oversteer are the interrelationships of the front and rear ends of the car. If you drove around a corner or made an emergency maneuver that created 3200 lbs pushing on the CG of your vehicle – in the perfect world your tires would be pushing back 1600 lbs. front and rear. This would be called neutral steering, and it is a characteristic seldom found in vehicles. But what happens most often is that the vehicle will either oversteer or understeer. Understeer is the condition where the front tires lose adhesion while the rear tires remain in contact with the pavement. The car tends to travel straight ahead, even though you are turning the wheel. In an understeering condition turning the steering wheel more won’t work and will aggravate th

The topic for this week’s episode is Cold Weather and Tire Pressure, Understanding Tire Pressure Monitoring System I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Here we are in the beginning of December and only a few weeks until Christmas, the days are getting colder and the nights shorter. Colder weather can trigger a vehicle’s tire-pressure-monitoring system overnight, sending nervous drivers to dealers and service centers.   For example, about 20 customers visited a Chevrolet dealership because their tire-pressure-warning icons were illuminated. Here’s why a cold snap affects tire pressure and sets off the tire-pressure-monitoring system (TPMS) warning light.   What is TPMS?   At some point, almost everyone has seen the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light appear on the dashboard. Its purpose is to warn you that at least one or more tires is significantly under-inflated, possibly creating unsafe driving conditions. The tire pressure readings are provided by pressure-sensing transmitters mounted

This week, the topic is measuring a driver’s skill level. Starting in the mid-'70s, the Scotti School and now VDI clients wanted, actually demanded, that we supply them with an objective measurement of their employee's driving skill, to produce a professional security driver who has been scientifically measured to an objective and documented standard.  To meet that demand, we studied the research conducted by the Society of Automotive Engineers, ISO  - International Organization for Standards, and NHTSA. Back in the 1970s, conducting research was not as easy as it is now. There was no Internet and Google.  Their research created an understanding of how drivers make decisions in emergencies and how long it takes them to make those decisions. We found that these organizations created minimum standards, based on the laws of physics, for measuring driving skill and, therefore, survivability in an emergency scenario. Also, we decided that to perform the duties of a professional security driver; the minimum standar

Welcome to the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation Podcast brought to you by the International Security Driver Association. The ISDA is a valuable resource for all practitioners working in the protection profession. We offer benchmark educational, networking, and marketing programs. Hello, and welcome to episode 157 of the EPST podcast. I'm your host, Larry Snow. This week, the topic is Vehicle Dynamics. Vehicle Dynamics are two words you often see mentioned in training curriculums, RFP's and on websites. There seems to be a misunderstanding of exactly what the phrase means and how vehicle dynamics affect security driving, secure transportation, and protective driver training. For example, many training programs include "vehicle dynamics exercises. In fact, Vehicle Dynamics is not just "an exercise"; it is the foundation of any driver training program. Especially a protective driver training program.  Whether driving down the highway, around corners or trying to navigate out of a potentially danger

Hello, and welcome to episode 156 of the EPST podcast. I'm your host, Larry Snow. This week, the topic is Winter Driving. I know it's not winter yet, but the days and nights are getting cooler, and just a couple of weeks ago New England area had its first snow. Winter will be here before you know it, so we felt it was the perfect opportunity to discuss Winter driving and secure transportation. Other drivers may have the option not to drive in winter weather, but not driving in icy and snowy conditions is not a luxury that most security drivers have. No doubt, driving in winter conditions can be challenging for all, including the Security Driver.  An interesting metric from the ISDA Executive Vehicle & Secure Transportation Survey - Seventy percent of survey participants drive in winter conditions—this number aligns with the national (U.S.) average. These are some facts and statistics that support the dangers of driving in a winter environment. 17% of all vehicle crashes occur during winter conditions. (NH

The topic of this week's episode is Decision Sight Distance or DSD for short. Decision Sight Distance plays an essential role for those that provide secure transportation. But understanding DSD is vital for anyone who drives an automobile. As a quick refresher for those unfamiliar with DSD, the Decision Sight Distance definition is the length of road surface drivers can see and have an acceptable reaction time. In the US, the organization that is responsible for designing our highways, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), have guidelines concerning "line of sight," and from those guidelines developed the all-important Decision Sight Distance (DSD) AASHTO defines DSD as the distance needed to recognize a problem and complete a maneuver safely and efficiently. And according to the scientists who have done an enormous amount of research on driver reaction time, the "average" driver needs 2.5 seconds to complete the "recognize a problem" part of the DSD. We have discuss

Hello, and welcome to episode 154 of the Executive Protection and Secure Transportation podcast, sponsored by the International Security Driver Association. I’m your host Larry Snow. The topic of this week’s episode – we are getting back to the basics of the business of executive protection. The business of EP is so important but very often is overlooked as an afterthought. EP training providers teach hard skills, but very few focus on business and marketing. So, in today’s episode, we’ll be playing for you a snippet from the course Social Media Basics for Protection Professionals. The course was developed by yours truly. The 3-hour course comprises six parts with various topics: defining your brand, social media profiles, and opportunities to social media marketing, marketing funnels, advertising, social media tools, and metrics. Why did I create this course? It doesn’t matter if you are a subcontractor or a large security business; social media is an essential piece of your business marketing strategy. I cr

The topic of this week’s episode is Surviving Mob Attacks on Your Vehicle. It is well established in the protection community that the time an executive spends in their vehicle is, without a doubt, the highest risk period of their day. In recent months mob attacks on a vehicle have increased the risk of Executive Vehicle Travel.  Some suggestions and thoughts. Know the laws in your state regarding this issue. According to a fact check - When questioned, six law professors said that laws vary by state, but essentially the legal question is whether the use of force is justified as self-defense. Experts said such use of deadly force would be legal only if the driver feared for their life, and using the vehicle was proportionate to the amount of force being used against the driver. Comments from the legal authorities. "The fundamental point is that a moving motor vehicle is a deadly weapon. Therefore, all these questions are, at the bottom, about when you are authorized to use deadly force against another person,

Hello, and welcome to episode 152 of the EPST podcast. I’m your host Larry Snow. The topic of this week’s episode is Security Driving Algorithm and Training. For more than 45 years, we have been using the Security Driver’s Triangle to describe the threat associated with secure transportation. A Quick Refresher – The Security Driver Triangle Driving, any form of driving, is a balance, and that balance is called the “driving system.” The driving system consists of three components: THE DRIVER, THE MACHINE, and THE ENVIRONMENT. If there is an accident or a successful ambush, it is caused by a failure of the Triangle, the driver, the vehicle, or the environment failed. You can learn more about the Triangle at the end of the article. The Vehicle Side of the Triangle is Changing With the advent of Electronic Stability Control (ESC), there is a significant change in the Triangle's Vehicle side. Those changes also flow over to the Driver portion of the Triangle. All Executive Vehicles are equipped with ESC; therefore