The WSDIC is a national program by the Canada Safety Council designed to enhance and reinforce defensive driving principles regarding the knowledge, skills, and attitude every winter service driver needs. Whether you are wanting to run a course for seasoned hires or drivers new to clearing Canada’s roads and highways, the WSDIC is a great tool for your organization to ensure uniformity amongst employees in the safe operation of large service vehicles under harsh winter conditions.

Overall, the WSDIC seeks to promote life-saving habits, vehicle care, and risk mitigation on icy roads, which is why it has been supported by government agencies and companies coast-to-coast-to-coast..

Why it Matters to Your Business

• Reduces liability and downtime due to collisions.
• Increases driver confidence, skill, and safety awareness.
• Demonstrates corporate responsibility and care for public safety.
• Aligns with legal compliance (i.e., Hours of Service, inspections, drug safety, federal health and safety standards, etc.).

Course Modules – Part 1

Before drivers can truly master winter roads, they must first understand themselves, the vehicle, and the risks surrounding them. The WSDIC begins with a focus on professionalism, attitude, and the foundational skills that form the backbone of safe and confident driving. These early modules are designed to sharpen awareness, encourage responsibility, and lay the groundwork for advanced safety practices.

• The Professional Winter Service Driver: Defines professionalism, safe driving habits, and self-awareness.
• A Positive Approach – Defensive driving techniques and collision prevention strategies.
• Factors Influencing Driving – Attitude, distractions, fatigue, drug effects, and their countermeasures.

Course Modules – Part 2

With now a strong foundation in place, the program shifts focus to the specialized skills winter drivers need such as covering inspections, equipment, and advanced snowplowing techniques that maintain safety and efficiency even in the harshest conditions.

• Traffic Law and Regulations – Covers federal/provincial laws, company policies, and Hours of Service.
• Vehicle Inspection – The legal and safety importance of pre-trip, en-route, and post-trip inspections.
• Snow Plowing Techniques & DLA – Covers equipment safety, salting, and direct liquid application.
• Sharing the Road – Intersections, passing, turns, and responding to collisions.

Program Benefits

The true value of the WSDIC program goes beyond the classroom. It creates lasting change on the road, within your team, and throughout your organization. With every trained driver, you gain more than compliance…you gain a culture of safety!

• Certified and safety-minded drivers.
• Lower insurance costs and fewer incidents.
• Enhanced public and municipal trust.
• Reinforced corporate safety culture.

For organizations looking to take their training even further, we offer cone training exercises using your own winter service vehicles and equipment. This hands-on training exercise allows drivers to apply classroom knowledge in a controlled setting, while building confidence, sharpening maneuvering skills, and reinforcing safe operating techniques before facing actual road conditions.

Bring WSDIC to Your Organization

Partner with the Canada Safety Council through Vaughan Driver Training Centre in bringing this proven program to your fleet. Our team is ready to support your organization in building safer, more confident drivers one snow-covered mile at a time.

• Certification by the Canada Safety Council through Vaughan Driver Training Centre for winter service drivers and instructors (see train-the-trainer program).
• Hands-on and classroom training.
• Nationally standardized curriculum.