DRIVER TRAINING
ADMIT IT. CHANCES ARE YOU RATE YOURSELF AN ABOVE AVERAGE DRIVER. BUT ARE YOUR SKILLS REALLY UP TO SCRATCH? IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN MORE, AS ANDY ENRIGHT DISCOVERS
Even those without a degree in statistics will be capable of realising we can't all be above average drivers. In fact, logic dictates that every other car that passes us is driven by a distinctly sub par driver. And yet despite this bald fact, precious few drivers have the humility or awareness to prioritise further driver training.
A number of large companies have seen the light, giving advanced tuition to their drivers and vastly reducing the cost and downtime of accidents. BP, the BBC, Sothebys, Ernst and Young, TNT and Chevron Texaco all turned to one of the big players in this market sector, IAM Fleet, the commercial driver training arm of the Institute of Advanced Motorists. IAM Fleet can call upon years of experience.
It's not just corporate bean counters looking to shave a few pounds off their fleet costs that can benefit from advanced driver training. Responsible motorists looking to protect their families are one burgeoning market for advanced training and many insurers now recognise advanced driving qualifications. Pass Plus is a post-driving test instruction course backed by the Driving Standard Agency designed to help young drivers cope with the reality of driving in all conditions. There's no examination, but if the instructor is satisfied that you've cottoned on, you'll be issued with a certificate that can slash up to 25 per cent off your insurance premium with companies like Churchill, Direct Line and Aviva.
Unfortunately advanced motoring is still lumbered with an image of fifty year old men driving at half the marked speed limit whilst wearing a flat cap and string-backed gloves, diligently shuffling the wheel between their hands, sanctimoniously pointing out the faults of every other motorist. It doesn't have to be this way. The IAM Test is based on the Police and Road Craft System of Car Control. As such, what the Examiner Expects on test is based around the Principles se...
