RoSPA describe advanced driving as "a safe, thoughtful and methodical way of driving." The concept of advanced driving is based around the 'system of car control' found in Roadcraft: the Police Driver's Handbook. It is the safe-driving principle to which all emergency response drivers are trained and as such represents a standard of driving competence far beyond that of the basic driving test. "Ad
vanced drivers are more observant and better at anticipating changes in the surrounding conditions. Because of this they are able to plan their driving to deal with any circumstances." The official RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders website contains much more information about the purpose of advanced driver training, its aims, and its principles:
www.roadar.org/drivers/index.htm
WHO IS AN ADVANCED DRIVING COURSE INTENDED FOR? Anyone who holds a full car driving licence. Our past associate members have ranged from those who have held a driving licence for a matter of weeks, to experienced drivers who have been on the road for decades. We have trained members who have only ever used a car to drive to the shops, right through to members who spend all day, every day on the roads for their profession. The course is accesible to everyone, and everyone can learn something. WHAT IS THE COURSE STRUCTURE AND WHAT HAPPENS DURING A TRAINING SESSION? Our course follows a broad 8-module structure though this is heavily tailored to fit your individual training needs. Before starting any formal training one of our tutors will take you on an assessment drive, the first part of which will be used simply to judge your current driving standard, and the second part will be used to de-brief you on areas for improvement and an introduction to the course. Formal training sessions are conducted on a one-to-one basis and consist of approximately 2-hours on-road driving with pre-drive checks, a briefing, de-briefing, and regular stops to hold discussions and check understanding. Each of the modules builds on the principles outlined in Roadcraft and, towards the end of the course, time is set aside to cover any areas you are still unsure on and iron out any outstanding difficulties. You are issued with a graded training record from Module 1 and this is used to monitor your progress throughout the course. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TAKING AN ADVANCED DRIVING COURSE? People choose to become advanced drivers for a whole host of reasons. Here are just a few genuine reasons our associates have joined us in the past:
- Increased confidence on motorways/busy roads/country lanes/town driving/bad weather
- To feel safer with their children/grandchildren/family in the car
- Learn how to conduct a smoother journey that is less stressful for the driver and more
comfortable for passengers.
- Learn more about their own vehicle, its performance and its limitations.
- Returning to driving after a long time and need a refresher
- Recently passed their driving test and want to carry on improving their driving far beyond
PassPlus standard.
- Had an accident and need to re-build confidence or learn what they were doing wrong
- Been given points on a licence and want to learn to avoid any further incidents.
- An awareness of increasing bad habits that they want to iron out
- Passed a test a long time ago and want to get to grips with the technology in modern cars
- To refresh their knowledge of the rules of the road and the highway code
- Improved skills on a CV for current or prospective professional drivers
- Considering going into driver training and looking for a starting point.
- Already passed a similar course (IAM, DIAmond etc) and want to add to their accreditations.
- For insurance benefits which are offered by some providers
More than anything, our associates enjoy rising to the challenge of being trained up to the police 'Roadcraft' driving standard, and assessed by a Police Class 1 examiner with the enormous feeling of success on passing the hardest civillian driving test in the country. DO I HAVE TO TAKE A TEST AT THE END OF THE COURSE? There is no requirement to take a test at the end of the course. Most of our associates do choose to take the RoSPA Advanced Driving test as it is a way to prove themselves and receive formal recognition of all their effort and hard work. Comprehensive feedback is provided at the end of the test so it is also a good way for associates to gain expert feedback on just how much their driving has improved since taking the course, as well as areas for further work. Having said this, some of our associates do decide that taking the test is not for them. This can be for a whole variety of reasons and we are perfectly willing to accept this. We will never force someone to take a test and we will still train people to the same standard even if they make explicitly clear they do not want to take one. To quote RoSPA: "The RoSPA advanced driving test is regarded as the most comprehensive and challenging available to the public." It is therefore assessed at a much higher standard than the basic DSA learner test. Don’t worry though! Our training programme is designed to get you up to this standard. The test will be a culmination of everything you have been working hard for over the eight modules of training, and our associates enjoy proving their new skills to the examiner. All tests are conducted by either serving or retired Police Class 1 drivers, who have typically served as either traffic officers or police bikers. They will be stringent, will expect an in-depth knowledge of the Highway Code and Roadcraft, and will of course expect to see this knowledge applied to your practical drive. Whilst tests are formally conducted, the examiners are friendly and will put you at ease before starting out. Most of our associates say that they felt under much less pressure than during their learner tests, and as such were able to concentrate purely on demonstrating their new skills and abilities. Full details of the test, including the Gold/Silver/Bronze grading structure, can be found at www.roadar.org/drivers/the-test.htm
SO, HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME? We are a non-profit organisation and so we try keep the costs to our members at an absolute minimum. We charge a one-off joining fee of £85.00which covers your associate membership while training, admin costs, and also gets you a hardcopy of the Highway Code and Roadcraft. We can offer a discount if you already own these in which case the joining fee becomes £70. Under 25's are charged £35.00 and obtain the books too. There is no requirement to remain a group member after finishing the course, though any support we can maintain is greatly appreciated. If you do choose to stay on as a full member, annual subscriptions are charged at £25.00 Our full members benefit from refresher training before all of their re-tests and are invited to attend any group activities and the AGM. Our tutors are all volunteers and receive no payment their services. Test fees are paid directly to RoSPA and the latest prices can be found at www.roadar.org. If you want to remain eligible for the 3-yearly re-tests then you must remain a RoSPA member and pay the annual fees, which are also on their website. RoSPA is a registered charity and so all of their fees are used to cover admin and running costs. You will be responsible for covering your own petrol expenses and any wear & tear to the vehicle (though as an advanced driver you will learn to minimise both of these!). WHAT IF I'M NOT READY FOR A FULL ADVANCED DRIVING COURSE? We would like to think that our course is suitable for drivers of any experience level, and our tutors are used to teaching all types of people. We strongly believe that with commitment and effort, a test pass is within anyone's ability. However, we can offer shorter one-off assessment drives to anybody who is not yet ready to commit to a full advanced driving course. Please contact us for more info and a price (kept to a minimum and used to cover admin costs). WHO'S CAR IS USED FOR TRAINING? The associate is responsible for providing their own vehicle and they must have the appropriate full (not provisional) licence to drive that vehicle. ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THE CAR I CAN USE? All we ask is that you have valid insurance for the vehicle, tax and an MOT. The vehicle must be deemed roadworthy by the tutor for the training to take place, and a basic standard of car cleanliness is appreciated. Please arrive with plenty of fuel to cover a 2 hour drive. Automatic transmissions are perfectly acceptable and our tutors will be able to advise on the key differences between auto and manual. WHEN & WHERE ARE TRAINING SESSIONS CONDUCTED? We meet bi-weekly, Sunday mornings, 10am at the Swann Inn (Miller & Carter) car park in Aughton, Lancs, L39 6ST (just off the A59 nr Ormskirk). Our tutors quite often arrive early to grab a breakfast or a coffee in the restaurant before heading out and you are welcome to join. Prospective members are also welcome to come along early and introduce themselves for a quick chat, though please contact us before hand to make sure that training is going ahead and so that somebody is expecting you. If you cannot make our normal meeting time, we may be able to arrange other days/times to suit you. Please contact us for info.
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If you are interested in joining our group, or would like any further info, please send a private message through this page or use the contact form on our website. We will endeavour to get back to you with a friendly reply ASAP.
