Tips and Blogs

The Easter break is nearly upon us, and many people will be setting off on that Spring getaway for a chance to unwind. But with airports reporting cancellations and lengthy delays, will you be choosing to take the car?

Welcome to the first in IAM RoadSmart’s new series of expert driving tips from Head of Driving & Riding Standards Richard Gladman. Over the coming weeks we’ll cover everything from safe motorway driving to how to navigate a single-track road, a steep incline or preparing for driving abroad. This week Richard talks us through what we need to think about before we’ve even left home.

The Highway Code was updated earlier this year to introduce a risk-based hierarchy of road users, which places more responsibility on the drivers of larger vehicles to look after more vulnerable road users. But are pet owners aware of the rule that relates to having four-legged passengers in the car?

The clocks are going forward, which means days will soon be longer than nights for the next six months and dark winter mornings spent scraping the windscreen are now a distant memory. It’s time to dust off your leathers and make sure your motorbike is in tip top condition for the warmer weather ahead, whilst not neglecting your car in the meantime. This week’s tips from IAM RoadSmart will help you prepare yourself and your motor for those brighter days ahead.

While driving and riding when tired isn't in the top fatal five causes of crashes it has a huge impact on your ability to focus and react. Find out the effects and how to combat them. Learn about some tips and countermeasures you could start employing today. From erratic driving behaviours to low tolerance levels and much more.

Mark Anstey Chief Observer Chelmsford & District Advanced Motorcyclists (CaDAM) takes journalist Jon Urry for a taster 'Ride', as an introduction to IAM RoadSmart's Motorcycle training.

After 12+ months of lock down people's driving skills are very rusty and there is a sense of increased urgency to get places. To support and avoid a spike in road traffic accidents, Paul Oxborough, Founder of Mental Health Motorbike joined forces with Heidi Limbert from Bristol Advanced Motorcyclists to deliver a talk to IAM RoadSmart Solent on Enjoying a Smarter Ride encouraging members to check they are in the correct headspace before riding.

In this week’s blog ‘Taking the Rural Road or Route’, IAM RoadSmart member Denis Cartmel, who has made his career from teaching others to drive tractors safely, offers his insight into the world of driving agricultural vehicles and some of the key aspects other road users should be aware of.

Back in February 2020, as a soon-to-be first-time mum and a member of IAM RoadSmart, I had so many fears going through my mind as my due date crept around the corner. “What if I go into labour in the car?...What if I’m screaming in the car on the way to hospital and it distracts my other half from the road?"

We all share the same road space. We all need to coordinate our journey with those around us. But sometimes, when someone pulls out or fails to indicate, it annoys us. It tests our patience. We forget to share.