Tips and Blogs

Spotting the signs of a loved one’s driving deteriorating as they get older can be difficult. At what point should you tackle the issue and suggest it might be time for them to stop? As part of its older drivers’ campaign, raising awareness of the issues faced by many thousands of mature drivers across the UK, IAM RoadSmart’s head of technical policy and advice, Tim Shallcross, has put together some top tips based on his own experiences.

As part of our campaign to raise awareness of the issues surrounding older drivers in the UK and to offer support and guidance to those driving in later life, IAM RoadSmart’s Chief Examiner, Richard Gladman, shares his tips on ways to stay alert and avoid tiredness.

As we celebrate bonfire night on Tuesday 5 November many of you will be taking to the road to travel to your local firework display. IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, has written some tips to help prepare drivers and riders for the firework season.

It’s Halloween! Whatever your plans are, be it going to a fancy-dress party, or taking your kids trick or treating, make sure that you read some of these tips from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, on how to stay safe this Halloween.

With the clocks going back on Sunday 27 October, we’re going to be travelling in the dark a lot more. IAM RoadSmart have written up some top tips about riding and driving in the dark.

In his last blog, Shaun Cronin cast his mind back to a tragic incident he had attended, early in his career as a police traffic officer. In a recent staff presentation Shaun shared an image of the incident in question. Without describing it in detail here, it was obvious from the wreckage of the car, an Austin Allegro, that its driver had no chance of surviving the impact.

With the festive season now upon us my mind occasionally turns back to Christmas 1990, 14 December to be precise on a very cold early turn. An ordinary routine patrol day now etched forever on my memory.

On Wednesday night I sensibly got an early night, conscious that the following day would be a busy one – our Annual General Meeting preceded by a meeting with our trustees.

I was lucky enough to spend a few days on holiday in Iceland recently and as always I could not resist comparing their driving with our own back here in the UK. I would have looked out for the odd biker but I don’t recall seeing any at all!

It is 100 years since the end of World War I. This month is also 100 years since my grandfather died of his wounds, at home in Scotland. He was a steam vehicle driver in the Army Service Corps (now the Royal Logistics Corps).