Driving Standards for Life: My 50-Year IAM RoadSmart Journey

Fifty years ago, Tuesday 2nd July 1975 to be exact, I passed the advanced driving test in my Triumph Vitesse convertible. I was extremely proud and soon displayed my IAM RoadSmart badge (engraved with my name) on a chrome badge-bar, which I continued to do until car design made it impossible. However, I have always remained aware of being an IAM RoadSmart member and have tried my best to maintain a good standard of driving over the years, but knowing I should have taken a retest a long time ago. I remember thinking a test at twenty-five years would be good, but it never happened, but I can’t recall thinking ‘never mind I’ll just wait another twenty-five years’!

Fast forward to August 2025 when I receive a certificate from IAM RoadSmart congratulating me on being a member for fifty years and a nice gold badge to put on my windscreen. It was then that my conscience took over and there was no way that I could place that badge on my screen without proving I genuinely deserved it. I decided to book a Members Driving Assessment and I have to confess that on the morning of the test I was a little apprehensive, but my examiner Phil Shayler put me at ease and made the whole experience informative and constructive. Passing the test has been like a ‘reset’ and now I can continue to enjoy driving, but hopefully at a better standard than before.

I was pleased to have passed, but I never expected to be close to earning a ‘F1RST’ so that’s a bit of a disappointment, but never mind I’ll try again in another twenty-five years, I’ll be 99!