L on Earth€¦ · EDITOR Simon Miller [email protected] DESIGN Matt Russell [email protected]...

THE VOICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

DrivingInstructor

ISSUE TWO 2015

What driving test lessons can the UK learn from the rest of the world?

L on Earth

Learn more about how physical and psychological conditions impact driving and how you can positively develop those pupils with diverse needs.

This course will provide the relevant knowledge and understanding needed when training people who are managing a medical condition, disability or have experienced a life-changing event. We will also be looking into vehicle adaption and how illnesses and disabilities directly affect a person’s ability to drive and in turn, understand your role, responsibility and points of referral as an ADI.

LEARN HOW TO DEVELOP DRIVERS WITH A RANGE OF SPECIFIC NEEDS

Book your place todayvisit driving.org/training or call 020 8686 8010

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6 March – Walton-on-Thames 17 April – Manchester

RefreshmentsCPD Networking CertificateLunch Materials

EDITORSimon Miller

[email protected]

DESIGNMatt Russell

[email protected]

ADVERTISINGAmy Turner

020 [email protected]

CHIEF EXECUTIVECarly Brookfield

CHAIRDean Mayer

DrivingInstructor

The official monthly magazine of the Driving Instructors Association

Driving Instructor is published monthly by DIA (Int.) Ltd

Copyright © DIA (Int.) Ltd 2014

Printed by Warners Midlands plc

The views contained may not be the views of the publishers. Publication of an advertisement does not imply approval for the goods or services offered. Reproduction by any means, electronically or otherwise, in whole or part, of any material appearing in this magazine is forbidden without the express

prior permission of the publishers.

ADI helpdesk

DIA membership helpdesk

Olivia has been a franchisee and a self-employed ADI. She knows how tough it is out there

[email protected] managerOlivia Baldock-Ward

Carly oversees the daily work of the Driving Instructors Association

[email protected] executiveCarly Brookfield

Tina Sellwood

[email protected] manager

Tina is charged with making sure everything runs smoothly

[email protected] services administrator

Simone deals with membership queries

Simone Rennox

[email protected] services administrator

Matt deals with membership enquiries and the DIA shop

Matt Rathbone

Helpdesk [email protected] is an experienced driving instructor and here to help with your training queries

Karen Bransgrove

Marketing [email protected] is our social media guru, helping our members find their online voice

Amy Turner

DIA MEMBERSHIPCall 020 8686 8010 | [email protected] | driving.org

DRIVING INSTRUCTORS ASSOCIATIONLeon House, 233 High Street, Croydon, CR0 9XT

Driving Instructor 03

WELCOMEGAUGING THE BALANCE

NE OF THE difficulties in editing a members’ magazine is that you need to find the balance between representing an association’s view and providing food for thought from other writers. Although I briefly touched on this in the feedback pages further in, I would like to clarify that we are here to facilitate differing views, to challenge perceptions and to provoke debate.

Every issue, I invite your comments and it is not an idle suggestion. I positively welcome articles and comment pieces about the issues of the day and industry and want your voices to be heard — especially when some may consider that their views are being ignored. All I ask for is not to be libellous and try and make an entertaining read.

The DIA strives to reflect the views of members but, as in the case with the driving test review, it may seem that it has already made up its mind or — as in the case with Noel — agrees with everything that is written in the magazine. Not necessarily so.

So go on, write in, let me know what you think — you never know, you may even get published.

Simon Miller

O

24

21 INTENSIVE COMMENT

Noel Gaughan ponders whether there are better ways to check on trainer competence rather than the Standards Check

23 CHIEF EXECUTIVE REPORT

Carly Brookfield outlines what is happening with the DIA and reports on a NASP meeting with the DVSA

24 WORLDLY LESSONS

With changes to the UK driving test being trialled, what if anything, can we adopt from other countries?

28 DRIVING AHEAD IN 2015

The RAC takes a look back at the events of 2014 and explores what were the key events on UK roads

06 MEMBER OF THE MONTH

We caught up with Paul Morrissey, the former policeman taking his experience into the driver trainer world

08 THE MONTH IN PICTURES

Ford and Audi celebrate and Bentley debuts at Bathurst. In addition, S.P.E.C.T.R.E. gets its company cars to fight Bond.

10 NEWS

Common errors in Standards Check, driving test trials and licence counterparts are among the topics covered this month

18 EVENT CALENDAR

Extended calendar with dates for your diary including this year’s National Standards and Parent Power CPD Days

READERS’ FEEDBACK17

Members raise topical issues of interest and respond to stories from last month’s Driving Instructor

INSTRUCTOR

30

Driving Instructor04

CONTENTS

42 FIT TO DRIVE?

Karen Bransgrove takes readers through the government’s latest legislation on both illegal and prescription drug-driving

34 DIATRAINING

James Whalen examines behavioural science and how this approach can be used for the benefit of driver training

41 A RESTING DEVELOPMENT

Kenute Wallen sets out the professional drivers’ rest requirements and how they can apply to ADIs

45 DRIVING

The Ford Mondeo and Toyota Auris are among the cars, while a phone charger and car mount are reviewed

30 DIVERSE DRIVEREDUCATION

Olivia Baldock-Ward takes you through why the DIA has set up a Drivers with diverse needs course

FINAL WORD66

How can Russia be justified in setting out anti-disability and homophobic driving licence legislation?

47 DIAMOND COMMENT

As we say goodbye to Mike Frisby, Carly Brookfield notes what changes are happening to DIAmond this year

38 ADI HELPDESK

Olivia Baldock-Ward and Karen Bransgrove help members with extended leave as well as the potential test changes

62 DIASHOP

Have you seen all the good things your mail order shop has to offer? Check out what’s available right here

4134

42 45


driving

How and why did you become a driving instructor?I became a driving instructor following retirement from the police after 30 years of service. My police service was predominantly in roads policing/road safety, I have therefore got a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with individuals who wish to use the roads as a driver. I have just re-qualified as an ADI having previously been an ADI for two years in the late 80s and early 90s. I have seen the aftermath of some very poor driving and also momentary lapses of concentration. It is imperative that I share this experience with others to help improve road safety.

What do you get out of being a driving instructor? I will personally benefit from being a driving instructor through a great deal of job satisfaction; supporting individuals not only to pass a driving test but to give them skills for life in using the road.

What did you learn from being in the police service? My police service was a roller coaster of emotions from being able to support and educate motorists either by the roadside or through campaigns to the very difficult times of dealing with human loss on the road network. The wide range of experiences will enable me to support individuals in my newly chosen career as a driving instructor. My new career was a natural and easy choice given my previous work in the police service.

What did you do in the police? During my police service I worked as a Constable/Sergeant and Inspector in roads policing and managed both the roads policing and road safety units for the County of Gloucestershire. I have attended and dealt with a large number of serious and fatal road traffic collisions, obviously my experiences have been very demanding and emotional. I now want to reverse my involvement in potential traffic collisions by providing clients with a true-life skill that will hopefully prevent their involvement in the tragic incidents that happen daily on the UK roads.

During time away from roads policing I have also worked in and managed the emergency police control room. Obviously the emergency control room works very closely with both the scene of traffic collisions and also the other impact on the general public via closures of the motorway system etc.

I have previously worked very closely with the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership and fully intend to continue this work this year.

What advice do you have for those starting out in the industry? My advice to anyone else starting out in the driving instructor industry is; regardless of your background, be ready to accept that there is a lot to learn.

Driving instructors are at the forefront of educating new drivers to think about their personal actions on the road. ADIs and other road safety professionals are doing a fantastic job and I am delighted to be part of it.

Congratulations Paul

Would you like to be our member of the month? Contact us at [email protected] and

tell us why you think you should be nominated.

OUR DIA MEMBER of the month is a former policeman who is taking his experiences in road

safety into the driver trainer world

Paul Morrissey


OF THE MONTHDIA MEMBER THE INTERVIEW

The wide range of experiences will enable me

to support individuals

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Above Simply Ford returns to Beaulieu in May for the sixth time as it celebrates 50 years of the Ford Mustang

Right Kia teases an image of a concept car that could be the basis of the next generation Optima, displaying the maniufacturer’s self-dubbed “tiger-nose” grille motif

Below Bentley made its debut at the Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, Australia, taking a fourth-place finish after twelve hours of incredibly close racing

PICTURESMONTH IN


Above Audi celebrated 2m sales in 50 years for the company’s UK division

Bottom right Jaguar Land Rover announced partnership with Bond nemesis S.P.E.C.T.R.E.

Below Automotive industry charity BEN has announced its summer event on 4 July

The Driving Instructors Association (DIA) has launched a website builder service, specifically designed with ADIs in mind.

With a greater number of learner drivers turning to the web to find themselves an instructor, the DIA realised that it is more important than ever for instructors to have an online presence. As a result, the DIA has created a dedicated ADI web package specifically tailored to the needs of an ADI’s business.

Customers will have the choice between a ‘User-managed’ and ‘DIA-managed’ service. This service allows users full autonomy to customise, manage, change and update their website to their own specifications - this is perfect for those who have basic knowledge and prior experience of IT.

The DIA-managed service ensures that a DIA web developer is on hand

to provide users with a premium support service, altering and updating webpages and copy on their behalf as well as full autonomy to customise, manage, change and update their website to their own specifications. Whichever service customers decide to go with, each website will come standard with the following pages: Home; Services; Price List; Areas Covered; Terms and Conditions; and a Contact Form.

The initial one-off set-up fee for a User-managed website is £149 with the DIA-managed website costing £199 to set up. The DIA WebBuilder starts at a monthly fee of £15 for a User-managed website and £25 for a DIA-managed website.

To find out more and purchase your website, check out www.driving.org/webbuilder.

Driving Instructor

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has identified the most common failures in the Standard Check for driver trainers.

The Standards Check assesses competence across 17 areas and having reviewed assessments undertaken between 7 April 2014 and 30 June 2014, the DVSA identified that the following areas contributed most frequently to test failure:

DVSA reveals common errors in Standards Check

10

NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS VISIT DRIVING.ORG/NEWS

5. Was the pupil given appropriate and timely feedback during the session?6. Was sufficient feedback given to help pupils understand any safety critical incidents?7. Was the pupil encouraged to reflect on their own performance?

DIA WebBuilder Launched

TOP STORY

1. Was the lesson plan adapted, when appropriate, to help the pupil work towards their learning goals?2. Did the trainer ensure that the pupil fully understood how the responsibility of risk would be shared?3. Was the teaching style suited to the pupil’s learning style and current ability?4. Was the pupil encouraged to analyse problems and take responsibility for their learning?

DIA training manager Olivia Baldock-Ward said: “Looking at this feedback from the DVSA, it seems to point towards the fact that a proportion of ADIs are not embracing client centred learning, and developing ‘thinking drivers’. It is imperative that ADIs encourage their learners (pre and post-test) to become active problem solvers and not just passive receivers of knowledge, as this is superficial and won’t fully prepare people for a lifetime of safe driving. “

She added: “There are a lot of fantastic ADIs out there who have moved on with the times and are delivering a bespoke learning experience for their learners and are catering to their learning needs, however this evidence suggests that some are not recognising the changes and perhaps are not fully conversant with the National Standards for Driver and Rider Training. DIA members can call the DIA for help and advice on this subject or attend National Standards training days.”

The DVSA is to shortly start its research into how the driving test can be improved.

As revealed on DIA News, the research will examine how the driving test could be made more realistic and better prepare drivers for modern day driving.

Part of this will involve trialling a new version of the driving test where candidates will use a satellite navigation system; carry out different manoeuvres; and answer ‘show me-tell me’ questions on the move.

In a statement, the DVSA commented: “Participation in the research is only open to ADIs who operate out of one of the 20 selected test centres, and we recently held a series of meetings to provide more information on how to get involved.

“If you are an ADI who uses one of these test centres, you can still take part in the research by emailing [email protected] for more information.”

ADIs can also get involved in surveys, responses from which will provide valuable data to inform the research project and final outcomes. Focus Groups are also planned across the UK.

In addition, the DVSA is launching a test trial website, which will update on developments and how ADIs can play a part in shaping a new practical test.

Carly Brookfield, DIA CEO, said: “Whilst there has been an enthusiastic response to the appeal for volunteers so far we need to ensure that as many trainers and learners as possible feed in their views and responses in some way as the trial moves forward.

“It’s crucial all driver trainers input into this trial in some way - make sure you have your say in shaping the future test of both your, and your pupils. We’ve already fed in the initial views that our members have sent us and will continue to do so throughout the trial.”

As always, the DIA welcomes all your feedback and suggestions with regards to the test trial, and you can reach us at [email protected].

The following 20 test centres will be used for the trial:

Basildon Lower GronalBishopbridge (Glasgow) Musselburgh (Edinburgh)Blackpool MitchamCheetham Hill (Manchester) NorwichEnfield OxfordFarnborough St HelensFolkestone SunderlandHandsworth (Sheffield) SwanseaKings Heath (Birmingham) Weston-super-MareLincoln York

Driving test trials to begin

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Just over 1.5m cars were manufactured in the UK last year; the best since 2007.

UK manufacturers saw a 1.2% increase on the previous year from 1.509m to 1.528m, making it the best for eight years despite challenges in some export markets.

Output for the UK market matched the growth in overall UK registrations, rising 8.0% while exports slipped by 0.5% from 1.2m to 1.19m in 2014 and as a percentage of total manufacturing from 79.6% to 78.2%.

While exports to the EU and Russia fell, the rest of the world outside the US picked up the slack with China accounting for around 12%.

2014 saw UK car manufacturing rise


The paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence is to be abolished in June this year.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) confirmed that from 8 June 2015, it will no longer issue counterparts. All existing counterpart in circulation will not be valid and the agency has asked for them to be destroyed.

Paper licences issued before 1998 when the photocard was introduced will not be abolished but will not be annotated with endorsements, which will be made available online.

ADIs will be able to check driving licence information by using the DVLA’s Share Driving Licence service that aims to be available before the counterpart is abolished.

The licence holder will generate a one-time use access code through

the current View Driving Licence service, which can be shared plus the last eight digits of their driving licence number. ADIs will then be able to use these to see the driver’s licence status, endorsements and what vehicles they can drive via the Share Driving Licence page on GOV.UK.

The view of the driving licence presented back to the third party will be date/time stamped and downloadable in the form of a PDF. The information will be accurate at the time of download and is a snapshot of the record at that time.

An initial briefing pack outlining the changes is available from members’ site and any further questions can be sent to the dedicated email account [email protected] or contact the DIA members’ helpdesk.

Licence counterpart to be gone by summer

Ten million motorists underestimate their speed on 30mph roads — or are lying about it — according to a study into speed perception.

The research, from insurer Direct Line found that although 20% of motorists admit to breaking the 30mph speed limit, according to the Department of Transport (DfT), in reality, 46% break the limit.

The disparity between drivers’ beliefs and the reality shows that in addition to the nearly eight million motorists who are knowingly speeding in 30mph areas, over 10.3m (26%) drivers are simply unaware of their excessive speed and the dangers that they could potentially pose to other road users.

According to the research, drivers also significantly underestimated their average driving speeds on motorways with just one third (32%) admitting to regularly travelling faster than 70mph. This contrasts markedly with the almost half (47%) of drivers who actually break the speed limit on these roads, as reported in the DfT statistics.

Younger motorists are more likely to admit to exceeding the speed limit in built up areas, with 28% of those aged 18-34 stating that they drive between 31-60 mph on 30mph roads. Driving at these speeds was less frequently admitted by those aged 35-54 (17%) and even less so among those aged 55 and over (9%).

The study also showed that those aged 35-54 are marginally more likely to admit to speeding on a motorway than those of other ages, with 40% of drivers in this age group confessing to regularly exceeding the 70mph speed limit. Drivers aged 18-34 came second with 33%, and despite being the age group with the lowest number of offenders, motorway speeding is still frequent among over 55s, with 25% admitting to doing so.

Direct Line’s director of motor Gus Park said: “Most people consider themselves to be safe drivers, but our research has shown that many drivers have a ‘rose-tinted’ view of their behaviour. There is a clear disconnect between what people think their driving is like, and the actual reality.”

Jaguar Land Rover is developing a range of technologies that would use colours, sounds and touch inside the car to alert drivers to potential hazards and prevent accidents involving bicycles and motorbikes.

The company said sensors on the car would detect when another road user was approaching and identify it as bicycle or motorbike. Bike Sense would then make the driver aware of the potential hazard before the driver sees it.

Rather than using a generic warning icon or sound, which takes time for the driver’s brain to process, Bike Sense uses lights and sounds that the driver will instinctively associate with the potential danger such as a bicycle bell or motorbike horn.

If a bicycle or motorbike is coming up the road behind the car, Bike Sense will detect if it is overtaking or coming past the vehicle on the inside, and the top of the car seat will extend to ‘tap’ the driver on the left or right shoulder. The idea is that the driver will then instinctively look over that shoulder to identify the potential hazard.

As the cyclist gets closer to the car, a matrix of LED lights on the windowsills, dashboard and windscreen pillars will glow amber and then red as the bike approaches. The movement of these red and amber lights across these surfaces will also highlight the direction the bike is taking.

Dr Wolfgang Epple, director of research and technology, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “Human beings have developed an instinctive awareness of danger over thousands of years. Certain colours like red and yellow will trigger an immediate response, while everyone recognises the sound of a bicycle bell.

“Bike Sense takes us beyond the current technologies of hazard indicators and icons in wing mirrors, to optimising the location of light, sound and touch to enhance this intuition. This creates warnings that allow a faster cognitive reaction as they engage the brain’s instinctive responses. If you see the dashboard glowing red in your peripheral vision, you will be drawn to it and understand straight away that another road user is approaching that part of your vehicle.”

Drivers unaware of own speed

Jaguar Land Rover develops bike awareness system

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One- in-three councils have an electric vehicle (EV) with Scotland leading the charge.

A study from intelligentcarleasing.com found that around a third of responding councils had gone electric making it a total of 521 EVs in the UK.

Out of the top five councils, four were Scottish which the car leasing site said could be down to local authorities north of the border taking a more proactive approach to adopting zero-emissions. In addition, the Scottish government has a stated ambition to have 100% of electricity demand met by renewable sources by 2020.

According to intelligentcarleasing.com, with national statistics showing an increase in the uptake of EVs, the company was curious to see what the public sector uptake was. In 2014, there was a 166.6% increase in pure EV registrations.

Inteligentcarleasing.com digital marketing executive Pete McAllister, who conducted the study, commented: “With one-in-three local councils adopting electric vehicles on some level, it paints an encouraging picture. I think as electricity production in the UK becomes more fuelled by renewables, the number of councils adopting electric powered transport will vastly increase.”

Councils go electric


The Reading theory test centre has moved from its current theory test centre at Hanover House on Kings Road.

As Driving Instructor was going to press, the new centre was due to open on Monday 16 February at Havell House, 62-66 Queens Road.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency said that bookings have already been opened at the new location and candidates have been informed of the new address in the email confirmation of their test booking.

The new site is only a four-minute walk from the old site and is a seven-minute walk from the main shopping centre (The Oracle Shopping Centre).

The address of the new theory test site is as follows:Havel House, 62-66 Queens RoadReadingBristol, RG1 4AZ

Meanwhile, theory tests return to the centre of Britol with a new theory test centre at Crescent Centre, Temple Back, BS1 6EZ - 5 minutes walk from Temple Meads railway station.

Testing continued at Avonmouth until 17 February and new appointments available at the Crescent Centre from 23 February.

Reading theory test centre to move

An early warning pothole alert using smart scanning technology is being developed by scientists at Nottingham Trent University.

The technology, developed by a team led by Nottingham Trent research fellow Dr Senthan Mathavan, scans roads for ravelling — the loss of aggregates from the asphalt which leads to potholes and cracks.

Combined with 2D and 3D scanners on a pavement monitoring vehicle, a computer vision algorithm can examine the road with accuracy at traffic speed during day or night.

The system works by detecting different textures of the road to identify ravelling and distinguishes it from shadows and blemishes such as tire marks, oil spills and recent pothole repairs.

“It’s imperative for authorities across the world to be able to monitor road conditions efficiently and safely,” said Mathavan, a research fellow of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment.

“For the first time, academic research has addressed the issue of detecting ravelling in an automated way, which has led to the development of this novel software which can be used across the industry.”

Scottish drivers could see themselves not being fined or handed points if they marginally break the speed limit according to the Conservative Party.

The Scottish Conservatives asked ministers to consider the alternative given the increase in traffic convictions reported at the turn of the year, particularly for those who were only just above the threshold.

In a letter to justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell, the Scottish government confirmed it was now considering such a move.

Transport minister Derek Mackay said he supported “the concept of offering driver education as an alternative to prosecution where appropriate” and that evidence was now being collected to see if such a move may be feasible.

Similar alternatives exist in England and Wales for motorists caught speeding at the minor end of the scale.

The changes could come in as places like Edinburgh move towards reducing speed limits in streets right across the city, which could lead to yet more convictions.

In December, it emerged the number of traffic crimes had increased, meaning they now account for four in every 10 convictions.

Scottish Conservative justice spokeswoman Margaret Mitchell said: “Given the increase in traffic convictions, it is surely time to consider an alternative for those who are not significantly over the speed limit.

“Offering speed awareness courses would be a more effective alternative to points and a hefty fine.

Early warning for potholes

Scotland could fall in line with speeding driver education

UK car insurance fell by 4.4% in 2014 compared with the previous year according to figures from the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (Biba).

Actual-premiums-paid data from the Biba and Acturis Insurance Price Index, showed that motor insurance fell by 4.4% last year, reflecting a downward trend in the consumer insurance ‘shopping basket’ that saw costs falling each quarter last year compared with the same period in 2013.

Small and medium sized enterprises are also benefiting from reducing premiums. The SME basket of the index, which includes the cost of a commercial vehicle and a commercial package policy, showed a reduction of around 2% in 2014 compared to 2013. This was largely driven by the reduction in commercial vehicle premiums, which saw reductions in Q4 2014 of 6.3% compared to Q4 in 2013.

Average premiums have remained fairly flat for larger businesses in 2014 compared to 2013. Although, within this basket, there is evidence that liability premiums increased 3.4% in 2014 compared with 2013. In addition, liability premiums have increased 6.8% since 2010, which Biba said could be connected to an increase in liability claims.

Biba executive director Graeme Trudgill said: “The insurance industry is very competitive and has also committed to a number of initiatives to reduce insurance costs for families and businesses. Customers should see these reductions in their premiums and if in any doubt about the cost or coverage of their insurance, should speak to an insurance broker.”

Car insurance down in 2014


Graham Dalton is to step down as chief executive of the Highways Agency.Dalton is to leave the post in the summer after seven years in which

the agency has been preparing for a statutory change, which will see it overseeing a planned strategic road network, as well as working under financial constraints.

Currently going through parliament, the Infrastructure Bill will see the agency become a government-owned company, Highways England, responsible for delivering over 100 new road schemes between now and the end of the next parliament.

Dalton said: “It has been a privilege to lead the Highways Agency through such an exciting time. Highways England, which will come into being in April following Royal Assent of the government’s Infrastructure Bill, will need a chief executive who can commit to delivering the first roads investment strategy which runs to 2020.”

Dalton steps down as highways boss

Driving Instructors required for Dorset Police Force

To provide classroom and in car instruction to members of the public on the dangers and hazards of driving and risks to road users. To present and engage with course participants to influence positive change in driving behaviour.

2 opportunities available:

- 37 hour per week full time 2 year secondment / fixed term contract – Starting £21,309

- 23 hours per week permanent post – Starting salary of £13,246

For further information please contactLaressa Robinson: 07737 308599 Melvin Vincent: 01305 223779www.dorset.police.uk

Tim Hunter, ADI

Simon Miller

AN EDITOR REPLIES: I would like to point out that Noel is not representative of the DIA nor speaks on behalf of it and writes in an independent capacity about his side of the industry. As an editor, I value plurality and am happy to receive opinion from readers.

Jenny Nicholls

FEEDBACKREADERS’


Charles Gale-Hasleham ADI

JUST TO LET you know I passed my Standards Check with an 47/51 A-grade.

Thanks Olivia for your advice. Your help and advice over the phone was brilliant.

The DIA Essential Guide helped massively too.

Thanks again for your great advice.

THANK YOU SO much for your help yesterday regarding the DSA using the CGI clips. My pupil is colour blind, has dyspraxia and has done five theory tests but keeps failing on the hazard perception. When we tried the CGI he found it so much easier, so, fingers crossed for test number six.

Your timely advice and information make me look super efficient and professional, so thank you very much.

HI, I’M CONFUSED by the mixed messages you, as an organisation, are giving us through your magazine. I refer in particular to issue 12, 2014. In it you include articles, which refer to the positive changes to the driving test, which you seem to think will hopefully make new drivers more able to cope with real life after the test.

Later in the DIAmond comment Mike Frisby finishes his article by saying that the new test “will require trainers to be more professional about training a driver to be a driver rather than simply being able to pass the test”.

These articles seem to emphasise the importance of learning to drive, rather than learning to pass a test — a

viewpoint I whole-heartedly agree with.But what confuses me is the amount

of column space you give to Noel Gaughan. His whole business is the kind of ‘get them in, get them out‘ intensive driving school that I would have thought you would be dead against. After all, the whole aim of an intensive course is to learn in as short a space as possible to get through the test. It goes against everything you are telling us about improving our image and the image of our profession. I personally would ban intensive courses, and truly believe you cannot learn enough, or gather enough experience to keep yourself and others safe on the road in one week.

Yet in one of his articles he states that

in the next five-to-10 years, intensive driving courses will be the first choice for people learning to drive. It’s all part of the ‘I won’t wait, I want it now‘ culture. I will not be part of it.

I also won’t be part of any organisation that seems to idolise people such as Mr Gaughan. He is not a celebrity, and he is not a person we should be looking to emulate. I’m hoping in future you are more consistent in your message. Are we teaching them to drive, or teaching them to pass a test? Let me know so that I know where you stand. And please no more articles from Noel Gaughan, he does not have anything to offer to the vast majority of our profession that takes our job seriously.


SOCIAL MEDIA

What has got you sharing, liking, tweeting, retweeting, regramming and pinning this month?

We’ve been posting photos of the team out and about delivering our ever popular National Standards Training Days.

This month, DIA Chief Executive, Carly Brookfield, sat down with BBC DJ Mark Forrest to talk about the proposed changes to the practical driving test.

facebook.com/drivinginstructorsassociation

twitter.com/the_dia

Keep updated on all our latest events, including our Parent Power Roadshows, Drivers With Diverse Needs course as well as our Spring Conference.

pinterest.com/dia0323

This picture went down a treat with our driving instructor and young learner followers alike.

instagram.com/drivinginstructorsassociation

Send your comments toLeon House 233 High Street Croydon CR0 9XT

[email protected]@the_DIA

Pat Hamill DSA Adi

I WAS SURPRISED to hear the comments by Councillor Geva Blackett with regards to the tragic death of a farmer caused by a learner under professional instruction due to snowy conditions in Aberdeen. This councillor supports pupils being taught in extreme weather conditions but are we not all warned not to journey out unless completely necessary? Are those warnings to prevent accidents on our roads due to adverse weather conditions? Would this farmer still be alive today if those warnings were heeded? Would a driving instructor risk his livelihood, life or life of his pupil knowing that if a pupil brakes on ice, the instructor has no control of his vehicle or the end result of what could happen?

Mike Frisby believes its unfortunate that these accidents can still happen even under expert guidance but a sensible option would have been to wait until conditions had improved would you not think?

Are these experts the same ones pushing for learners to train on our motorways? If learners hit the wrong pedal by mistake at 70mph will those same expert say they have to be taught on all roads? Who then tells the relatives of the deceased that it was just a tragic accident or is it just a tragedy waiting to happen?

What do you think?

For more information visit driving.org/events or call 0208 686 8010

February

April

14Mercure Great Danes HotelJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Tuesday

Maidstone Parent Power Roadshow

15Park Inn Birmingham WestJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Wednesday

Birmingham Parent Power Roadshow

23DIA WebinarIn this webinar we are going to be weighing up the pros and cons of working as a franchisee and going it alonewww.driving.org/webinarFree to members

Monday

Franchise Matters Webinar

CALENDAREVENT


10Ice Sheffield Join the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Tuesday

Sheffield Parent Power Roadshow

12Holiday Inn City CentreJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Thursday

Liverpool Parent Power Roadshow

26DIA Webinar In this webinar, we’ll be honing in on how best to enhance your business through effective marketingwww.driving.org/webinarFree for members

Thursday

Marketing Matters Webinar

26St Giles HotelJoin the DIA in the South West for a full day CPD event focussing on the National Standards and the Standards Checkwww.driving.org/events£69 for members

Thursday

Heathrow National Standards Training Day

SOLD O

UT25Holiday InnDue to the phenomenal demand, we’re back in Portsmouth for round two www.driving.org/events£69 for members

Wednesday

Portsmouth National Standards Training Day

March

05DIA WebinarIn this webinar, we will be tackling the contentious subject of the proposed changes to the driving testwww.driving.org/webinarFree for members

Thursday

Practical Driving Test Trials Webinar

06Riverhouse BarnThe DIA presents this specially designed one-day course, which looks into the world of teaching those with disabilitieswww.driving.org/events £79 for members

Friday

Walton-On-Thames Drivers with Diverse Needs Course

27Jury’s InnJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Friday

Edinburgh Parent Power Roadshow

NEWCOURSE

16Hallmark HotelOur latest PDD focusses on the psycological behaviour and habits of both drivers and trainerswww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Thursday

Manchester Driver Behaviour PDD

SOLD O

UT

NEWPDD

May

June

27Leicester RacecourseOur DIA Conference is here, with workshops, presentations and exhibits, focusing on driver behavior through the ageswww.driving.org/conference£79 for members

Monday

Spring Conference – Driving through the ages

02Holiday InnJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Tuesday

Portsmouth Parent Power Roadshow

03Ramada PlazaJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focusing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Wednesday

Belfast Parent Power Roadshow

04Bothwell Bridge HotelOur latest PDD focusses on the psycological behaviour and habits of both drivers and trainerswww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Thursday

Glasgow Driver Behaviour PDD

16Holiday Inn Ipswich-OrwellOur latest PDD focuses on the psychological behaviour and habits of both drivers and trainerswww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Tuesday

Ipswich Driver Behaviour PDD

08Park Inn BelfastOur latest PDD focusses on the psycological behaviour and habits of both drivers and trainerswww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Monday

Belfast Driver Behaviour PDD

17Holiday Inn PortsmouthAs suggested by our members, Business Bootcamp aims to knock your business into great shapewww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Wednesday

Portsmouth Business Bootcamp

10Coulsdon Manor HotelOur latest PDD focusses on the psycological behaviour and habits of both drivers and trainerswww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Wednesday

Surrey Driver Behaviour PDD

12Gipsy Hill HotelJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Tuesday

Exeter Parent Power Roadshow

13Royal Cambridge HotelJoin the DIA for a new series of roadshows focussing on the role of parentswww.driving.org/roadshowFree for members

Wednesday

Cambridge Parent Power Roadshow


17Hallmark HotelThe DIA presents this specially designed one-day course, which looks into the world of teaching those with disabilitieswww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Friday

Manchester Drivers with Diverse Needs Course

NEWCOURSE

NEWCONFERENCE

This Spring, join the DIA for a unique driver education event focused on driver behaviour across all age ranges, and life stages.

NEWPDD

NEWPDD

20Park Inn Birmingham WestAs suggested by our members, Business Bootcamp aims to knock your business into great shapewww.driving.org/events£79 for members

Wednesday

Birmingham Business Bootcamp

BUSINESSCOURSE

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COMMENTINTENSIVE


O B OR not to B, that is A question.I think it’s time for change — a change

that will save all of us a lot of valuable time and money.

Many of us driving instructors strive to get the Grade A on our check tests hoping

that it will somehow make our future brighter, then we will get more work and be able to charge more per hour than our colleagues who have managed to get the Grade B. Some of us hope that the public will see how hard we have worked and that we will be totally professional in our dealings with them.

There are other instructors who really want the Grade B so that they can continue to work, as they would say it cost them a lot of money to train for this job and, if they were to fail and be no longer able to teach, they would be forced to go and do work that they don’t enjoy. I can see it from both sides. But I would prefer that we were all seen as equal to the general public.

Could a system without the grades and the Standards Check work? Do examiners get enough information in an hour sitting in the back of the car to make a judgement on an instructor’s quality?

If an ADI continues to take people who are unsafe to the test centre, shouldn’t they be reported to a senior driving examiner who in turn could take immediate action? This in turn would give the DVSA a chance to take ADI’s who teach in an unsafe way off the register.

Would this not free up a lot of the DVSA resources so that those resources could be used where they are most needed? If no one knows about the grading system and the DVSA are unwilling to tell them, then, in my opinion, it is time to change. We are either good to teach people to drive or we are not. There should be no middle ground. I for one would not miss doing a check test.

In the last few years, I have been telling anyone and everyone who will listen what I think about the ADI

grading system. Why have a system in place that may not be easy to understand and the vast majority of the public has never heard of? Is it done to keep the DVSA happy? To give the impression that they are making a change? Maybe it is in place so that some of the more senior driving examiners are given a chance to go up a grade and get more money? Or is it in place because it has always been in place? A truly civil service way of doing things.

Sorry for so many questions. Tell me your thoughts on why it’s in place and what should we do about it. If you are expecting your check test soon may I wish you the very best and hope you do well, because it is only your pride that will get a lift. Do not expect the paying public to queue up around the block to book your fantastic teaching abilities simply because they will not know and, if you tell them, they will not understand anyway.

TNoel Gaughan runs intensivecourses.co.uk, which has gained a reputation for its celebrity trainees.He tweets at @noelgaughan

ABOUT THE WRITER

NOEL GAUGHAN ASKS WHETHER THE STANDARDS CHECK IS BEST TO TEST DRIVER TRAINERS

Should not all driving instructors be

competent at their job?As always, Noel’s forthright views are bound to provoke debate, and in this instance, the DIA takes a different stance to Noel.

We’ve worked long and hard with the DVSA to look at how we raise the standards of driver training and how we motivate trainers to go beyond simply scraping through an assessment. We were firmly behind the introduction of the new Standards Check as it gives trainers a much clearer definition of the standards to be reached and the keys areas of delivery for a professional trainer. We’re also pleased to hear that the DVSA is looking to adopt more ways of promoting the higher achieving trainers, alongside the new grading system being more widely promoted to the public — with some of their plans in this area being based on recommendations DIA has made directly to them (more on that next issue).

But we don’t disagree with everything Noel says here, there is a germ of an idea in his argument. Not in getting rid of the Check itself- but in actually looking at whether there other methods and other information we could use to assess trainer performance, in addition to the Standards Check. Maybe closer and more systematic monitoring of the standards of candidates each trainer presents for test? Join the debate and let us know what you think.

Carly Brookfield writes

Parents are an important audience for ADIs, both as a key decision-maker and influencer on younger pupils - and a license holder themselves.

Book your place todayvisit driving.org/roadshow or call 020 8686 8010

Parent PowerRoadshow 2015

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In our latest roadshow series, we’ll look at how trainers can engage more actively with parents and carers, and involve them more productively in the learning process.

From tips and techniques on opening up direct lines of communication with parents, to designing and delivering accompanied practice courses, as well as bringing in additional income – we’ll focus on harnessing that parent power.

The DIA is proud to offer the most extensive range of roadshows around the UK, totally free of charge.

REPORTCHIEF EXECUTIVE

HE START OF the New Year heralded a renewed focus from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) on consulting with the key stakeholder groups in the industry. On 22 January, representatives from the four main ADI

associations — DIA, MSA, NJC and DISC — that make up the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) were invited up to Nottingham to pow wow with chief Alastair Peoples and key members of the senior management team.

NASP met together first to discuss our agenda for the meeting so we could go in aligned on the key topics. The main topic of discussion in this pre-meet was the recently announced trial to develop the L test. The opportunity was taken to share member feedback from the different organisations on the proposals. Although concerns were expressed regarding pulling up on the right, the practicalities of using public car parks (though remember you can practice bay parking for free as a DIA member at Q-Parks) and the logistics of using satellite navigation systems, NASP remains supportive of the proposed changes and felt that the trial would provide the opportunity for the concerns of their members to be explored and addressed. Indeed, we had the opportunity to discuss this with DVSA at the following combined meeting and they were able to add more meat to the bones of the trial, as well as being open to taking on board further feedback from our memberships too. Indeed, DVSA has now produced a set of FAQs about the trial to explain the process and the content in more detail, after taking feedback from meetings such as these (and the many held at test centres across the country in recent weeks) and understanding that further clarity was needed.

We were then walked through a comprehensive presentation, which included a review of DVSA achievements to date, and a range of plans and proposals that the DVSA wish to take forward in collaboration with driver training industry representatives in the future. We had a clear sense that DVSA wants to increase consultation and collaboration with stakeholders such as ourselves. Indeed, it was stated that the input of NASP in particular is important, and that the group is in a position to influence change. DVSA clearly see the consultation with this group as an important opportunity to gain valuable insights and feedback on new proposals, initiatives, changes in operational policy, and user services and communications.

A number of key changes were highlighted that have been implemented since the last combined meeting with DVSA. These included the implementation of the

Standards Check, reduction in theory test fees and approval for the trial for changes to the driving test. We were advised that the merger of the two organisations is due to be completed by 1 April 2015, and a new senior management structure, which will come into effect in April, was outlined.

In terms of a vision for the future of the driving standards element of the agency, the chief executive advised he was actively looking at how some of the successes from vehicle testing could be adapted and applied to driver testing and training. Currently, VOSA operators have an Operator Compliance Risk Score which reflects their likelihood of regulatory compliance (or non-compliance as the case may be); consideration will be given to how a similar system might be applied to ADIs in the future as part of a wider move towards promoting ADI competence levels and increasing standards. DIA have already given some outline thought to how that might work and DVSA have taken those initial views on board — I’ll share more with you on that topic next issue so we can get your feedback and loop that back into DVSA.

Encouraging noises were also made about other new initiatives aimed at raising standards for both trainers and drivers. One area that particularly resonated with me, and our focus at DIA on engaging more widely outside the industry to promote the profession and professional driver training, was planning to reach out more to the public, parents, businesses etc and increase their participation in raising driving standards. More on that to come as we follow through on DVSA’s commitment to collaborate, communicate, and consult more frequently and involve ADI stakeholders more so in the shaping policy and process.

At the end of this month, I’ll be hosting a round table with transport minister Robert Goodwill, DVSA and DfT senior management, the insurance industry and a whole range of other important stakeholders in post test driver education — picking up on some the crucial themes from above about how we get more existing licence holders re-engaging with professional driver training. I’ll feedback on that important meeting in next month’s column.

Carly is the chief executive and head of membership services at the DIA. Carly has over 16 years experience in senior business development roles across a range of industries including government agencies, financial services, medical and education.

ABOUT THE WRITER

Tweet your thoughts @the_DIA #nasp

DIA DEVELOPMENTS - A REPORT FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE CARLY BROOKFIELD

T


DVSA has now produced a set of FAQs about the trial

to explain the process

most driver trainers would agree that the test itself does need development to make it a more rigorous assessment of a candidate’s ability to drive independently, competently and safely on our roads.

And it’s worth recognising that whatever new assessment we do bring in as a result of this trial, and even though we have one of the best road safety records in the world, we’ll still be lagging behind a number of other countries —not just in the rigour of the test itself, but in the whole process of learning to drive and acquiring a licence.

With change in the air, can we learn from other countries and discover how, rather than being nervous of developments to a test (which hasn’t much changed in over 20 years), we could actually seek more radical and wholesale change to the learning to drive process in the UK?

But, before we get onto what we could change here, let’s look at tests around the world and see what lessons we can take from those.

CARLY BROOKFIELD FINDS OUT ABOUT LEARNING TO DRIVE ACROSS THE GLOBE AND LESSONS FOR THE UK

T

A L of a World


France: Graduated licence. 20 hours

driving and theory test followed by three-years probationary certificate.

Practical test from 18 Legal age: 16

UK: Written, practical and awareness tests

Legal age: 16

HE ANNOUNCEMENT of a new trial to look at changes to the driving test in November last year caused a fair bit of a furore — and

that was before the trial even kicked off (never mind the fact we’re still a way off any changes actually being made to the test). The reality is, whether you agree or disagree with the specific changes which have been proposed for this trial,


Learnings from the L test around the worldWhilst there are some frankly mind boggling test and licencing conditions in some countries around the globe (don’t get me started on Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan’s thought pattern that if you can swerve round cones you’re fit to take to the road) there is also a lot of food for thought for the UK. Regardless of the argument that they have a worse road safety record than the UK, I do admire the US’s holistic approach to driver education with many states still having mandatory ‘Drivers Ed’ lessons in school and now mandating parents to take driver education sessions themselves before they commence accompanied practice. And they also already have a form of graduated licences (GDL) in place – whether its enforced effectively (and this is one of the issues that other countries such as Australia and New Zealand face) or not is another challenge, and one for us to watch and learn from as we consider the introduction of GDL here.

Countries such as Finland and France also open up the debate on minimum age too —when are we mature enough to manage the responsibility of driving? Start sooner and build experience and expertise but in a controlled way such as a two-year training period and a three-year probationary term like France, or wait till 18 and even then have to undertake two years’ worth of development before you are judged fully competent to gain a full licence like Finland?

The Finns are renowned for the toughness of their test and rigour of their learning to drive process but Colombia, whilst not holding any world records for road safety and considered in many ways to be behind the general educational curve of many first world nations like the UK, has a surprisingly in-depth system — and one which we could benefit from here. Starting young people’s road user education

USA: Six-month graduated licence

programme. Minimum age: 14-21

Mexico: No test. Licence for 626 pesos (£28) Minimum age: 18

earlier in a schools based programme is more akin to DIA’s vision of graduated learning (versus the potential stable door and already bolted horses scenario of graduated licences with no real mandatory conditions for the pre-licence process beforehand). Key goals are met along the way and result in a gradual development of skills and knowledge, rather than an uncontrolled rush for the finishing line, which can occur in the UK system. Indeed you’ll be 21 in Colombia, and need to have taken a further practical test, before you can gain a full unrestricted licence.

Regardless of the rest of the world, in the DIA’s vision of a perfect world we’d like to see us drawing from best practice across the globe and creating a learning to drive and licencing process which goes far beyond what we have today — and beyond what we’ll have even after the latest round of redevelopments to the L test. The latest trial will only look at the practical test itself, which admittedly needs more work to make it a more robust assessment of an ability to handle real life driving. Rather than fiercely clinging to (an actually declining) top spot in the world road safety records, we now need to focus on how our training, testing and licencing process can be world leading. And not just pre, and immediately post-test — we could actually lead the way in areas that even those who have

The Finns are renowned for the toughness of their test and rigour of their learning to

drive processDriving Instructor26

Japan: Written and practical test. Legal

age: 18

Australia: Learner licence then 2-year

probationary. Legal age: 16


We now need to focus on how our

training, testing and licencing process can

be world leading

admirable novice driver processes in place still miss by creating a regime which truly goes from cradle to grave — educating in schools from an earlier age, stepping up the training and assessments as trainees get nearer to that moment of independent driving, mandating post-test training for the first few hazardous years and, importantly, introducing regular training and re-testing for existing licence holders throughout their licenced life. And above all, a focus on more robust training with qualified, professional trainers. An impossible dream perhaps? Or something to strive for. Let us have your views about how can we create a better roadmap for the future of learning to drive in the UK.

Russia: Theory and practice test for

those with certificate of mental fitness, no record of substance abuse nor suffering from a WHO list of medical conditions.

Legal age: 16

Pakistan: Theory and short practical cones

test. Legal age: 18

THE RAC’S REPORT INTO THE STATE OF UK MOTORING REVEALS A KNOWLEDGE GAP


State of a motoring nation

for them, with 66 percent believing that the authorities have neglected local roads. Older drivers are most likely to notice the deterioration of the roads, with 77 percent placing it as a main concern. Feelings are so strong amongst drivers that 36 percent would be prepared to pay more motoring tax if the extra revenue was ring-fenced and used to improve local roads.

Motorists are concerned with good reason, since the number of compensation claims for personal injuries or vehicle damage caused by potholes has increased to an average of 540 per council in England (excluding London), a rise of 20 percent since 2013. The ALARM report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance also reveals a decline in the condition of the nation’s roads, with punctured tyres being the main reason for a car breakdown. Despite more than two million potholes having been repaired in 2013, it is estimated that it would it would take more than 10 years of work to make the road network fit for purpose.

There are positive signs that the government is now looking to address the concerns of motorists and tackle this problem. On 1 December 2014, the government launched its first road investment strategy (RIS). The RIS is primarily route-based and prioritises investment on those schemes that will deliver benefits for those making longer journeys, as well as local residents and businesses. Between 2015/16 and 2020/21 this programme will see £15 billion being invested into Britain’s roads, increasing capacity with over 1,300 additional lane miles, improving road conditions, including resurfacing 80 percent of the Strategic Road Network.

However, motorists will want to see action rather than words to be assured the problem of poor roads is finally being tackled.

Illegal Driving BehaviourThe state of the roads may be a concern to Britain’s motorists, but the driving habits of other motorists are also a source of angst. While some motorists may shrug off some

RITAIN IS A motoring nation. With a population of over 64 million, there are now over 35 million vehicles licensed for use on the roads in the UK. Despite

the challenges motorists face, be it fuel prices, pot holes or taxes, the car is still at the heart of their daily routines.

In its latest Report on Motoring, the RAC sets out to explore British motorists’ relationship with their car and with driving. Below is a snap shot of the behaviours, attitudes and beliefs of Britain’s motorists, from a report that paints the most detailed and accurate picture yet of what makes drivers in motoring Britain today tick.

RoadsOne subject that is most likely to raise the hackles of motorists is the state of Britain’s roads, particularly potholes. Forty-one percent of motorists say potholes are a major concern

B


The state of the roads may be a concern to Britain’s motorists but the driving habits of other motorists are also a source of angst

driving behaviour as merely being anti-social, some of this behaviour is, in fact, illegal. One of the contributing factors is the proliferation of mobile devices in our society, with 16 percent of motorists admitting their mobile phone is a distraction for them.

For most people, mobile phones play an integral part of their lives. So much so that Ofcom has warned that many people are unable to go without checking their phones even for very short periods of time. In fact, over 37 percent of adults and 60 percent of teens admit they are highly addicted to their smartphones. Hearing their mobile phone ringing is a major source of distraction for drivers, with 27 percent of motorists admitting to feeling side-tracked when they hear the ringtone, rising to 40 percent of younger motorists aged 17-24.

Due to this worrying trend, the report sets out to establish whether today’s motorists actually know what is and what isn’t legal. All of the following are illegal practices, yet the findings show a significant proportion of drivers are not aware that they are breaking the law by committing them:

■ 79% believe it is illegal to check social media

■ 88% believe it is illegal to text whilst driving ■ 69% believe it is illegal to tailgate ■ 65% believe it is illegal to

drive aggressively ■ 58% believe it is illegal to hog the

middle lane ■ 55% believe it is illegal to drive with a

partially cracked windscreen ■ 53% believe it is illegal to have a TV on the

front seat

Even though the lack of awareness amongst Britain’s drivers regarding the law is a concern, their attitude towards the law itself is even more worrying. Over one million drivers have been convicted of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving since 2003, when it was

79%CHECKING

SOCIAL MEDIA

88%TEXTING WHILST DRIVING

WHATDRIVERSTHINK ISILLEGAL

69%TAILGATING

65%AGGRESSIVE DRIVING

58%HOGGING MIDDLE LANE 55%

DRIVING WITH A PARTIALLY CRACKED

WINDSCREN

53%HAVING TV IN FRONT SEAT

31%18%

DRIVING IN BARE FEET

SMOKING WITH CHILDREN IN CAR

Orange segment: Legal

Note: Driving in bare feet is legal unless deemed not to be in proper control of vehicle

Grey segment: Illegal

made illegal. This begs the question of whether motorists are deliberately flouting the law or whether they are just unaware of it?

Of those asked, 90 percent of motorists who admit to having used a hand-held phone while driving know they are breaking the law. Even more troubling is that 42 percent of motorists believe it is unlikely they will be caught texting while driving.

In summary, the state of the UK’s roads is not uniform across the country. Local authorities have to decide what priority they

give to road maintenance and they will take account of what they see as the local priorities and affordability. Similarly, when it comes to legal and illegal driving there is a huge discrepancy between what motorists report they are seeing when they drive, and what they admit to doing themselves. Despite these problems, as a motoring nation Britain’s drivers refuse to turn their backs on the car, and it continues to play a crucial role in all our lives.

E ARE PROUD to work alongside the very knowledgeable and experienced Sue Vernon who owns Surrey DriveAbility. Sue is one

of very few people in the UK that is both an ADI and Occupational Therapist, which translated means Sue trains people who have physical impairments whether from birth or through illness or injury, plus some hidden issues to do with eyesight that are fairly common on their own. The latter tend to manifest itselves as positioning problems that ADIs often come across. Positioning problems are nothing new and any ADI who has sat next to a provisional licence holder and let’s face it, now and again, even a full licence holder, can say they have experienced this as a very common issue. A

lot of the time, us ADIs can sort this out and eradicate this issue for the driver, but now and again, no matter what we try, there is no getting round it and the problem seems to win, temporarily.

As professional driver trainers, we have two choices when we get to that point where we have exhausted every option that we can think of. These options are firstly, refer these people onto an organisation or an individual who deals with specialist conditions, or to get more training ourselves. The latter is where our Drivers with Diverse Needs course comes in. This introductory course has been created and written by Sue, exclusively for the DIA, to better equip ADIs with even greater knowledge of medical conditions, medications and how they can affect people’s ability to drive (an essential part even more so now due to the

OLIVIA BALDOCK-WARD TAKES YOU THROUGH WHY THE DIA HAS SET UP A DRIVERS WITH DIVERSE NEEDS COURSE AND HOW IT COULD HELP WITH YOUR CPD


W

Diverse driver education

Now and again, no matter what we try, there is no getting round it and the

problem seems to win

changes in the law as of 2 March this year). Plus the all-important correct diagnosis, and an extra set of tools for the ADI to have in their armoury to deal with things that are perceived as out of the ordinary. In reality, these issues are never far away and are more common than we realise. What could be a persistent positioning problem could turn out to be something bigger going on that we would need to refer drivers onto an optician, or what appears to be a concentration or lack of coordination problem that could be linked with a cognitive disorder that perhaps the driver isn’t even aware of.

This course is an introductory day that will cast its net wide, covering a lot on the day to give you the correct level of exposure to this world, and will provide a lot of information to you as an ADI in order for you to help your pupils, no matter if they are pre or post-test. The introductory course will also cover some useful tips and techniques to help identify common cognitive problems. Sue is going to get everyone involved in creating some of your own too, offering a personalised approach.

As this course is an introduction to drivers with diverse needs, you are not going to learn all there is to know in this field in one day, but for those of you that are eager to learn more on this subject and really get your teeth into this. We have further routes for progression later in the year for those that want even more knowledge to equip themselves for helping those with a disability. We will even be going into physical adaptations and deeper into medical issues that thousands of drivers need to deal with and are not sure where to go for help. Our vision is to enable ADIs to venture into this world with up-to-date and accurate knowledge and skills, to help people to drive whether it be for the first time or they have tried and come across barriers to their freedom time and time again. This will help those ADI who wish to diversify what they do as well. Great for things like job satisfaction, potential greater income streams and the all-important and never far away, continuing professional development (CPD).

A lot of people reading this would have attended the mini-series of webinars I did with Sue starting with a general introduction into the world of drivers with diverse needs, to licencing and the law all the way to the more mature driver. These webinars were all recorded and can be accessed by DIA members from the comfort of your front room. Each webinar is just over an hour


long and caters for both visual and auditory people. Sue has put together PowerPoints for each subject and you will hear her speaking about each subject and the various aspects of each. Again, it all counts towards your CPD and all are included in your DIA membership fee so you don’t need to pay anything more.

One thing to mention with CPD is the importance of recording what you do via use of a CPD Diary. All DIA members have one as standard with their DIA membership (again, all included in the membership fee) and is your go-to place for reflecting on what CPD you have done. CPD can be listening to a webinar, reading a book or article in a magazine such as this one, all the way to a formal training course, but it must be something that you have gained knowledge or skills from, and can put back into your business or help you develop professionally as well as personally, as these two are difficult to separate. For example,

This will help those ADIs who wish to

diversify what they do

you may enrol yourself onto an assertiveness course outside of the industry but it can be counted towards your CPD as long as there is a link between this and your role as an ADI. It may be that you need to have more confidence when running your business and dealing with the public and this will help you. It is important to write down what you have gained from each CPD ‘event’ in a CPD Diary as this will then be a record of what you have done whether it was personally, or professionally driven. This portfolio can be shown at Standards Check time, or if you are seeking another job role within the industry and you want to show what you have done. Still not convinced? I would now ask you to put yourselves in the role of the examiner conducting your Standards Check or a potential employer looking to recruit you for your skills and expertise. Would you not want to see a CPD portfolio?

For more details on the Drivers with Diverse Needs one-day course see page 2.

SAVING YOU TIME, SAVING YOU HASSLE, SAVING YOUR SANITY

Quarterly direct debit options are available. For non-VAT-registered sole traders VAT-registered or Ltd companies (price on application).Excluding ROI. Terms and conditions apply Prices correct at time of going to press.

Life shouldn’t be taxing

driving.org/taxservice020 8686 8010

Free helpline – Unlimited access to highly qualified professionalsFast and efficient turn aroundStress free process – ideal for those who find paperwork burdeningUser friendly templatesExpertise that can convert into tax savings

GOT A BUSINESS PROBLEM? THE DIA CAN HELP WITH THAT

HELPDESKBUSINESS

Midnight on 31 January 2015 was not only the deadline date for many to get their tax return in, it was also the deadline for paying any balance of tax due for the 2013/14 tax year. If any amount due to the Revenue on 31 January hasn’t been paid, they will charge you interest at 3% per annum until you settle the balance owing. That’s not too bad bearing in mind what the banks charge. But if the amount still remains unpaid on 28 February 2015, you will be liable to a flat rate penalty of 5% of the tax due.

If you pay late, but have a reasonable excuse, the Revenue will let you off the penalty but not the interest. The bar is set quite high for what constitutes a reasonable excuse e.g. a major illness or hospitalisation. If you don’t have an excuse that will get you off the hook, all is not lost. The Revenue allow some leeway but only if you act promptly. If you can’t pay the tax promptly, contact the Revenue’s Business Payment Support Service on 0300 200 3835 and explain your circumstances. If you manage to agree payment schedule, the penalty won’t be charged.

There are many ways that a member of your family might help you out with running your driving instructor business. One of the most obvious is helping you to keep your books and accounting records in order. Suppose, for example, that you have a daughter at university who is good with paperwork and figures and who uses some of her time during the holidays getting you up to date with your records. You can legitimately pay her a wage for her troubles. If this amount, together with any other income she has, is below her personal allowance (currently £10,000) in the tax year, the amount you pay her is tax-free for her. What’s more; it is a legitimate deduction against your income for tax purposes.

You do have to be careful. The amount you pay has to be commensurate with the work done. Also, you physically have to pay the amount and be prepared to produce evidence of the payment in the event that the Revenue query it.

HMRC are taking a tougher line where tax bills are paid late. Is there any way to avoid a penalty when you can’t afford to pay on time?

If a member of your family helps you out with running your business you can legitimately pay them a wage.

In December 2014, the Revenue introduced a new alternative for paying your tax bill using a debit or credit card. I believe that it will only affect payments of tax arising under self-assessment and also VAT. The service uses a new card handler, Worldpay and replaces the old BillPay system. I haven’t as yet, had any experience or feedback on the new system. Payments are credited against your tax bill the same day or the next day at the latest. If you are nervous about using debit or credit cards online, the Revenue will still be providing a wide range of other ways to take your money from you.

Even the Revenue are getting up to date now with a new online alternative for making your tax payments

THE REVENUE’S NEW PAYMENT SERVICE

AVOIDING LATE TAX PAYMENT PENALTIES MAXIMIZE YOUR

BUSINESS EXPENSES

Keith Halstead MA (Oxon) FCA has been a partner in the chartered accountancy profession for over 20 years. He is responsible for a wide range of owner managed businesses, including driving instructors and many self-employed individuals running their own businesses, advising them on tax and business matters as well as personal financial planning. He currently heads up the DIA Tax Service for members.


Send your questions to [email protected] HELP?

An Introduction to Driver BehaviourOVER THE YEARS, BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE HAS BECOME A RECOGNISED APPORACH JAMES WHALEN EXPLAINS HOW THIS APPLIES TO DRIVING

HEN PEOPLE FIND out that I am a psychologist, they often assume my work involves clinical psychology or psychiatry, whereas my expertise lies elsewhere.

I obtained a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology (concerned with areas like memory, attention and perception) studying driver behaviour so I would be of little help to those requiring a diagnosis of mental health. Psychology covers a wide range of topics in its quest to study and explain the human mind and behaviour, including: education; social or group behaviour; how people develop; intelligence; and personality or behaviour in the work place.

Psychology as a discipline was derived from philosophy in the late 1800s. The first dedicated experimental psychology laboratory was opened in Germany in 1879 at the University of Leipzig by Wilhem Wundt. As psychology considers itself to be a science, it is necessary to follow a scientific approach when accounting for theories or observed behaviour. This requires the use of hypotheses and statistics, something that can be a shock to students at A-level or university when they start to study psychology. This article explains how this scientific approach has been used by traffic psychologists (a term now being used by psychologists studying driver behaviour from a wide variety of disciplines within psychology) to study driving and how their work has had a direct impact, and will continue to increasingly do so, on driver trainers. Three areas outlined below are: 1) Analysing drivers’ skills; 2) Applying theoretical models to driving; and 3) Investigating the effectiveness of driver training.

due to the high accident liability of drivers who had recently passed their practical test.

Frank McKenna, a leading psychologist in the field of driver behaviour, was involved in the research that led to the introduction of the hazard perception test. Two examples of findings from his work were: 1) laboratory tests showed that drivers who had been involved in a collision in the previous three years performed less well than those who had not been involved in a collision; and 2) training can improve drivers’ hazard perception skills. These

WAnalysing drivers’ skills Traffic psychologists have carried out research investigating different aspects of the driving task including use of the controls, judgement of speed and distance, effects of impairment (e.g. alcohol, drugs, and fatigue) and hazard perception. Research carried out at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in the 1980s and early 1990s had shown a link between hazard perception skills and crash liability. This was an area worthy of further work

TRAINING


FEATURE

Figure 1: The Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991)

DRIVING.ORG/TRAININGDRIVING.ORG/TRAINING

Around 1.5 million hazard perception

tests are taken

Of the 22 events tested, 16 showed statistically significant differences


results along with other researchers’ findings that had produced similar conclusions — such as the Geelong Trial — prompted TRL to conduct research into a hazard perception test for learner drivers in an attempt to reduce their accident liability during their first year of driving.

TRL decided that the type of hazard they would test for were those that required a driver to scan, anticipate and take appropriate driving actions. Therefore, dynamic situations involving other road users were to create suitable events for drivers to respond to when viewing the videos. It was necessary to identify good clips with hazards that should eventually become obvious to inexperienced learners. The elements they identified as necessary were: it should develop into an actual hazard, it should permit anticipation for an experienced driver or trained novice, it should require scanning ahead and/or to the side, it should be a clear

and uncluttered scenario, and should not just depend on reaction time.

Once suitable clips had been generated, a trial was carried out with 100 novice drivers with less than two years of experience and 100 experienced drivers with more than 10 years of experience taking part. Participants undertook the trial in a very similar manner to how the hazard perception test is administered today. Of the 22 events tested, 16 showed statistically significant differences between the experience groups. Further research involving different methods of filming hazards and larger groups of participants then took place to determine exactly how the hazard perception test should be delivered.

The hazard perception test has proved a success - it was introduced in 2002 and every year around 1.5 million hazard perception tests are taken with a pass rate of 85 percent. Research has shown that the hazard perception test could account for an 11 percent reduction in collisions saving hundreds of lives and approximately £85.5 million as a result. Due to achievements like these, last year the hazard perception test won a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award, the Prince Michael International Road Safety Premier Award and a Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation Award.

Applying Theoretical Models to Driving Through the development of psychological theory and using the scientific approach to test their validity, there are several models that have been successfully used to explain behaviour in a variety of settings. Once these theories become accepted, they have then been used by traffic psychologists to explain driver behaviour. An example of such a model is the theory of planned behaviour. The theory of planned behaviour that was put forward by Icek Ajzen in 1988 offers a model that can measure how human actions are guided (Figure 1). This theory is concerned with predicting deliberate behaviour as behaviour can be deliberative and planned. There are three components that influence behavioural intentions: attitudes; subjective norms; and perceived behavioural control (Figure 1).

In the theory of planned behaviour, the term ‘attitude’ refers to a person’s overall evaluation of the behaviour. It was proposed that attitude has two components that work together: beliefs about the consequence of the behaviour and postive or negative judgements about each of these beliefs. An example of this in a driving context would be eco-safe

Attitudes(Behavioural beliefs x outcome evalutions)

(Control beliefs x influence of control beliefs

Perceived Behavioural

Control

Subjective Norms

(Normative beliefs x motivation to comply)

BehaviouralIntentions

Behaviour

driving with the belief being that it is better for the environment and a positive consequence of this belief would be lower fuel bills.

Subjective norms refer to the person’s estimate of how much social pressure there is to perform a certain behaviour. Another aspect of subjective norms is what the person thinks of how people who are important to them would like them to behave. Perceived behavioural control is the extent to which the individual feels they can implement the behaviour. Like attitude, it has two components: how much a person has control over the behaviour; and how confident they feel about being able to perform or avoid the behaviour.

With the exception of the behaviour itself, all the variables in the theory of planned behaviour are psychological variables and may be measured by asking people (e.g. questionnaires testing for behavioural beliefs and outcome evaluations). Several studies, using a wide range of behaviours (e.g. playing computer games, losing weight, shoplifting, and election participation) have been done to test the effectiveness of the theory of planned behaviour to predict what people actually do. It has been found that the model is reliable but volitional control (how much a person feels they have control in a situation — e.g. doing well in a exam may depend on the marker’s interpretation) is a factor that can affect the theory’s degree of success.

An example of applying the theory of planned behaviour to driving would be the research carried out by Frank McKenna (2009) investigating drivers’ attitudes when attending speed awareness courses. This involved 6,400 drivers who attended courses at eight different locations across the UK. Some had their attitudes and intentions assessed before the course and others were tested upon completion. Using questionnaires to get data — e.g. drivers were asked about the following statement: “I am confident I can avoid breaking the speed limit in the next year” — it was found that the means for attitude, subjective norm and behavioural control were lower in the group who were tested after completing the speed awareness workshop. It was found at the end of the workshop that drivers were approximately four times less likely to intend to

FEATURETRAINING


It was natural that driver behaviour researchers are requested to assess the effectiveness of driver training

A large body of research exists that suggests

traditional driver training is ineffective

Knowledge and Skill Risk Increasing Aspects

Self-Evaluation

Goals for life and skills for living (general)

Lifestyle/life situation Use of alcohol or drugs Personal skills for impulse control

Goals and context of driving (trip related)

Route planning Purpose of driving Typical goals of driving

Mastery of Traffic Situations

Speed adjustment Unpredictable behaviour

Strong and weak points of traffic skills

Vehicle Manoeuvring Tyre grip and friction Difficult conditions Strong and weak points of basic manoeuvring skills

break speed limits (McKenna, 2009).The theory of planned behaviour was used

to help design one of the more recent courses in the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme – What’s Driving Us? This is a course aimed at getting drivers to gain insights into the decisions that people make on the road. In a similar manner to driver alertness and speed awarness workshops, part of the rationale of the course is to get drivers to become more aware of how their beliefs sit within the wider context of society — using the roads to make them more likely to form more appropriate intentions regarding driving. It is hoped that improved intentions will result in better driver behaviour in the future.

Effectiveness of driver training As driving is an example of a complex skill and an area of public concern, researchers have used the scientific approach to analyse various aspects of the task including age, gender, skill competency, attitudes, causes for collisions, car design, road design and driver training. By conducting experiments, researchers can generate stastically sound conclusions which are then verified by other researchers producing similar results. In this manner, an evidence-based conclusion of what is happening then emerges. Due to the fact that the vast majority of collisons are due to human error, it was natural that driver behaviour

researchers were requested to assess the effectiveness of driver training.

A large body of research exists that suggests traditional driver training is ineffective (e.g. Brown, Groeger and Biehl, 1987; Mayhew, Simpson and Robinson, 2002). This has prompted a search to determine what needs to be changed to improve matters. The general consenus has been there are two areas that need addressing — to create a focus on higher levels of the driving task and to make learning less passive for the participants. These two areas are explored briefly next.

As it is clear that driving is a hierarchical task with some areas becoming automated (e.g. moving of limbs to reach controls) and other areas still requiring conscious control (e.g. planning a route), models have been produced to reflect this. A well-known example in the driver training industry is the GDE-Matrix (Hatakka, Keskinen, Gregersen, Glad and Hernetkoski, 2002) which is a table demonstrating different levels of the driving task. The model is outlined below with an example for each area of the matrix given (Figure 2).

There are several examples of this model in the literature but the basic premise across all this is that the lower left hand corner is at the bottom of the hierarchy. When going across the table, the driver becomes more aware of the implications of that aspect of driving and then more self-aware of how they perform. When going up the table, different aspects of the driving task are introduced culminating in strategic level thinking (e.g. a driver thinking

Figure 2: GDE Matrix

DRIVING.ORG/TRAINING


ReferencesAjzen, I. (1991) The Theory of Planned Behaviour, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, pp 179-211Brown, I.D., Groeger, J.A., Biehl, B. (1987) Is driver training contributing enough to road Safety? In J.A. Rottengatter and R.A. DeBruin (eds) Road Users and Traffic Safety, Assen, Van GorcumHatakka, M., Keskinen, E., Gregersen, N.P, Glad, A. and Hernetkoski, K. (2002) From the Control of the vehicle to personal self-control: broadening the perspectives to Driver education, Transportation Research Part F, 2002, pp 201-215Mayhew, D.R., Simpson, H.M., Robinson, A. (2002) The safety value of driver education andtraining, Injury Prevention, 8 (Supplement 2) McKenna, F.P. (2009) Do attitudes and intentions change across a speed awareness workshop?, in Behavioral Research in Road Safety Seminar: Seventeenth Seminar, Department for Transport Sexton, B. The Development of Hazard Perception Testing, Transport Research Laboratory,available from webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/.../dft_rdsafety_pdf_508110.pdf,accessed 02/02/2015

The above sections have shown how different areas of research by traffic psychologists have been carried out relating to driving. These have all had a direct impact on the work of driver trainers. With the introduction of the hazard perception test, instructors needed to ensure they were teaching effective scanning techniques and that their pupils understood the concept of developing hazards. The application of theoretical models, such as the theory of planned behaviour, to the task of driving have helped structure courses to make them more effective. Examples of these would be those taken in the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme. Studying the effectiveness of driver training has shown the need to address higher-order aspects of driving and to make learning more client led. These findings will have a large impact on the driver training industry as it is the rationale upon which promoting coaching and introducing higher-order aspects of driving into the driving test (e.g. independent driving, the trial of using sat-navs during the driving test to be carried out later this year by the DVSA) is based.

about driving in terms of society’s values and expectations).

Learner driver training has been largely restricted to the lower two levels of the matrix missing out much of the strategic aspects of driving (e.g. awareness of group norms) that determine a person’s driving style. As it is often the person’s attitudes and driving style that determines their accident liability, it is important these areas are included in training. In order to work on these factors of driving more interactive training environments are required.

Driving instructors have been encouraged for some time to use questions and answers as a technique for training, both during briefings and whilst on the move. By starting to involve the upper two layers of the GDE Matrix (Figure 2) and introducing some coaching to their training, instructors can quickly start to work towards producing more complete drivers. Coaching can be seen as an extension of the question and answer technique that instructors are used to. Questions need to be aimed towards the client working out solutions for themselves with the instructor acting more as a sounding board than an expert stating what must be done in order to be successful. Research has shown that a coaching approach can be more efficient and effective, increases participants’ satisfaction and engagement, enables instructors to access higher levels of the GDE matrix and can have an positive impact on driver safety.

Conclusion

Driving InstructorDriving Instructor38

HELPDESKADI

GOT A PROBLEM? THERE’S ALMOST NOTHING OUR ADIs DON’T KNOW...

CALL THE ADI HELPDESK MON TO FRI 9am–5pm

NEED AN ANSWER

RIGHT AWAY?

020 8686 8010

A

AA

Q

QQ

I AM HAVING problems logging into the members’ area. Have I got my details wrong?

WHAT IS HAPPENING about the proposed changes to the test?

I AM THINKING of taking extended leave from driving tuition, am I allowed to and when?

There have still been a fair number of people requesting help when logging in to the members’ area, although we did a feature on this a short while ago I would just like to point out a few basic points. If you are looking to log-in and have not done so for some time, please remember that you will need to use the original email that you used to register with and not necessarily the current one you use. If you are in any doubt as to which email to use, please give us a call or email [email protected] and we can quickly confirm this for you.

ADIs have been asking about the proposed changes and research currently taking place with regard to driving tests. At the moment this is in a trial phase and some ADIs have been invited by the DVSA to take part.

The trial will include various new proposals such as an extended independent driving period and the use of satnavs, forward parking in a bay, pulling up/parking on the right and one show me tell me safety question on the move. The aim is to better equip candidates for real life situations and the ability to think for themselves.

The test will comply with legislative requirements and successful candidates will receive their full entitlement to drive.

I have received a few calls in the last month regarding taking a break from driver training. There have been various reasons for wanting to do this, it could be personal reasons, a change in circumstances, illness or wanting to spend an extended period of time abroad or away from home.

ADIs can take up to 12 months leave during their four-year period of registration. In other words, if you return your badge to the DVSA for leave up to 12 months you will be put ‘on hold’ until you request its return. You are only able to put in for this leave once during your four-year period of registration. When your badge is returned, it is likely you will be asked to complete a Standards Check.


AQ

I WANT TO brush up, not only my driving skills but also my clients. How do I book a DIAmond Trainer or Test

If you or one of your clients is interested in brushing up on your driving skills? It is really easy to find a trainer in your area. You can either call the ADI helpdesk or go to www.driving.org/diamond by entering your postcode and licence category.

Suitable trainers in your area will then give you options to make arrangements for either you or your client via email or by phone.

Once the necessary training has been completed you can book an Advanced or Special test on line at http://bit.ly/diamondtests or call Karen on the helpdesk.

Here is a short summary of the DIAmond tests:

DIAmond Advanced TestThis qualification is perfect if you have never taken an advanced test before, drive for work or simply have a keen interest in driving. The test lasts for 60 minutes and takes place over a route of mixed driving conditions, including motorways where possible.

DIAmond Special TestThis qualification is aimed at drivers and professional driver trainers who want to take their driving or riding to the highest level.

This is perhaps one of the most demanding driving qualification outside the emergency services.

The test lasts for 90 minutes and is assessed over a route of mixed driving. The special test also includes a commentary drive and an understanding of eco-safe driving.

Any questions on becoming a trainer, examiner or taking a test with DIAmond please call the helpdesk or visit http://www.driving.org/diamond.

Send your questions toLeon House, 233 High Street, Croydon CR0 9XT

[email protected]

Need help?

When your badge is returned, it is likely you will be asked to complete a Standards Check

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A resting development

Break periods must not be counted a part of a

daily rest period

L

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW MANDATORY REST PERIODS FOR PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS? KENUTE WALLEN EXPLAINS WHAT IS REQUIRED AND HOW IT CAN APPLY TO DRIVING INSTRUCTORS.

required to be taken during the driving day as described above.

How does this apply to ADIs? Well, ADIs need to be in an appropriate frame of mind in order to instruct, teach or coach effectively. The aims of the truly professional instructor should be able to make an accurate assessment of a student’s performance or ability to determine where to start tutoring and on what skill deficiencies to focus. This will enable the instructor to provide a high quality and focused training program to address the pupil’s potential and for the candidate to feel and know that they have received value for money. In addition, all the above would be required learning for a DVSA Fleet registered trainer or instructor, training full licence and experienced drivers within companies.

An ADI’s role is to teach safe driving for life to provisional driving licence holders, using the DVSA syllabus of learning to drive with a view of taking and passing a driving test. Tutors must be in an appropriate frame and mind in order to do this effectively, especially when it is getting nearer to the end of the day.

no legal requirement for them to take a break.Break periods must not be counted as part of

a daily rest period and during breaks, the driver must not do any “other work”. However, “other work“ does not include waiting time, time spent riding as passenger in a vehicle, or time spent on a ferry or train. The requirements for taking a break is that when the four and half hour driving limit is reached, a break of 45 minutes must be taken immediately unless a daily or weekly rest period starts at that time. This break may be replaced by a number of other breaks of at least 15 minutes — each spread over the driving period, or taken during and immediately after this period, so as to equal at least 45 minutes and taken in such a way that the four and half maximum driving limit is not exceeded.

This is an example that shows that the driver could legally operate the following procedures:

■ Drive one hour, 15 minutes break. Drive three and half hours, 30 minutes break. Drive one hour, 15 minutes break. Drive three and half hours, commence daily rest period.

■ Drive one hour, 15 minutes break. Drive one hour, 15 minutes break. Drive two and half hours, 15 minutes break.

■ Drive two hours, 30 minutes break. Drive two and half hours, commence daily rest period.

IKE ALL PROFESSIONAL drivers, instructors are constantly on the road. Although driver trainers are not mandatorily required to take a rest break, the

National Standards does recommend that instructors look after their wellbeing.

In addition, not all fleet trainers will necessarily be tachographed, so an examination of the current requirements about driving hours and rest periods for professional drivers, such as lorry, bus and coach drivers could provide you with some useful guidelines for yourself and your learners.

The driving limits for professional drivers restrict the amount of time they can spend driving, before taking a break, between any two daily rest periods (or a daily and a weekly rest period), in a week and in a fortnight.

Calculation of the driving period begins at the moment when the driver sets the tachograph in motion and begins driving. The maximum limits are as follows,

■ Maximum driving before a break — four and half hours

■ Maximum daily driving — normally nine hours

■ Extended driving on two days in week — only 10 hours

■ Maximum weekly driving — six daily driving shifts

■ Maximum fortnightly driving — 90 hours, (i.e in two consecutive weeks).

Drivers are required by law to take a break or a number of breaks in a day if the aggregate (i.e total amount) of their driving amounts to four and half hours or more. If they do not drive for four and half hours in the day, there is

Break periods

■ Drive three hours, 15 minutes break. Drive one and half hours, 30 minutes break.

■ Drive 3 hours, 15 minutes break. Drive one and half hours, commence daily rest period.

Rest periods are defined as uninterrupted

periods of at least one hour during which the driver “may freely dispose of his or her time”. Daily rest periods, and particularly rest periods which are compensating for previously reduced rest periods, should not be confused with, or combined with, statutory break periods

EPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT minister Robert Goodwill MP first published a document about drug-driving on the 10 February 2015 as part of the drug-driving and making roads safer campaign. Since then

a new law, which is due to be introduced on the 2 March 2015 in England and Wales aims to highlight the issues around those putting others at risk whilst driving under the influence of drugs.

The new campaign highlights the importance of checking with your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking medicine before getting behind the wheel. As long as the advice of a healthcare professional has been taken and your driving has not been impaired, you or your client can continue to drive as usual and are not at risk of arrest.

As driver trainers, not only is it important to be aware of this new legislation for ourselves, but it is our duty as professionals to make our clients aware. As part of the National Standard for Driver and Rider Training Unit 6.4 Manage risk to instructor, learner and third parities it states:

D

THE GOVERNMENT’S DRUG-DRIVING LAWS ARE COMING INTO FORCE AS KAREN BRANSGROVE EXPLAINS

New legislation: am I fit to drive?

You must be able to: make sure you are fit to teach, and take suitable action if you are not. Take reasonable steps to make sure the learner is fit to start the session, and take suitable action if they are not fit.

You must know and understand: the importance of being fit to teach and able to manage the safety of the lesson effectively. The signs that a learner’s fitness to be trained may be impaired by - alcohol, illegal or controlled substances.

Performance Standards

Knowledge and understanding requirements

“

“Driving Instructor42


A conviction for drug-driving will also affect car insurance costs, which are likely to increase

Benzoylecgonine 50μg/L

Clonazepam 50μg/L

Cocaine 10μg/L

Delta – 9 – Tetrahydrocannabinol (Cannabis & Cannabinol) 2μg/L

Diazepam 550μg/L

Flunitrazepam 300μg/L

Ketamine 20μg/L

Lorazepam 100μg/L

Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) 1μg/L

Methadone 500μg/L

Methylamphetamine 10μg/L

Methylenedioxymethaphetamine (MDMA – Ecstasy) 10μg/L

6-Monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM – Heroin & Morphine) 5μg/L

Morphine 80μg/L

Oxazepam 300μg/L

Temazepam 1,000μg/L

Threshold limit in bloodDrug

The new law sets limits at very low levels for eight drugs commonly associated with illegal use such as cannabis and cocaine and eight prescribed drugs. The final list of drugs and their limits included in the regulations presented to Parliament were as follow:

The limits that have been set for these drugs would not affect driving as long as they are taken in accordance with the advice of a healthcare professional (pharmacist or doctor) and are taken in accordance of the advice printed on the instructions for use and, perhaps most importantly, do not impair driving in any way.

There will be medical defence if a driver has been taking medication as directed and is found to be over the limit, but not impaired. It may be advisable to carry evidence of prescription slips or information relating to a prescription to assist the police if you are asked to take a test.

If the police think you are on drugs, they can request a test or ‘field impairment assessment’. This is a series of tests, like walking in a straight line. If the police think you are unfit to drive because you are taking drugs, you will be arrested and will have to take a blood or urine test at a police station. You could be charged with a crime if the test shows you have taken drugs.

If a conviction does take place due to drug -driving, the penalties are a minimum of one-year driving ban, a fine of up to £5,000, up to one-year in prison and a criminal record. A driving licence will also show a conviction for drug-driving, which lasts for eleven years. In the worse case scenarios, the penalty for causing death by dangerous driving under the influence of drugs is a prison sentence of up-to-fourteen years.

Alongside these more serious penalties, a conviction for drug-driving will also affect car insurance costs, which are likely to increase significantly. If you are employed, your employer will be aware of your conviction when asked to produce your driving licence and there may be restrictions when travelling to other countries such as the states.

If you are in any doubt about the new law and require further information speak to your doctor, pharmacist or visit https://www.gov.uk/drug-driving-law or https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/drug-driving for more information.

Clonazepam — which is prescribed to treat seizure or panic disorders.

Diazepam — which is used for anxiety disorders, alcohol, withdrawal symptoms or muscle spasms.

Flunitrazepam — (also known as Rohypnol) is a sedative originally used in hospitals for deep sedation in the 1970’s

Lorazepam — which is used to treat convulsions or seizures caused by epilepsy.

Oxazepam — which is used to relieve anxiety, including anxiety caused by alcohol withdrawal.

Temazepam — which affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause insomnia probems.

Methodone — which is used in the treatment of heroin addiction.

Morphine or Opiates – Used to treat moderate to severe pain.

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The eight prescription drugs covered by the new law are as follows:

Cannabis

BZE Metabolite of Cocaine

Heroin

LSD

Cocaine

Ecstasy

Ketamine

Methylamphetamine

12345678

The eight illegal drugs covered by the new law and set at very low levels are as follows:

The new law sets limits at very low levels for eight drugs

GETTING YOUR BUSINESS BACK ON THE ROAD…

or complete form overleaf

driving.org/recovery020 8686 8010

24 hours a day, 7 days a

week – here and abroad

24-HOUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCEHOME STARTRESCUE/RECOVERYDRIVING SCHOOL AND PRIVATE CARS EUROPEAN COVERMOTOR BIKESALL VEHICLES UP TO 20 YEARS OLD*Subject to criteria; one vehicle per policy – see www.driving.org/recovery/keyfacts for key facts* Vehicles up to 10 years for european cover

£55DIA member price

Non-member price £65

*

driving 52

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TOYOTA AURIS

FORDMONDEO

PEUGEOT308

FORD FOCUS

PRODUCTREVIEW

Has the Toyota Aygo’s big brother got what it takes to be a learner/driver training car?

The Mondeo is back in its third generation in Ford’s bid to win over the company car men

Driving took out this 308 and wasn’t impressed with the electronic braking

Our instructor took out an old favourite to see how she would like the diesel version

The Fuel iON phone charger and mount was a pleasant surprise for the reviewer

Gearbox

Engine size

How many doors does the car have?

Training category – L is for learners, F suitable for fleet

Insurance group – rated from 1-50

VED band

Fuel consumption – miles per gallon

List price

Our pick of model – usually includes a/c and Bluetooth

Euro NCAP crash safety rating

CO2 emissions – useful on a company scheme

What spare wheel comes as standard?

Look out throughout Show Me, Tell Me for helpful little boxes containing useful information

Our traffic light verdicts help guide your choice

Have a think

Recommended

Steer clear

48 MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

Frost & Sullivan run the rule over the Detroit Motor Show and ponders whether it is time for the re-birth of the neglected sports car market

DIAMOND COMMENT47

Carly Brookfield says goodbye to Mike Frisby while welcoming the changes that are in store for DIAmond over the coming year


REVIEWS

Stats key

Verdict

Cars kindly supplied by CA Cars

DUAL CONTROLS

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dual control systems to markets across the world

He-Man Dual Controls offer a wide range of dual control systems for most manufacturers. Each system has a ‘First User Lifetime Guarantee’ & comes complete with comprehensive installation instructions & fixings. We have supply/installation agents throughout the UK, please call or visit our website to find your nearest approved He-man installer.

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Risk assessed and approved by the Driving Standards Regulation Directorate, also the Public and Commercial Services Union as acceptable for use during tuition and driving tests

GPS Head Up Display

SpeedometerWith simple operation & easy installation these speedometers offer the perfect solution for those vehicles in which the original speedometer cannot be seen clearly from the passenger side.The speed projects onto the windscreen & can be adjusted to closely match the vehicles own speedometer.

THE START OF 2015 is not just the start of a New Year; it also rings in big changes for DIAmond Advanced Motorists.

We sadly waved goodbye to our chief examiner Mike Frisby this month as he takes a change in direction himself and moves into a business development role with a supplier of audit services to fleet. Mike will be much missed, and fondly remembered for his undoubted experience and expertise after 22 years in the driver and rider training industry, as well as his enthusiasm and passion for delivering our advanced training and accreditation activity, at home and abroad.

However, every new departure signals the start of a new journey and for some time we have been itching to polish up our DIAmond proposition and really make it shine out in the world of post-test training. With that in mind, we’ve been looking to not only what DIAmond lacks in terms of offering, but all advanced driving tests. Currently there still are only three DVSA accredited advanced tests in the UK but rumours have been circulating for some time that a fourth entrant is about to join the fray.

So competition may be about to get even tougher — but so are we. DIAMond is acknowledged widely by driver trainers to be the best of the advanced tests — we just haven’t marketed it as aggressively as the others. We already know we need to push the key facts harder to make DIAmond shine out above the rest. For example, it’s never really been made clear enough that DIAmond is unique in that training and assessment is only ever delivered by a qualified, approved and regulated driver

trainer who holds current accreditation and regulation by the government to deliver driver development. This is an important distinction in our offering and should be communicated more widely both by us as the awarding body, and the instructor and examiner when questioned on the differences in the tests. If we seriously want to see standards of driving improve in the UK — and we acknowledge that one of the biggest areas for improvement is in the existing licence holder category — then we certainly need to see professional standards of training being delivered to that audience.

We also need to market more effectively why having an objective test is a much more rigorous assessment than the competition’s fairly subjective approach-based as the DIAmond tests are Cardington Test itself. We feel that not only are the DIAmond tests more objectively assessed but they are also more relevant to their audience in terms of developing drivers to achieve better standards of every day driving in modern life. And we plan to make them even more relevant, and to more specific segments of the driving population, so training is tailored to specific behaviours, attitudes and needs of a diverse driving population at every age and stage of life — rather than a somewhat one-

size-fits-all approach of those tests that were historically based on police and other defensive driving methods which don’t necessarily meet the needs or experiences of the typical motorist.

We’ll be sharing more detail on how the DIAmond offering will be physically changing over the next few issues and in special communications to our DIAmond trainers and examiners, as well as how we’ll promote that across the UK and overseas. DIAmond examiners have already been surveyed to gather more information on how we develop our assessments and we’ll shortly be seeking the views of DIAmond instructors too, so your input will help directly shape our new offering. There will be a need, in order to deliver improved tests and training, for some refreshing of examiner and instructor knowledge too but we’ll provide full training for those who want to shine up their expertise and develop the range of services they can offer under this brand. And there will also be a new senior examination team in place with key regional senior examiners being recruited across the UK (and additionally to deliver our services in key territories abroad) as well as two new senior examiners at HQ.

And importantly, there will also of course be a new chief examiner who we will appoint specifically to spearhead our development in this area. Whilst they should be a familiar face to many in the industry, they will bring fresh direction and vigour to our post-test training drive as well a proven track record to DIA as a whole. We’ll hopefully be announcing their appointment formally in the next few weeks so watch this space.

A

CARLY BROOKFIELD WITH BIG CHANGES IN STORE, IT IS TIME TO POLISH UP OUR ACT

DIAMONDCOMMENT

Every new departure signals the start of

a new journey


Paramjit Singh

Special Test

Jaspal Bansal

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE, WHO HAVE RECENTLY PASSED A DIAMOND TEST

Advanced Test

Hepburn David

Advanced Test

Nicholas Pink

Special Test

Sam Bown

Dan Doyle Ryde

driving

Performance Car Revival


MORE THAN WHAT MEETS THE EYE

THE DETROIT MOTOR SHOW HERALDED THE POSSIBLY RE-BIRTH OF THE NEGLECTED SPORTS CAR MARKET TO AID CAR DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO FROST & SULLIVAN CONSULTANTS BENNY DANIEL AND NATALIE SAUBER


Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are reviving this segment by using it as a flagship model and halo to communicate new concepts through an exciting sports car bringing back focus on things that really matter. At this year’s Detroit Motor Show, there was an exemplary showcase of opposing approaches taken by two OEMs showcasing their new sports cars; the Honda Acura NSX and the Ford Mustang.

The Honda Acura NSX was developed under the public eye with two sporadic concept versions since 2012, the successor to the original NSX showcased 25 years ago. To cut to the chase, the NSX is a sure attempt to revive the Acura brand by using the NSX as a technology testbed for the remaining Acura models.

On the other hand, the Ford GT rose like a Dark Knight, secretly created in a basement of the company and its possible existence denied by many OEMS; albeit not coming as a complete surprise. Both models were displayed almost next to each other in Detroit, and it was the GT that managed to steal the NSX’s spotlight somehow.

Both the NSX and the GT debuts followed a year of fascinating high-performance and supercar launches, such as; Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari LaFerrari, and the McLaren P1. Some of you might remember the rather sombre speech which Ian Robertson, BMW’s head of sales, delivered only last November stating that “post-2008, it [sports car segment] just collapsed. I’m not so sure it’ll ever fully recover”. Now why would BMW admit to such defeat when in reality even the premium brand itself is eagerly working to revive its own sports car segment, the Z line-up?

Amongst the most prominent reason for decline in sports cars are the changes in buyer’s taste, with North America and European consumers now favouring SUVs and crossovers. US SUV sales for the year 2014, has exceeded 1.5 million for the first time since the 2007. Sales of US crossovers for the same year exceeded 3.8 million. In China, number plates are limited (one per household) and thus the public is left to either raffle or attain their plates via auctions. If you only get to own one car, you’d be wanting to go for the prevalent and most versatile model out there; which, incidentally is why China has become the largest market for the Mercedes GL.

Lastly, the market sees more niche products (e.g. BMW X4, Audi A3) made available for the “young‚ urban upwardly mobile professionals” to choose from. These are only a few factors that contribute to the diminishing role of the car being seen as a pure status symbol. This leaves little room for sports cars and makes their come back a tough business to be in. From a traditional view point that is. But what if we were to look at this doomed segment in a new and different light? Perhaps it then becomes clear that OEMs have no intention of leaving this lucrative segment alone but are utilising the core elements (advanced technologies, innovative materials, alternative powertrains) and introducing them to other segments and creating up sale opportunities for special models.

RADITIONALLY, MOTOR SHOWS are platforms to showcase new product models, innovative technologies, materials, alternative powertrains, and, lately, even new concept measures addressing environmental regulations. It is a boredom cliché so to speak where lately electronic shows; such as, the CES, are leveraged to announce more exciting initiatives such as human machine interface, autonomous driving technologies, etc. However, what was eye catching at the Detroit Motor Show was the premium sports car segment making those old cliché announcements exciting once again. Was there more that the sports car of today was trying to communicate?

TSegment revival Setting the scene:

Changing car role

The NSX has two additional electric motors attacehd to its front wheels

The Chevrolet Volt had a redesign

Chevy claims the Volt can average more than 900 miles

driving


Frost & Sullivan believes BMW is looking to reinvent its Z line-up creating a new standard of avant-garde and seductive models. Models which are currently being hotly debated are the Z1, Z3 Z5 and the Z7. The Z line-up will benefit from the materials showcased in the ibrand such as carbon fibre mixed with high strength steel, magnesium, aluminium and thermoplastic.

End element 17 Start element 18BMW’s sombre outlook on the falling

sports car segment, accounts as a key contributing factor considering shared development costs on a new mid-size sports car and thus teaming up with Toyota Motor Corporation to do exactly that. Both confirmed that the project ‘Silk I and Silk II’ has moved to the concept stage after completing a feasibility study. The project is within a broader partnership that also includes co-operation on fuel cells and lightweight technology.

Premium Sports Car – BMW ibrand

Acura launched the new NSX earlier this year, a three-motor hybrid with a mid mounted twin-turbo V-6 engine. Unlike traditional hybrids, the NSX has two additional electric motors attached to its front wheels, adding additional power and control. A third electric motor is sat between the engine and transmission, supplying even more power. A possible power output of 500bhp is anticipated, which outstrips its closest modern equivalent, the BMW i8. This makes the NSX target the Ferrari 458 Italia in terms of performance.

The body and frame are composed of aluminium, carbon fibre and sheet moulding composites. Although the price hasn’t officially been confirmed until it goes on sale later this year, it is likely to fall in the $120,000 to $180,000 range.

Head of Acura Mike Accavitti says: “We’ll use the NSX to sell Acura. In time, we’ll have to market NSXs to sell NSXs. Evidentially, the NSX will be used to revive the Acura brand and serve as a ‘halo’ vehicle that invites the customer to buy into the brand whilst instilling the entire brand with a

rejuvenated performance image.” Sounds familiar? If only there wasn’t a German premium OEM having done the exact same thing but a year sooner.

From a design perspective however, the NSX does stand out against all competitors as for the first time in the sports car history, a supercar’s design can be accredited to a woman. Michelle Christensen, an Art Centre College of Design graduate, got scooped up by Honda immediately after graduation. She was given clear instructions on how the NSX was to look; the aim was to keep an “emotional, 3-D kind of feeling” and the NSX is exactly that.

We have heard it again and again; the traditional automotive industry is evolving. One of the contributing factors is a steady trend of more and more women crossing over into design and engineering roles, previously dominated by their male counterparts. The NSX’s new design is an exemplary showcase of more women entering senior management levels in the automotive industry.

Honda Acura NSX (2015)

The left-hand Ford Mustang is winging its way to the UK

The Acura was designed by Michelle Christensen


Potential outcomes for both BMW and Toyota are as follows. The newly developed platform is radically accommodating and flexible for both OEMs. Allowing for the development of a mid-engine, mainstream two-seater disguised as a plug-in hybrid sports car with a six-cylinder engine. Rear-end and all-wheel drive platform capable of supporting four-cylinder, six-cylinder and V8 engines, both for front and midsize

placement. From a design stand point there are multiple versions to be made from all able to support a two-seater, drop top or coupe. BMW will take the lead by replacing the Z4 with the new Z5 with a possible Hybrid eDrive. Furthermore, the 6 Series Coupe will reap its benefits from this joint venture as it is deemed to become a direct competitor to the Porsche 911.

Joint Venture of BMW and Toyota

There is a paradigm shift in the purpose of the sports car and as such, many premium OEMs are now using the image of the sports car to revive their own flagship image. This has already been seen in practice and is soon to be replicated by other OEMs in an attempt to close the gap. There will be no more traditional sedans and sport cars will act as the main testbed for innovation technologies especially for material, intelligent design and powertrain. The halo created by innovative light weighting philosophy and the associated technology is used by some of the leading OEMs to span across entire model line-ups. Greener technologies will become the norm, as evident from the latest Detroit

Motor Show where a number of greener sport cars were showcased, with the Chevrolet showing a redesigned Volt plug-in hybrid, Hyundai unveiled both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Sonata and Mercedes-Benz launched the 2016 C350 plug-in hybrid. Innovative and forward thinking technologies are finally coming around to the performance car segment, developing cars painted with a slighter ‘greener’ brush. The sports car of the future is destined to become the flagship model and technology testbed by creating a halo that takes expensive niche propositions to mass market them across their traditional model line up in a phased manner.

Ford revealed the GT’s 3.5-litre, twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 engine in Detroit earlier this year. Following a more traditional route, Ford had located the engine in the middle powering the rear wheels through an automatic gearbox. Although not officially confirmed, the GT is said to produce more than 600 horsepower and is likely to be priced in the $200,000-and-above range. Ford goes on and promises: “The GT will exhibit one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any production car.” It goes without saying that materials play a paramount role in the development of this car with carbon fibre, aluminium and other lightweight materials only supporting Ford’s statement of being at the cutting edge of performance and innovation. The GT is the flagship model of the new Ford Performance division; all in line with plans of releasing 12 new models by 2020, including the F-150 Raptor and Mustang Shelby GT 350R.

The GT rides on new lightweight materials, which ultimately brings us to think about BMW and their sub brand BMW i. The ibrand exemplifies the motto of Efficient Dynamics made sustainable to comply with BMW’s Strategy ONE. BMW’s i8 is purposely placed as the flagship model not only for the entire ibrand but more so used as a halo vehicle with carbon fibre reinforced plastic technologies already trickling down to other core models including the MINI and X brand.

American Muscle – Ford GT (2015)

On a concluding note

Ford GT emerged from the design shafdows

It has one of the best production power-to-weight ratios


TOYOTA AURIS HAS THE TOYOTA AYGO’S BIG BROTHER GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A LEARNER DRIVER/TRAINING CAR?

HIS HAS BEEN my first opportunity to drive a Toyota Auris. From day one, it has been a very easy car to drive, the controls and handling have all

proven to be reliable and straightforward. Not so long ago, I was given the new Toyota Aygo to drive (which I really was quite impressed with), and in comparison the Auris is definitely more substantial in size and for those drivers looking for a more spacious interior with comfortable seating for extra passengers, boot space etc, it seems a very good mid-range option for those with a budget of around £18,000-£20,000.

The Auris looks fairly unassuming on the road, there is nothing about it to stop traffic and

the colour of this particular module (tungsten blue) blended in with the hundreds of other blue/grey cars on the road. The exterior shape is attractive with smooth lines and extras such as 16” alloy wheels, privacy glass, retractable wing mirrors and front fog lamps. As with many modern cars of this range, there is a rear-view parking camera, which is clear and easy to get to grips with. I probably used this version more than usual as the rear view window was a bit on the small and narrow side, restricting visibility when trying to reverse in to a tricky spot. I can always put the rear-view parking camera through a particularly tough test as I live on a very steep hill with a narrow driveway, which is invariably dark when I reverse back in

to it at the end of a working day. The rear-view parking camera on this model was therefore particularly helpful.

The Auris’ interior feels very retro to me, it is quite angular in design with a leather instrument panel inlay, it reminded me of my husband’s Audi back in the 1980s. I did however, really like the leather inlay, it looks much better quality than some of the plastic varieties out there. The interior also includes heated sport seats with lumbar adjustment, which is a very nice feature particularly, as the evenings have been so cold recently. There is also a six-speaker DAB radio/CD with USB/AUX/MP3 connectivity, front and rear electric windows and leather steering wheel and gear shift.

1.3 LT VCDi A 6 5 99 L£12,585 74.3Aveo

Alfa Romeo Chic Italian an acquired taste – reliability woes a thing of the past (hopefully)alfaromeo.co.uk

Audi Premium comes at a premium, but A1 is a classy little effort.audi.co.uk

BMW BMW a strong brand, but 1 Series packaging makes it a tough sellbmw.co.uk

Chevrolet Budget brand reminds you that you get what you pay forchevrolet.co.uk

TwinAir Sprint A 9 3 98 L£14,150 67.3Mito

1.2 TFSI SE C 9 5 118 L£14,410 55.4A1

1.4 TFSI SE D 16 5 123 F£19,825 53.3A3

116d ED A 15 5 99 F£21,095 74.31 Series

THE LITTLE BIG CAR FROM TOYOTA

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driving


I did manage to get out on the motorway a few times with this car. I have to say it was quite thirsty and the diesel didn’t seem to last very long at higher speeds. The Aygo was noticeably more economical, however, it is a smaller car and there is clearly less weight to pull around

than the Auris. The handling on the Auris was more than adequate and comfortable plus the six-gear option certainly helps to bring the revs down and keep the fuel prices to a minimum. Around town, the Auris was comfortable albeit a little restricting on the visibility. As a learner

driver/training car, I would prefer a little more visibility from the back windows particularly when catering for people of various heights, for someone less than average height it is a big car to obtain that all round visibility if you are not able to sit tall in the driver’s seat.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

6

5

£18,995

B

1.4-litre

72.4mpg

1.0i VTR+ A 4 5 99 L£9,795 65.7C1

Citroen New DS-branded cars are really worth a lookcitroen.co.uk

Fiat Style over substance masks occasional genuine highlightfiat.co.uk

DStyle e-HDi A 15 3 98 L£15,280 76.3DS3

Easy 0.9 TwinAir A 8 5 99 L£10,750 67.3Panda

1.2 S C 6 3 113 L£11,360 58.9500

Dacia Unashamedly budget branddacia.co.uk

Laureate 1.5 dCi D 11 5 130 L£12,995 56.5Duster

Laureate 1.2 16v E 11 2 137 L£7,995 47.9Sandero

The Auris’ interior feels very retro to me, it is

quite angular in design

Score

Stats


Honda Practical family cars, slightly staid image for driving instructors honda.co.uk

Hyundai Up-and-coming manufacturer offers some attractive modelshyundai.co.uk

1.2 S-T D 13 5 123 L£12,690 53.3Jazz

1.6 i-DTec SE A 15 5 94 F£19,575 78.5Civic

1.0 Blue A 9 5 99 L£9,345 67.3i10

Zetec 1.0 B 11 5 109 F£17,795 58.9Focus

Zetec 1.0 Eco A 11 5 99 L£14,345 65.7Fiesta

Ford People wonder why Fords are so popular. It’s because they’re (mostly) so goodford.co.uk

Easy 1.3 Multijet A 13 5 90 L£14,000 80.7Punto

FORD MONDEO SO THE LATEST VERSION OF THE FORD MONDEO FINALLY ARRIVES – THREE YEARS LATE, BUT IS IT WORTH THE WAIT?

IRST OFF THE exterior styling, from the One World Lights to the tapering of the side bodyline makes this is an attractive car.

And it is a big car. The intro-car for the company’s large car platform — which will also underpin the S-Max — it is not far off the Jaguar XF in size.

It is clearly designed to cruise up the motorway to the latest sales meeting and in comfort and as someone who is 6’2”, I could comfortably sit in the front and the back — where three adults could easily be placed — with plenty of head and legroom all round the car.

Inside the Mondeo, you are greeted with a

restrained dash with a large central touchscreen that holds the easy-to-read, if a tad fiddly Sync 2 infotainment system.

SYNC 2 is Ford’s connectivity system that features a high-resolution, eight-inch colour touch screen and advanced voice control of audio, navigation, climate control and mobile phones. The navigation system also offered a split-screen display with detailed intersections, spoken street names, 3D highway junction and landmark views, and the MICHELIN guide.

Drivers are also able to issue simpler “one-shot” navigation destinations, and to ask the system to “play” a desired artist. Simply pushing the voice control button and saying “I’m hungry”

will bring up a list of local restaurants, which you can then get directions to via the navigation system.

Along with proximity alerts, the car also has autonomous braking capabilities, adaptive cruise control and pedestrian detection as well as parking sensors. To be honest, I hardly ever use these gadgets but its size and restricted view — thanks to the sloping rear window —made me grateful for the assist.

One safety feature that Ford has introduced is the inflatable rear seat belts that act as airbags for backseat passengers. Ford is so proud of this innovation that the company has offered it to any car manufacture and insiders say that

MONDEO MAN’S RETURN?

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driving


1.1 CRDi Blue A 5 5 84 L£11,795 88.3i20

1.4 Active E 7 5 139 F£15,705 47.1i30

1.3 TS C 9 5 115 L£10,995 56.52

Mazda Reliable cars for the brand unconscious: highly underratedmazda.co.uk

1 1.6 CRDi A 12 5 97 F£16,295 76.3Ceed

2 1.0 A 5 5 99 L£9,845 67.3Picanto

1 1.1 CRDi A 3 5 85 L£11,895 88.3Rio

Kia Korean car maker might even be a little bit coolkia.co.uk

1.6D Tamura C 18 5 115 F£17,495 65.73

Mercedes will the first to take up the belts. The ride itself is comfortable if not

revolutionary with electronics compensating for torque steer but once again, lane keeping assistance adds to the annoyance that modern safety gadgets gives to the drive of these types of cars where you appear to be fighting the car rather than driving with it.

In addition, the handling is not as sharp as previous models with the extra weight making itself known, although the electromechanical

power steering setup goes some way to counter this small degree of sluggishness.

The one good thing about these enhancements is that the Mondeo is very quiet. Going down a motorway, it shelters you from road and wind noise whilst keeping up the pace.

To be honest, I had completely forgotten that I was driving a diesel until I executed an overtake and it chugged into life.

Another bonus is the huge boot, which has a one-touch automated lift and close as well as a

clever handle if the electrics fail. All in all it is a comfortable car to drive — albeit

at a small cost over sharpness in handling. It is definitely one for the fleet market.

However, with other contenders out there such as the Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series, as well as the Golf, it would appear that, although it is competitive priced, with a fuel economy and CO2 emissions that could see a low company car tax bill, the key to success will be in the resale value.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

6pd Manual

5

£24,745

F

2 litre diesel

62.8mpg

Score

Stats

The ride itself is comfortable if not

revolutionary


One D 13 3 127 L£13,460 52.3Hatch

Mini New Mini due later this year. Will look the same as the current onemini.co.uk

Nissan Micra not the default choice it once was, facelift promisingnissan.co.uk

Peugeot Has lost its way in recent years, but 208’s got charmpeugeot.co.uk

1.2 DIG-S Visia A 8 5 99 L£11,480 65.7Micra

Allure 1.0 A 3 5 99 L£10,145 65.7107

B180 CDI SE B 15 5 108 F£22,430 64.2B-Class

Mercedes Expensive, but you gets what you pays formercedes-benz.co.uk

A180 SE D 18 5 128 L£20,370 51.4A-Class

PEUGEOT 308 OLIVIA BALDOCK-WARD TOOK THE 308 OUT ROUND THE SOUTH AND WASN’T IMPRESSED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE

BRAKING BAD WITH THIS PEUGEOT

HE LATEST IN our mini-series of Peugeots was the 308 in a slightly questionable shade of ‘rich oak’ [obviously not pictured]. The ‘slightly questionable’ aspect

is purely my opinion and to some, it may be a good choice but I wouldn’t choose it for myself, nor do I think it would be a popular choice for an ADI’s tuition car. Thankfully, Peugeot has a range of colours that would suit most tastes.

The model we had was the diesel engine, which was responsive around town and comfortable on the motorway during our journey to Portsmouth and Cambridge and back again to Croydon.

I was a little confused initially about where the controls were for the ventilation as there are no controls on the dashboard that you would usually expect. Instead, these can be found as part of the touch-screen where the radio, sat

nav, etc is. There is a little symbol on the side of the screen with a temperature gauge that allows you to control the temperature for both driver and passenger (dual zone). This set up is very neat and tidy and leaves the dashboard less cluttered. The sat nav is easy to use and gives directions in good time and came in very handy for finding our venues.

The boot is a good size and was able to swallow all of our equipment for both days.

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driving


Expression+ TCe B 10 5 105 L£12,995 62.7Clio

Seat Struggles to assert itself within the VW group. Sporty imageseat.co.uk

Renault Formerly stylish French car maker showing promise once againrenault.co.uk

Dynamique 1.2 C 9 3 119 L£10,550 55.4Twingo

Expression+ dCi B 16 5 90 F£19,145 80.7Megane

Ecomotive 1.0 A 1 5 95 L£9,625 68.9Mii

S 1.2 TDI A 7 5 92 L£13,935 80.7Ibiza

Active 1.0 VTi A 6 5 99 L£12,495 65.7208

Active e-HDi B 16 5 108 F£18,865 68.9308

We did take an extra member of staff from DIA along with us for to Cambridge and she was a little cramped in the back. The rear seats are great for smaller kids but not so good for adults. I did find the interior a bit ‘plasticy’ and didn’t feel the quality was great.

I felt the steering was overly light and prone to over steer. I had to be mindful of this at higher speeds, but when parking and manoeuvring in tight spaces, it actually came into its own.

The 308 comes with an electric handbrake

that automatically releases when you pull away. This is all good but when I had to get the car out of a tight parking space on the road, and needed to reverse back a little before I could get out, the handbrake would not release at all.

The rear-parking sensor was bleeping at the same time and so I had to creep carefully forward by a few inches and let it roll back so I could steer my way out. This may have just been me ‘having a moment’ but it seemed that the parking brake will not release if the parking

sensors are going off. I can understand if this is deliberate in its design — on the one hand it makes sense, but on the other, there are those odd times when someone has kindly parked a bit too close and not left you enough room, and so you need to move tiny amounts to wiggle your way free. This didn’t appear possible.

Some electric parking brakes need to be removed manually by the driver and, if this were the case with the 308, it would have made life easier.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

6pd Manual

5

£18,365

A

1.6 litre diesel

78.5mpg

Score

Stats

Peugeot has a range of colours that would suit

most tastes

DipDI, DSA ADI (Car)


TR 1.33 VVT-i D 8 5 125 F£17,145 52.3Auris

TR 1.0 VVT-i C 4 5 111 L£12,820 58.9Yaris

Ice 1.0 VVT-i A 3 5 99 L£10,290 65.7Aygo

Toyota Serious image is spot on, but excellent reliability and built to lasttoyota.co.uk

Suzuki What to say? The Swift is an oft-overlooked little gemsuzuki.co.uk

1.2 SZ3 C 9 5 116 L£12,999 56.5Swift

SE 1.2 TSI D 9 5 121 L£12,150 54.3Fabia

Skoda The jokes are on us, Skodas are pretty goodskoda.co.uk

SE 1.0 GreenTech A 1 5 96 L£9,490 68.9Citigo

ON THE ROADFORD FOCUS DIESEL

The new look will become more normal

HAVE RECENTLY been up to Durham and Leeds delivering two more rounds of our ever-popular National Standards Professional Development Days.

This time, I had the pleasure of driving the all-new Ford Focus, which looks a lot like the new Fiesta with the ‘wide mouth frog’ front grill, and smaller rear light clusters on its rear. The Focus has never been a head-turner and in my opinion never will be, but do I think the improvements are better? Not really. I have already commented on the front with its link to the amphibian world, and the rear light clusters seem too small. I am sure the clever people at Ford will disagree and once more of these are on the road, the new look will become more normal as have all the other changes to this great car over the years.

For those of you that read my last Ford Focus review last year, you will know I do have a soft spot for them. Probably something to do with training in them for 10 years as an ADI, but they are genuinely a decent, reliable car and there are far worse places to be.

From the inside, the Focus still looks similar. One thing I noticed immediately was they have moved the handbrake from the centre console to alongside the driver’s left leg, a bit more of a natural place for it to live and easier to get leverage on it on steep hills and for those with limited strength in the left hand and wrist. It is still a ‘normal’ handbrake too, and the good people at Ford have not ‘gone over to the dark side’ with an electronic version. This will please a lot of people who do not like electronic versions. I am not necessarily one of those people, but there is a certain comfort from a

OliviaBaldock-Ward

Score

A RETURN TO THE FOCUS FOR OUR INSTRUCTOR. BUT THIS TIME, IT WAS IN A DIESEL

I

driving

‘proper’ handbrake that a lot of drivers share. The car we had was a six-speed, 1.5 diesel

in silver. It drove well, felt very solid over bumpy London streets and northern side roads and held it’s own on the motorway. I would put this car into the ‘mile muncher’ category. It is quite at ease eating up hundreds of motorway miles as it did (300 miles from DIA HQ in Croydon to Durham).

Our model had all the mod cons as you would expect, cruise control, speed limiter, DAB radio, sat nav, ABS, ESP, Bluetooth connectivity, plus plenty more. There was also the reassuring ambient interior lighting that offers a comforting warm glow inside the car on the endless miles of dark motorways. There are very soft orangey red light in the foot wells, roof lining and door handles that don’t get in the way at all but just allow you to see enough inside the car if you need to.

The new Focus is just as good to drive as its predecessors with its solid feel and powerful engine and ergonomic interior design. Even though it looks like a frog, but then again, you can’t see this when you are inside.

Driving Instructor

Exclusiv 1.2 C 6 5 119 L£13,735 55.4Corsa

Vauxhall Plodding British manufacturer has loyal followingvauxhall.co.uk

D2 SE A 20 5 94 F£21,595 78.5V40

Volvo Semi-premium Swedish brand with great safety imagevolvocars.com/uk

SE 1.4 TSI D 14 5 123 F£19,885 53.3Golf

Match 1.2 D 5 5 128 L£13,540 51.4Polo

Move Bluemotion A 1 5 95 L£10,070 68.9Up

Volkswagen Solid, reliable and German. Expensive too, but probably worth itvolkswagen.co.uk

Exclusiv 1.3 CDTi B 9 5 104 F£19,045 72.4Astra

59

General manager, CA Cars

The Focus handles well, good strong grip and solid body control

HE THIRD GENERATION Focus hit UK roads at the end of 2014 and is the best-selling family hatch in the UK. It has a more upmarket-looking chrome

grille, narrower headlights and a much improved interior. A new range of engines and technology were also introduced.

The Focus handles well, good strong grip and solid body control make it feel wonderfully agile in bends, while the super-accurate steering weights up progressively the faster you. In corners, the Focus is very entertaining, with quick steering and a responsive chassis. It has good all-round visibility for a larger car. You get six airbags and ESP as standard and carries the maximum five-star Euro NCAP crash safety rating.

The biggest change from its predecessor is reserved for the cabin, where the all-new dash brings things up to date and has a great build quality with blue-lit instruments which look classy.

Opt for the mid range Style model and it comes with air conditioning, electric heated door mirrors and windows, rake and reach adjustable steering wheel, drivers’ and passenger seat height adjuster, 4.2” colour display with DAB and bluetooth and steel wheels. Upgrade to the Titanium model and, in addition, it comes with dual-zone air conditioning, quick clear

windscreen, 8” touchscreen, rear parking sensors and alloy wheels. It comes with a space saver wheel as standard, but you can upgrade to a full size spare wheel for minimal cost. There is an LED display on the dashboard that can be set to a secondary speedo which is then visible from the passenger side when teaching.

There are four diesel engines but the efficient six-speed 1.5TDCi diesel engine (both the 95ps and 120ps) have a fantastic combined fuel consumption of 74.3 mpg and emits just a tax-friendly 98g/km of CO2. The stop-start functionality greatly improves fuel economy but can be switched off if you wish.

Contract prices on the Focus start from as little as £78.99 + VAT per week on a fully maintained contract. For more advice call to speak to one of the CA Cars team members to see how the figures work out for you.

ClaraGibson

ScoreT


SIMON MILLER IS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY A CHARGER AND CHARGING CASE FOR THE CAR AND OFFICE

ON THE CHARGE

driving

The long-term ideal is that everyone in a family will have a Fuel iON case

INCE THE BIRTH of the mobile phone, car telephone mounts have been ten-a-penny so it was a pleasant surprise to be genuinely impressed by

the charger that popped through the post last month.

The Fuel iON system comes in two parts —the magnetic charging case and the magnetic charger, which are available as a car mount, a desktop base or pad.

You place and plug your phone into the case, which has edge-to-edge protection as well as easy access to buttons and ports and comes with a powerful magnet, which connects it to a Fuel iON charger. For this test, I had the car mount and the stylish desktop base.

The Fuel iON car mount sits securely on the dash or windscreen, allowing you to use your smart phone as a sat nav for example, and the system charges in a simple, and clever way.

Using the power of magnets, Fuel iON removes the hassle of constantly plugging and unplugging power cords. Far more efficient than competing wireless inductive charging technologies, Fuel iON magnetically secures the phone and charges as fast as a cord connection. Indeed, on an admittedly not very scientific test, it seems that the case charges quicker than conventional charges. According to the company, the Fuel iON charges at 95.5 percent efficiency.

At the heart of Fuel iON’s charging system is a magnetic power transfer pad that uses incredibly strong neodymium magnet technology to automatically secure the phone by simply making contact with the power base. Once the Fuel iON case is securely docked, it not only charges but also provides a seamless 360 rotational axis.

And that magnet is very powerful indeed. Outside of the car, I, perhaps stupidly, actually shook the mount violently and the phone still remained attached — just for advisement, I would not recommend you do this.

The charger comes with a micro to maxi USB cable and in-car adaptor for charging on the move or through the computer.

Currently there are cases for iPhone 5/5S, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Galaxy S5 or Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and cases for the iPhone 6 and 6+ are in the pipeline with a redesigned base to cater for the larger-sized iPhone.

The chargers have built-in circuit protection

Score

Sagainst over voltage, over current, leakage and short circuit comes backed by a two-year warranty.

According to the company, the long-term ideal will be that everyone in a family will have Fuel iON case for their iPhone or Galaxy so they only need one charger for all models.

In addition for us Apple addicts, the case also has a direct micro-USB port that means, finally, you are never caught short without an iPhone charger and it also connects direct to your computer for data transfer.

The only sticking point for some maybe the price. The recommended retail price for the bundle of a case, desktop charger and in-car charger is £99 while separate bases are around £25 without case and around £65 with.

However, a straw poll showed that most thought it was a fair price to pay and to be honest, it is aesthetically pleasing and a useful accessory.

Indeed, aside from the slightly extra length of the case to accommodate the technology, the only complaint I have is that people in the office keep trying to pinch it.

£35FULL EYE TESTONE COMPLETE PAIR OF SPECS

ONLY

Our special DIA driver eyecare vouchers help you take care of one of your most important business assets

Fully comprehensive eye exam (RRP £17)A complete pair of single vision lens glasses from the £45 rangePlus a further £20 towards premium priced frames Can be used in conjunction with Specsavers 2 for 1 deals

Good vision and eyecare is fundamental to your work as a driver trainer

CLEARLY GOOD VALUE

VOUCHERS AVAILABLE ONLINEdriving.org/eyecare


Offer ends 31/03/15Subject to availability

Mock Theory Test Papers (20 per pad)

ORDER CODE

1009

£4.50DIA Members only

Contains 20 mock Theory Test papers each containing 50 carefully balanced multiple choice questions from the official DSA revision question bank.Covers everything that you could be asked in your Theory Test.Example case study sample question with explanation so you know what to expect on the big day! Answer sheet to see how you scored.Includes FREE Highway Code eBook

1

1

Our new guide examines the key standards for driving, as well as driver and rider training in the UK, focuses on the core competencies of driver training (assessed under the Standards Check), and looks at client centred learning in detail — the foundation stone for the effective delivery of driver education.

Members: £15.00Non-members: £20.00

THE DIA ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE NATIONAL STANDARDS AND THE STANDARDS CHECK

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SHOPINSTRUCTOR

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DRIVING.ORG/SHOP | 020 8686 8010

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Keep on top of your hectic lifestyle with these excellent diaries that cover everything a busy instructor needs to remember.

LARGE APPOINTMENT DIARY

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LARGE DIARY REFILL


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Covers may vary, Subject to availability

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Covers may vary, Subject to availability

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Standard (blood alcohol level .08 to .15)Members £55.00Non-members £58.00Order Code 1035

DIA Drug Simulation GogglesMembers £58.00Non-members £61.00Order Code 1033

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PRODUCT DIRECTORY VISIT DRIVING.ORG/SHOP | CALL 020 8686 8010


Large diary refill 2015


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Large appointment diary 2015 (215x270mm)Members £13.30Non-members £15.80Order Code 0100

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Know Your Traffic Signs


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Hazard Ahead


Learn Driving in 3D


Can Drivers Really Teach ThemselvesMembers: £9.50Non-members: £12.99Order Code 0143

How 2 Become A Driving InstructorMembers £15.00Non-members £17.00Order Code 0142

Adults Learning (Open University) – 5th editionMembers £22.99Non-members £24.99Order Code 0112

Official DSA Guide to Learning to DriveMembers £8.99Non-members £9.99Order Code 0125

Official DSA Theory Test for Motorcyclists 2012Members £11.99Non-members £12.99Order Code 0130

Practical Business Skills for Driving InstructorsMembers £15.99Non-members £19.99Order Code 0155

Official DSA Guide to Learning to RideMembers £6.99Non-members £7.99Order Code 0126

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How to Pass the ADI ExamsMembers £15.99Non-members £19.99Order Code 0113

Highway Code – English


Driving Instructor’s HandbookMembers £11.75Non-members £19.99Order Code 0115

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Books

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Roadcraft


Riding The Essential SkillsMembers £12.50Non-members £12.99Order Code 0117

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Clutch demonstrator


Occupational driver assessment pad (25)Members £4.75Non-members £6.65Order Code 5025

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Colourfile Professional 3– coilboundMembers £45.95Non-members £49.95Order Code 1047

Colourfile Professional Plus – coilboundMembers £45.95Non-members £49.95Order Code 1051

Colour lesson recap pads (2 x 50)Members £11.95Non-members £13.95Order Code 1031

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Mock theory test papers (20 per pad)Members £6.00Non-members £8.99Product Code 1009

Five-pad bundle of mock theory test papersMembers £24.95Non-members £39.95Product Code 1010

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Reversing demonstrator


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HOW TO ORDERYou can order shop goods from us via our website at driving.org/shop or over the phone by calling us on 020 8686 8010

You’ll need to have your credit/debit card details handy and your membership number available to make use of our special member prices. If you’d like to pay by cheque, get in touch and we’ll post you an order form that you can fill out and return to the office. Postage costs £4 per order, so get the best value by ordering more items in one go. We aim to despatch items to you the next day, but do allow up to five working days for delivery. UK and NI only.

DIAmond Advanced Test DVDMembers £10.20Non-members £15.35Order Code 5020

Drive – the DVD


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Full Magnectic Blanking Plates (Pair)Members: £2.50Non-members: £3.50Order Code 3007

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Car accessories

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Driving Test Success 2013 DVD-ROMMembers £8.20Non-members £10.20Order Code 1022

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Computer resources

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DIAmond Advanced Instructor roof sign (personalised)


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USSIA HAS LISTED transsexual and transgender people among those who will no longer qualify for driving licences. Fetishism, exhibitionism and voyeurism are also included

as “mental disorders” now barring people from driving. The government says it is tightening medical controls for drivers because Russia has too many road accidents. Prime minister Dmitry Medvedev signed the decree, which came into effect on 6 January, 2015 and has been adopted in the framework of the state’s road traffic safety program.

Russian psychiatrists and human rights lawyers have immediately condemned the move, with the Association of Russian Lawyers for Human Rights saying that the change would “cause the serious violations of human rights, the decision demonstrates the prejudice against the groups of citizens”.

And not only were sexual preferences seen as negatively impacting driving ability. The decree also prohibited limb amputees, people with hereditary eye diseases, and those with a height shorter than 150 centimetres, or five feet tall, from driving. Schizophrenia, mood disorders, mental retardation, epilepsy and substance use disorder are also included in the document as barriers to getting behind the wheel. “Pathological” gambling and compulsive stealing are also on the list.

We asked our resident expert Sue Vernon for her views on these pronouncements and she was equally amazed: “Russia claims they are simply following official World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on ‘medical’ conditions which may impact driving here so are we merely seeing Russia err on the, perhaps at times, extreme, side of caution here, rather than act out of ignorance and prejudice? However, it is telling that WHO has been quick to assure the rest of the world they are rethinking these classifications, seeing now how it is being used to effectively bar people from everyday activities enjoyed by other citizens.”

Shocking as some of these restrictions are, they are useful in illustrating how ignorance of certain human conditions (and human behaviours) impact the development and

delivery of driver education. Client centred learning is no new thing in mainstream education, and much progress has been made to ensure learners with a variety of specific needs are offered fair access to education and education is, in turn, adapted so all learners can achieve better outcomes. Driver education also now recognises that need and that approach is valid and valuable. However, Russia may be barring certain citizens from driving, but they are by no means the only ones throwing up barriers. We need to ensure all of us involved in driver training have access to knowledge and resources that can help us make informed decisions regarding the training of a huge range of pupils and aid their access to that training where suitable.

We can’t expect trainers to be expert in every area, but we can help them understand what conditions do impact driving — and which (like sexual preferences and orientation) have little or no impact. And, while many of us may be shocked at Russia’s approach, if we don’t develop our knowledge, understanding and ability to offer training, we are no more accommodating to drivers with diverse needs than they are. If we don’t work to develop an even baseline knowledge of the diverse needs of our audience, and how to develop learning and training to suit them (or how to judge when we can’t train someone), we’ll also be effectively placing barriers in the way of learners as Russia has. In the UK we thankfully recognise the validity of developing learners with diverse needs to become drivers. The National Standard for Driver and Rider Training talks specifically about the requirement of instructors to at least be able to recognise where learners may need specialist support and training, and if not able to train them themselves, recognising when to refer someone on. To help with this, we’ve designed the Drivers with Diverse Needs course (see events page and pages 2 and 30 in this magazine or go online for more information).

We’ve approached the Russian driving instructors association for comment and feedback on this hot topic from their members, and we’ll update you on that in the next issue but in the meantime I’d be interested in your views.

R

IGNORANCE AND PREJUDICE OR JUSTIFIED PRECAUTIONS TO INCREASE ROAD SAFETY? CARLY BROOKFIELD

Tweet your thoughts @the_DIA #russiandrivers

THE WORDFINAL

Carly is the chief executive at the DIA. Carly has over 16 years experience in senior business development roles across a wide range of industries including government agencies, financial services, medical and education.

ABOUT THE WRITER

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L on Earth€¦ · EDITOR Simon Miller [email protected] DESIGN Matt Russell [email protected]...

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Transcript of L on Earth€¦ · EDITOR Simon Miller [email protected] DESIGN Matt Russell [email protected]...