Advanced Driving Course

Advanced Driving Course from Birmingham Ladies Driving School

In any area of knowledge, skill or ability some people will be at a basic level, some will be expert, and there will be a wide range of ability levels in between.

Academic knowledge could range from GCSE level through, A level, degree level, Doctor, Professor.

Sporting ability could range from the competent amateur, the person that competes at a regional level, national level, and on to international level.

Cooking skill could range from the competent amateur home cook, through the cook in a basic restaurant and on to the chefs working in the best restaurants in the world.

Any topic will have similar variations in levels of abbility or skill, and that includes driving.

History of Advanced Driving

Advanced Driving has been around for a long time.

The Metropolitan Police Driving School was set up at Hendon in 1935.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (now called IAM Roadsmart) was formed in 1956.

The League of Safe Drivers was formed in 1960, and was subsequently taken over by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in 1980, and then became RoSPA Advanced Drivers Association (ROADA) in 1982.

The Diamond Advanced Motorists Test was introduced in 1992.

Definition of Advanced Driving

Despite the long history of advanced driving it was not until the year 2000 that there was an agreed definition of advanced driving.

In 2000 the definition below was agreed by:

• The Driving Standards Agency,DSA; Now the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, DVSA
• Diamond Advanced Motorists
• The Institute of Advanced Motorists, IAM
• The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA

Definition of Advanced Driving

Advanced Driving is the ability to control the position and speed of the vehicle safely, systematically and smoothly, using road and traffic conditions to make reasonable progress unobtrusively with skill and responsibility.

This skill requires a positive but courteous attitude and a high standard of driving competence based on concentration, effective all-round observation, anticipation and planning.

This must be co-ordinated with good handling skills.

The vehicle will always be at the right place on the road at the right time, travelling at the right speed with the correct gear engaged and can always be stopped safely in the distance that can be seen to be clear.

What Does Advanced Driving Look Like?

When you watch a real expert do anything, they make it look easy.

You are likely to see a calm, unhurried drive, even if the car is driving at a high speed.

All laws and rules will be adhered to, it couldn't really be described as an advanced drive if the law were broken!

Good observation and anticipation skills will mean that there is likely to be little drama, as potential problems are avoided early, before they progress.

The car will be under complete control.

All situations will be being monitored and will be under control.

Benefits of Advanced Driving

A Lower Accident Rate

Road Accidents are rare!

What are commonly called Accidents, should perhaps be called Crashes or Collisions because they have a cause.

The word Accident, implies something unavoidable.

A Crash has a cause, usually human error, and therefore are largely avoidable.

An Advanced Driver is less likely to cause a Crash.

An Advanced Driver is also more likely to be able to anticipate the Crashes that somebody else is trying to cause, and avoid them!

Cheaper Car Insurance

The various advanced driving organisations have negotiated either lower rates or better terms for their members with some insurance companies.

It is possible however, that you may find an insurance company that does not offer a discount that is cheaper.

Advanced Drivers are more likely to have full no claims bonus, because of their lower accident or crash rate, and therefore have lower insurance costs.

Safety

Safety for you.

Safety for your passengers.

Safety for your car.

Safety for other road users sharing the road with you.

Less Stress, More Enjoyment

Increased awareness of what is happening around you, and the ability to look and think further ahead will improve your ability to anticipate events rather than react to them.

This enables you to make brisk progress with safety, making driving less stressful and more enjoyable.

Advanced Driving Tests

There are 3 different national organisations offering Advanced Driving Tests, all of them are endorsed and monitored by The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which also provides quality assurance for their tests.

• Diamond Advanced Motorists
• IAM Roadsmart (formerly known as Institute of Advanced Motorists)
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

The different Advanced Driving Tests vary a little as to duration, content, standard required, and marking system.

All of the tests will usually include driving on different road types:

• Urban areas
• Motorways
• Dual Carriageways
• Rural Roads

Manoeuvres such as Reversing and Parking will also normally be included in each of the Advanced Driving Tests.

Do I Have to Drive Like A Learner Driver?

No!

You do have to do things correctly, not cross your hands, use the mirrors, indicate, etc.

You will be expected to drive as an experienced driver.

You will be expected to make full use of speed limits, and opportunities to overtake, but always within the boundaries of safety and the law.

Who Are The Advanced Driving Examiners?

• Diamond Advanced Motorists Examiners
  • Diamond Advanced Motorists Examiners are all Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructors
  • They must also have experience of driver training to advanced level
  • They have passed the Diploma in Driving Instruction (DipDI) (five written exams), or completed the Diploma in Driver Education (DipDE)
  • They have passed either the Cardington Special Driving Test, or the Diamond Elite Driving Test
  • They have completed the Diamond Examiners Course

• IAM Examiners
  • IAM Examiners are usually holders of a Police Advanced Driving Certificate
  • Some of them are also Police Driving Instructors

• RoSPA Examiners
  • RoSPA Examiners are usually holders of a Police Advanced Driving Certificate
  • Some of them are also Police Driving Instructors

Whichever Advanced Driving Test, all of the Examiners will conduct the tests in a professional manner, but the tests are not usually as formal as a Learner Test.

The Advanced Driving Examiners will do their best to put you at ease, and are there not only to assess your driving, but to help you to become a better driver.

Advanced Driving Training Course

Advanced Driver Training is often done to prepare for one of the Advanced Driving Tests, but if you want to improve your driving to an advanced standard, without taking a test that is ok.

The choice of how advanced a level you want to reach is your choice.

• Have a single Advanced Driving Training Session to improve your standard
• Have a few Advanced Driving Training Sessions to take your standard a little higher
• Plan a course of Advanced Driving Training Sessions to prepare for an Advanced Driving Test
• Plan a longer course of Advanced Driving Training Sessions to gain a higher grade in an Advanced Driving Test

Choose the option that suits your requirements.

Preparing for an Advanced Driving Test

A typical course to prepare for an Advanced Driving Test would probably consist of about 6 training sessions, with practice in between, but everyone's needs are different.

An example of a typical course

• Training Session 1
  • Short Assessment Drive
  • Analysis of Driving strengths, and weaknesses. Then plan the goals for the training session
  • Introduction to Systematic Driving, Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach

• Training Session 2
  • Developing skills on Urban Roads & Manoeuvres
  • Developing Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach Skills

• Training Session 3
  • Developing skills on Motorway Driving
  • Developing Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach Skills

• Training Session 4
  • Developing skills on Rural Roads and Dual Carriageways
  • Developing Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach Skills

• Training Session 5
  • Practice on any areas needing further improvement or development
  • Or, General Revision

• Training Session 6
  • Mock Advanced Driving Test

This Training Programme is based on preparing someone for an Advanced Driving Test, however, if you simply want an introduction to Advanced Driving techniques and principles, and their practical application, you may decide to have only one or two training sessions.

This Advanced Driving Training Programme is based on Half Day (3 hour) training sessions.

It is only intended as a guide, as the structure and length of your course will be altered to suit your own individual needs.

Who Will Train Me?

All Advanced Driver Training done on behalf of Birmingham Ladies Driving School is currently delivered by James Quinn

James has delivered driver training at all levels from complete beginner through to the most advanced levels, and trains and retrains driving instructors.

• James has been a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor since 1988.
• James qualified as a Driving Examiner for both the Diamond Advanced Motorists Driving Test and Elite Test in 1996
• James became a DVSA Registered Fleet Driving Instructor in 2002.
• James joined the ADINJC National Training Team in 2012 and became Head of Training in 2014

Advanced Driving Course Prices

Preparation for:

• Diamond Advanced Motorists Driving Test
• Diamond Advanced Motorists Elite Driving Test
• IAM Roadsmart Driving Test (Formerly The Institute of Advanced Motorists)
• RoSPA Driving Test (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents)

Alternatively:
Take as many or as few training sessions as you prefer to improve your driving to a more advanced standard without taking a test.

Advanced Driving Course
3 Hour Advanced Driving Training Session		£150.00
1 Day (6 hour) Advanced Driving Training Session		£300.00

Advanced Defensive and Eco Driving Compared

Advanced Driving, Defensive Driving and Eco Driving all have many similarities, they all use essentially the same set of skills.

Advanced, Defensive and Eco Driving all involve developing driving skills to a high level.

The differences between, Advanced, Defensive and Eco Driving are the way the driver prioritises different aspects of driving.

	Advanced Driving	Defensive Driving	Eco driving
Safety	High Priority	High Priority	High Priority
Brisk Progress	High Priority	Low Priority	Low Priority
Economy	Low Priority	Low Priority	High Priority
The Environment	Low Priority	Low Priority	High Priority

Birmingham Ladies Driving School can provide training in conjunction with it's sister company Advanced Driver Trainers for Advanced Driving, Defensive Driving or Eco Driving.

You have the choice of developing your skills for one driving style, or we can tailor your training so that you are able to apply your skills to either Advanced Driving, or Defensive Driving, or Eco Driving, depending on the purpose that you have on any particular journey.

Pages in the Advanced Defensive and Eco Driving section of the Birmingham Ladies Driving School website:

Sections of the Birmingham Ladies Driving School website: