THE ADVANCED DRIVING TEST

The Advanced Driving Test is a voluntary test for those who wish to find out whether they can meet the IAM standards of a safe, legal and progressive drive. The Test itself lasts for about 90 minutes and will usually cover between 30 and 40 miles along all types of road (town driving, motorways (if available) or dual carriageways, and even country lanes). The examiners all hold the Police Advanced Driving Certificate and have experience in Traffic Patrol work. They have all had to deal with the consequences of poor driving, and share a common interest in road safety, and the belief that no one has the right to drive badly. On the test, the examiner will look for certain features within your drive. These are described below, and the order is significant; nothing at all must compromise the first item in the list, safety. Your Drive should be . . . Safe Safety is the most important aspect of all driving. Position and speed must always be sacrificed for safety, but safety must never be sacrificed for any reason. The driver's objective is to maintain safe progress by identifying hazards early and planning how to deal with them safely and efficiently. The four key skills of advanced driving are Concentration, effective all round Observation, Anticipation and Planning. Advanced Driving is using these skills properly and coordinating them with good handling skills to ensure that your driving is . . . . . . . Systematic The 'System of Car Control' is a way of approaching and negotiating all situations that is safe, methodical, and leaves nothing to chance. The IAM uses the Police System of Car Control. Driving to a system draws all your driving skills together so that you can deal with an unpredictable environment in a methodical and logical way and have time to select the best position, speed, and gear to negotiate all hazards safely and efficiently. . . . Smooth If your vehicle control and handling skills are properly coordinated with your perceptual and awareness skills, your driving will not only be safe and systematic, but it will also be smooth. Nothing should look or feel hurried. The three main considerations are passenger comfort, vehicle stability and vehicle sympathy. . . . Speed (correct use of) The ability to make progress is an important advanced driving skill, but progress must never compromise safety. Excess speed (speed above the statutory limit) and inappropriate speed (excessive speed for the circumstances, regardless of the statutory limit) are dangerous and are not acceptable. Advanced Drivers understand this and know that speed limits are limits, and not targets. They use their perceptual and awareness skills to identify when they should impose their own speed limit on themselves, (regardless of the statutory speed limit), depending on circumstances. The four S's of Advanced Driving, (Safety, System, Smoothness and (correct use of) Speed ensures that the driver makes progress with skill and responsibility and is always at the right place on the road at the right time, traveling at the right speed with the correct gear engaged for that speed and can always stop safely in the distance that can be seen to be clear. Those passing the test are then eligible for membership of the Institute of Advanced Motorists as well as full membership of the Lichfield Advanced Motorists & Motorcyclists Group.