The IAM's 'Skill for Life' advanced course will show you how to incorporate the same driving skills used by police response drivers into your own driving.  Skill for Life is designed to put you in total control and to provide you with the time to react to demanding situations.

With 'IAM Surety' - the IAM Insurance scheme - advanced drivers can also benefit from cheaper insurance because their advanced driving skills present a lower risk.  A Transport Research Laboratory report showed that drivers who have passed the advanced driving test are up to 75% less likely to be involved in a crash.

This is because advanced driving is based on a set of fundamental principles which will guide every action you take behind the wheel so that you drive smoothly and progressively and with finely tuned precision and skill.

In fact we are so confident about 'Skill for Life' that we believe you can't afford to drive without it!

INTERESTED?

Take the road to skilful driving today!  You can join the Skill for Life course by simply enrolling as an Associate Member to the Bristol Group.  This also automatically enrols you as an Associate of the IAM.

Over 80% of drivers who complete the course go on to pass the advanced driving test and for just £139 for the complete course (apart from your own fuel) this could prove to be one of the most valuable things you'll ever do.

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THE COURSE

The advanced driving course is based on a principle called 'the system of car control' originally devised by the Police Driver Training School at Hendon and now in use across all the UK's police forces.

Skill for Life uses the IAM's own handbook 'How to be a Better Driver' as the main reference and Associates will receive a copy of this book before coming to their first seminar session.

THE SEMINARS

These are held at the fully equipped and easily accessible BAWA Health & Leisure Centre in Filton.  The sessions will start at 7.30pm and finish at 9.30pm.  Police Examiners and Group Trainers will give the lectures and we recommend that you attend all three sessions so that you gain maximum benefit from the practical 'on road' driving sessions.

Seminar 1: Welcome and Introduction to the Skill for Life Advanced Driving Course

·                 What's Advanced Driving all about

·                 Principles of Advanced Driving

·                 Categories of Hazards

·                 Advanced System of Car Control

·                 'On-road' driving sessions begin

Seminar 2: The application of Advanced Vehicle Control

·                 Advanced driving techniques

·                 Concentration, Observation, Anticipation, Planning

·                 Cornering techniques

·                 Overtaking skills

·                 Commentary

·                 Motorway driving skills

·                 Experience Drives from the BAWA Centre.  Your opportunity to see advanced driving in action before the practical 'on-road' sessions

Seminar 3: Meet one of the IAM Examiners

·                 Useful tips to remember for the test day

·                 What the Examiner expects from you on the test.  All IAM Examiners are either serving or retired police class 1 advanced drivers

PRACTICAL 'ON-ROAD' SESSIONS

At the first seminar you will be assigned a highly qualified IAM Observer with whom you can make arrangements for a series of 'on-road' practical driving sessions.  These sessions will continue until you are ready to take the advanced driving test.

Your Observer will assess your current skills and advise how you can best apply what you have learned, both from the seminars and your study of the IAM handbook, to your own driving.

THE DEBRIEF

At the end of each driving session the Observer will conduct a short debriefing which will give you the opportunity to review the drive and ask questions on points about which you are uncertain.

Your Observer will also discuss areas where further practice is required so that you will have plenty of time to make progress before your next meeting.

YOUR COMMITMENT

Much of your success will be down to your own hard work and commitment.  This course is not at all about mundane driving; it will show you methods and techniques used by advanced drivers and police response drivers to achieve optimum progress and maximum safety.  It will test your skills and performance in car control and road craft.

ADVANCED DRIVING TEST

The advanced driving test is included in the overall cost.  You use your own vehicle for the driving test which lasts about 90 minutes and gives a thorough workout of your driving skills across a variety of road types and conditions.

All IAM Test Examiners are holders of the Police Class One Advanced Driving Certificate.

AFTER YOU PASS

By now you will have encountered many new driving techniques and you have become a skilful driver en-route but it doesn't have to stop here.

The IAM offers Further Advanced Driving courses designed to take you to the next stage along the road to skill with responsibility.

CONVINCED?

Joining the IAM and taking the 'Skill for Life' course is probably one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do.  The cost covers your enrolment pack and includes the IAM handbook, the three seminar sessions, and all the on-road practical driving sessions with your own Observer, the advanced driving test and your first year as an Associate Member to Bristol Advanced Motorists and the IAM.

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Further links:

What is Advanced Driving all about?

Overview of the Advanced Driving Test

Preparation for the IAM Test