Special Assessment

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'Special Assessment' is designed to be the ultimate advanced driving/riding challenge for civilian drivers and riders. It offers IAM members an opportunity to demonstrate their driving or riding skills to the highest possible standard for just £60

The IAM Special Assessment is not intended to be a learning experience in the same way that the IAM driving assessment is. Nevertheless, it is hoped that members will benefit and learn from the experience and from the comprehensive written feedback that they will receive.

What's involved ?

  1. The Chief Examiner will select the examiner to conduct each Special Assessment from those available in the area concerned. There are only a limited number of examiners qualified to carry out the Special Assessment so it may be a few weeks between booking  and the assessment being carried out.
  2. Car members are required to give a high standard, flowing commentary, unless there are special circumstances why this cannot be done (speech defect etc.). Any such problem must be notified on the application form when applying to take the Special Assessment.
  3. Members will be asked to answer six questions relating to driving/riding matters and road safety at the conclusion of their drive/ride. The Chief Examiner will provide the examiner with a unique set of six questions for each candidate, in confidence, from a bank of questions maintained in the Test Department.
  4. Special Assessment is voluntary and is not a test. There is no 'passed or failed' and their continued Membership of the IAM will not be affected.

The examiner will give some verbal feedback in the debrief session after each Special Assessment. Subsequent comprehensive written feedback from IAM Head Office will give members an analysis of their driving/riding and will include an overall evaluation of it expressed as a percentage. The contents of this report will remain confidential between the IAM and the member.

Members who successfully complete an IAM Special Assessment will be entitled to an IAM Special Assessment Certificate.

Notes:

The IAM Special Assessment is only open to IAM Members who:

  • Do not have any proceedings of any sort (including a Fixed Penalty Notice) pending against them.

Members who cannot meet these requirements will still have access to the (ordinary) IAM Driving Assessment. Members will be permitted to undertake only one Special Assessment in any twelve-month period.

It should be noted that members are expected to be fully and properly prepared for a very demanding and stringent examination of their driving/riding skills and knowledge. This preparation can be achieved on a personal basis by existing advanced drivers and riders and is not something which IAM Groups should offer on a formal basis to IAM members. It should be clearly noted that nothing other than the very highest standard of driving/riding is expected from candidates and if it is evident that a member is not fully and properly prepared, the examiner will terminate the Special Assessment.

Unlike the Advanced Driving Test, the Special Assessment is not subsidised and the fee reflects the management and administrative costs involved, examiners expenses and the costs involved in preparing the comprehensive written feedback. Therefore the cost is £60. Application forms and the conditions that apply to the Special Assessment can be obtained from IAM Head Office, or downloaded from the link below.

Special Assessment application form PDF format