Road safety
IAM RoadSmart, a charity dedicated to reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads, is involved in lobbying for improvements in road safety standards and leading the road safety debate with central government and within the motoring community. IAM RoadSmart is an advocate for lifelong personal development of driving and riding skills.
IAM RoadSmart analyses multiple issues and viewpoints when considering ways to improve road safety, not least those of its, 92,000 members. Human factors are one of these – how the driver (or rider) interacts with the journey, the vehicle and the external world – as highlighted by the 2016 government report on road casualties: “All accidents have a cause and that cause is often someone making a mistake or exhibiting dangerous or thoughtless road behaviour”.
The 2017 IAM RoadSmart Safety Culture Index, a study of UK motorists’ attitudes towards driving. The report highlighted that the main areas of concern amongst motorists (who took part in the survey), included: Using a mobile phone whilst driving, aggressive driving and drug driving.
Whilst the UK has seen massive reductions in the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads over the decades, that figure has plateaued at just over 1,700 in recent years (reported road fatalities were 1,792 in 2016, 1,732 in 2015, 1,775 in 2014 and 1,713 in 2013. Reported serious injuries were 24,101 in 2016, 22,137 in 2015, 22,801 in 2014 and 21,657 in 2013).
Added to this, we are less than two decades away from driverless cars becoming popular on our roads. An important area of consideration is how driverless cars will exist on the roads alongside conventionally driven vehicles. What is certain is that the debate will not disappear as technology plays a bigger role in our motoring lives, and IAM RoadSmart will continue to play a central role in it.
IAM RoadSmart’s director of policy and research, Neil Greig, said: “Five years of flat lining road deaths is unacceptable. The huge gains in road safety made in the past now seem a distant memory. The government must show more leadership to really drive down road deaths in the future.”
News
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11/04/18 Mike Quinton to take up top job at UK’s largest independent road safety charity IAM RoadSmart
IAM RoadSmart has named Mike Quinton, former Chief Executive of the National House Building Council (NHBC) as its new Chief Executive Officer effective from 23 April this year.
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04/04/18 Women bikers’ unique chance to ride with the best, in Maria Costello’s IAM RoadSmart Skills Day this summer
Female bikers have the unique chance to ride with ‘queen of bikers’ Maria Costello MBE this summer, at a unique women-only Skills Day with road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.
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19/03/18 Alan gears up to strengthen IAM RoadSmart’s NDORS offering in the market
As IAM RoadSmart steps up its presence in the NDORS (National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme) market in the UK, the charity has appointed Alan Prosser as its new Head of Retraining.
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14/03/18 What do you call yours? IAM RoadSmart poll finds Brits are unsentimental when it comes to naming their cars
A survey by IAM RoadSmart has found that British car owners are a bunch of grumps with less than one-third of car owners having given their car a name.
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Tips
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11/04/18 Five distractions to look out for inside your vehicle
We’re all aware of certain things around us that we need to look out for when we’re driving, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes. But how often do we check what potential distractions we have inside our vehicle? Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, lists five items that could cause a distraction while driving.
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03/04/18 Have you done your POWDERY checks?
It may not feel like spring, but the winter season is officially over. And this means that many of us are keen to wipe the dust from our bikes and get them into top shape for the sunnier days that we are eagerly waiting for. Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of riding and driving advice, explains the POWDERY checks you should do on your bike before setting off for your first ride of the season.
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27/03/18 5 tips for a smooth drive into spring
The clocks have gone forward and days are longer than nights for the next six months; it’s time to get your car hale, hearty and ‘beach body ready’ in preparation for the spring. This week’s tips give advice on getting your car ready for the warmer weather, from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.
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20/03/18 Dealing with vulnerable road users
As we make the same commute every day to work and back, we can get used to seeing pedestrians on the streets, motorcyclists on the road and even a few cyclists appearing now that the season is officially changing. But this can sometimes mean we get a little too used to the things around us and may unintentionally stop paying attention to our surroundings. Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, provides a set of tips to refresh your knowledge on how to manage vulnerable road users.
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