Category: IAM RoadSmart

1. IAM’s tweets make sweet music in the motoring world‏.

   Posted on 2:00pm Thursday 31st Mar 2016

   The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has won the attention of the Sunday Times for its social media work, which has placed the driving and riding charity’s Twitter channel as one of ten best motoring feeds to follow.

   The IAM stands alongside the channels of DJ and TV star Chris Evans, motormouth TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson, American actor Jerry Seinfeld and newly appointed Top Gear presenter and journalist Chris Harris as the crème de la crème of motoring tweeters.

   The prestigious national Sunday newspaper said: "The road safety charity offers practical advice and sticks up for the motorist — and its Twitter feed has the capacity to make you question your own bad habits behind the wheel."

   The IAM’s Twitter page is updated several times a day, highlighting safer driving and riding initiatives from around the world, as well as advice on driving and riding in different situations, like in the dark or rain, on motorways or around roadworks.

   It highlights the latest IAM and industry research, news about motoring rule changes, reminders of motoring laws and work carried out by IAM local groups from around the country. The IAM’s Twitter feed also enables like-minded people to connect with each other.

   The IAM’s Twitter page has more than 11,000 followers and can be found at @iamgroup.

   Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer, said: “Social media is very important for the IAM. Drivers and riders appreciate bite-size pieces of information and are easily able to remember them and put them into practice as they use the road on a day-to-day basis.

   “It is also a great way to interact with drivers, bikers, members and anyone passing by. We love to talk with anyone who has an interest in enjoyable and safer driving via social media – long may it continue.”

   The Sunday Times survey can be reached here

2. IAM’s calls for increased investment in roads answered, as councils spend more on road projects‏

   Posted on 9:00am Monday 18th Jan 2016

   Many county councils across England appear to have responded to criticisms about failing to make pothole repair and road maintenance a top priority, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has found, with increased spending across the country.

   A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the IAM has found councils are following government-stated best practice and increasingly investing more money into capital projects (i.e. road rebuilding) rather than spending funds on short-term temporary repairs.

   In early 2015 the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) confirmed a backlog of repairs topped £12 billion, while an IAM survey found that 64 per cent of participants cited general road maintenance as one of their biggest concerns (reference 1).

   The FOI request asked county councils how much they spent on fixing road surface defects such as potholes and how much they spent on capital projects to resurface roads between 2013 and 2015.

   While the IAM’s findings reveal many councils are spending less on filling potholes, 17 out of 23 of them are in fact spending more overall on resurfacing worn-out roads.

   The top five county councils to invest the most money into road repairs and resurfacing between 2014/15 include:

   1. Surrey – £44 million 2. North Yorkshire – £43.9 million 3. Cumbria – £33.5 million 4. Devon – £32 million 5. Lincolnshire – £30.2 million

   In percentage terms, the following councils have increased their capital spending on resurfacing roads the most:

   1. Oxfordshire – 139 per cent (from £4.6 million to £11 million) 2. Cambridgeshire – 85 per cent (from £10.5 million to £19.4 million) 3. Norfolk – 45 per cent (from £19 million to £27.6 million) 4. Leicestershire – 43 per cent (from £7.5 million to £10.7 million) 5. West Sussex – 38 per cent (from £19.5 million to £27 million)

   County councils that have invested the most money into temporary pothole repairs between 2014/15 include:

   1. Kent - £7.7 million 2. Devon - £5.98 million 3. Gloucestershire - £5.93 million 4. Cumbria - £5.4 million 5. Surrey - £4.88 million

   The top five councils increasing spending for temporary pothole repairs in percentage terms compared to the previous year are:

   1. West Sussex – 57 per cent (from £1.4 million to £2.2 million) 2. Nottinghamshire - 28 per cent (from £1.5 million to £1.92 million) 3. Norfolk – 23 per cent (from £2.6 million to £3.2 million) 4. Devon – 21 per cent (from £4.9 million to £5.9 million) 5. Dorset – 15 per cent (from £2.6 million to £3.2 million)

   In tandem with the increase in spending on resurfacing roads, the IAM has discovered eight out of 21 councils are spending less on filling potholes.

   Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer, said: “We are very pleased that our calls for greater investment in local roads appear to be having some effect.

   “We hope this trend continues. With council tax increases this April, we very much hope councils will use some of the extra money in continued investment in their own vital local roads, the condition of which has a direct impact on road safety.

   “The IAM welcomed the government’s pothole fund as a solution for short-term problems, but our figures show that the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme is really starting to deliver long-term benefits by encouraging a shift to capital spend and sharing of knowledge and resources.”

3. Don’t let wet weather rain on your parade, says the IAM

   Posted on 2:00pm Monday 28th Dec 2015

   With wet weather continuing to engulf the UK, the Institute of Advanced Motorists’ (IAM) director of standards, Mark Lewis, looks at how drivers can best prepare for driving in heavy rain.

   1. Before setting off, check for any weather alerts, traffic updates or planned road closures that may affect your journey. Only travel in extreme adverse weather conditions if it is really necessary.

   2. Check lights and windscreen wiper blades are clean and working properly. Also check the tyre pressure and tread depth to ensure the best possible grip on wet surfaces.

   3. Plan your route in advance and try to avoid any roads that are prone to flooding, even if it extends your journey.

   4. Heavy rain often leads to damaged road surfaces and puddles can hide deep potholes – look for clues such as loose chunks of tarmac.

   5. In heavy rain, don’t forget to switch on your dipped headlights so other motorists can see you easily. Reduce your speed when travelling in the rain to decrease your stopping distance. This will also help you pass through large puddles and potholes smoothly, without spraying other road users or risking aquaplaning.

   6. Torrential rain may interfere with the electrics of a vehicle causing a breakdown. Prepare for the worst by keeping your mobile phone charged and with the number of your breakdown service provider already saved on it. While you wait for help keep your bonnet closed as soaking the engine will only make it worse.

4. Less than two weeks left to take up no cost advanced driving offer from IAM‏

   Posted on 5:11pm Tuesday 22nd Dec 2015

   The Institute of Advanced Motorists’ (IAM) free driving taster offer has less than two weeks to run – and the road safety charity is encouraging people to take advantage before it expires on 31 December.

   Every driver in England and Wales can take advantage of the advanced driving taster session, which is worth £39.

   This initiative is part of the IAM’s Love Driving campaign, which discovered that bad driving can be a real turn-off. Not only can bad motoring habits cause accidents and injury at worse; it can also put a damper on you meeting Mr or Ms Right.

   The free assessment gives drivers the opportunity to carry out a 60-minute session in the comfort of their own car with a qualified assessor from the IAM. There are no special insurance requirements – you only need to hold a valid UK driving licence.

   To take advantage simply log on to www.iam.org.uk/lovedriving before 31 December to register your interest.

   The IAM is the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, dedicated to improving standards and safety in driving and motorcycling. The commercial division of the IAM operates through its occupational driver training company IAM Drive & Survive. The IAM has more than 200 local volunteer groups and over 90,000 members in the UK and Ireland. It is best known for the advanced driving test and the advanced driving and motorcycling courses. Its policy and research division offers advice and expertise on road safety.

   www.facebook.com/InstituteofAdvancedMotorists

5. Tachometer breaks cause nearly 1,700 road closures in one year alone, IAM Drive & Survive finds‏

   Posted on 6:00am Friday 11th Dec 2015

   Tachometer breaks, the mandatory rest stops commercial operators must take when driving, were the cause of nearly 1,700 road closures in one year alone, according to newly released figures from IAM Drive & Survive.

   According to the Road Haulage Association 85% of everything sold in the UK is carried by truck at some stage of the supply chain (reference 1) with this number set to increase as more retail purchases are made online in the run up to Christmas.

   The numbers come from a Freedom of Information request to Highways England into why motorways and major A roads were closed in 2014. Tachometer breaks are one of the top 25 reasons for lane closures, with 1,669 incidents last year.

   IAM Drive & Survive says one of the main causes of this problem is road infrastructure – insufficient numbers of laybys, a lack of services for commercial drivers and the impact of long distances of road works.

   It adds that drivers and their employers can play their part in ensuring their journeys are as smooth and safe as possible and that planning journeys in advance is key.

   Researching routes with good facilities for drivers, looking up road closures and avoiding areas where traffic delays are common all help to avoid the need to stop in unsuitable locations.

   Lesley Upham, IAM commercial director, said: “Designing the roads and facilities drivers need to operate safely is essential, but meeting this objective needs a long-term approach.

   “Until then employers and drivers must remain aware of the challenges and plan their journeys accordingly. Radio road traffic reports and live traffic functions on satellite navigation systems have a role to play, but planning ahead and having an alternative route in mind is also essential. There is also a great responsibility on employers to limit the time-based pressure put on their drivers. Nothing will delay their operations as much as a serious incident and if an accident occurs procedures will be scrutinised.”

   Other significant reasons for road closures include abnormal load (3,191) and vehicle shedding its load (6,648).

   IAM Drive & Survive is a leading occupational driver risk management provider and helps companies reduce on-road incidents, minimise costs and look after their drivers. To download a copy of its Driver Risk management booklet click here