..Advanced driving? worth doing?

[JB!]

hi...right...


i'm 21 next month, and have decided to spend my annual bonus on a Mk3 golf VR6...

when i was 18 i had a serious accident where i went into the back of someone static at NSL, they were fine and i broke my hand... i also had to do a £200 police safer driving course...

this slowed me down a fair bit and aside from a tiny knock (i mean tiny) in a supermarket carpark (a real pain in the ass, possibly going to court, 3rd party claims are "excessive") i'v not done anything since...

my insurance is £1300 fully comp both claims declared, so i'm looking at way to reduce this, i'll have had my liscence 4 yrs in november, so no pass-plus for me, and i want to do a course that will teach me to drive smarter and bring my policy down a bit...


reccomendations?

• *edit - i also drive LWB transit pickups at work, and 8-seater high-top transits, so a course with various types of vehicle would be great!

Edited by JB! on Thursday 4th June 14:22

[CommanderJameson]

It's good to learn more.

But don't hang too much hope on your insurance premium going down by much just because you hold advanced driving qualifications.

[Thirsty33]

CommanderJameson said:

It's good to learn more.

But don't hang too much hope on your insurance premium going down by much just because you hold advanced driving qualifications.

I would ditto that on both counts - well worth doing. Insurance savings are a little more tricky, although the IAM insurers now has a target of saving money for 90% of members who ask for a quote - so they do try very hard. I didn't save a huge amount of cash, but they did offer a very low excess which was nice.

[WhoseGeneration]

Just do it.
It will give you a different mindset.

[7mike]

JB! said:

i also drive LWB transit pickups at work, and 8-seater high-top transits, so a course with various types of vehicle would be great!

So why is your company not providing training? You may want to point out the following to your employer:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/drivingforwork/content/overv...

[JB!]

7mike said:

JB! said:

i also drive LWB transit pickups at work, and 8-seater high-top transits, so a course with various types of vehicle would be great!

So why is your company not providing training? You may want to point out the following to your employer:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/drivingforwork/content/overv...

because i work for a company that employs 33,000 people nationwide... and of those i reckon 98% qualify to drive work vehicles (no convictions, 1yr driving experiance & valid UK liscence) they used to send people out wiht an instructor for a day, but not anymore...budget cuts an all... it shows too, quite a few vehicles have been damaged recently or hade components breaking sooner than they should (transit clutch at 17k!?!?)...

[G_T]

I'm 23 and started for my advanced driving a few months ago (Back when it was £60 not the £100+ is is now!). There's a few aspects of the IAM driving standard that will irritate but it is largely a very good (and safe) system.

You'll be amazed at how many bad traits you've picked up and getting professional advice is always a good idea.

Your driving can only benefit from the depth of experience that the institue offers. I would strongly recommend it.

I also found that my insurance company would knock £20 off my premium. So it wasn't earth shattering but that's the cost of the course down a bit!

[TonyHetherington]

Agreed with everyone above - it's well, well worth doing. But more so for yourself and what you gain, rather than the insurance impact. For a young driver on a sports car you won't get a discount at any of the insurers you'll be going to

Well worth doing though, I stress, it gives you a different outlook on your driving and shows you how you can improve.

One thing I used to say to my associates (I was an observer for 5yrs) was that making the decision to come and do the course was half the battle - it shows that you have the right mindset.

[otolith]

It still troubles me that people who have advanced driving qualifications are not quantifiably lower risk than similar people who haven't. They should be, why do the underwriters have no evidence to support it?

[TonyHetherington]

otolith said:

It still troubles me that people who have advanced driving qualifications are not quantifiably lower risk than similar people who haven't. They should be, why do the underwriters have no evidence to support it?

It's worth stressing that IAM members, once passed, are members for life.

I was once in a taxi, and the driver and I got talking about IAM and advanced driving. He was, and I don't use this word lightly, an HORRIFIC driver. And yet he said to me "yeah, I did that advanced driving stuff 20yrs ago, still a member".

So I would imagine that every man and his dog puts "IAM" on their insurance, but very few uphold the values consistently and correctly for the duration of their membership; life. As such, the stats probably don't make pretty reading!

[Gaspode]

otolith said:

It still troubles me that people who have advanced driving qualifications are not quantifiably lower risk than similar people who haven't. They should be, why do the underwriters have no evidence to support it?

Because qualifications merely show that IAM members etc ought to be a safer risk. Accident and claim statistics show whether they really are or not. Apparently they are not. Or not enough to be worth offering them a lower premium, anyway.

The best way to get your premiums down? Grow older and continue driving without having any accidents. This approach also gives you the chance to save up a decent amount of money, so that by the time you can afford the premiums, you can also afford the car

[otolith]

Gaspode said:

Because qualifications merely show that IAM members etc ought to be a safer risk. Accident and claim statistics show whether they really are or not. Apparently they are not. Or not enough to be worth offering them a lower premium, anyway.

On the face of it, that's how it looks. If it's true, the whole thing is pointless. Alternatively, the underwriters don't have enough data to say either way - I don't think most policies ask about advanced qualifications?

[G_T]

Well there is a discount from a lot of providers. Even big/ruthless ones like the Admiral group etc. So I find it hard to believe there is "no statistical proof" because they certainly are offering discounts. Albeit small ones.

According to the IAM (who have no reason for bias- ), based on insurance statistics IAM drivers are 70% less likely to be involved in an accident. I can't quote source for that at the moment though. I can try digging it out over the weekend.

ETA:
Ref - Independent assessment by Brunel University of IAM drivers vs. non-IAM drivers.

http://www.iam.org.uk/pressroom/newsarchive/nr0605...

It's posted on the IAM website but it was still an independent study.

Edited by G_T on Friday 5th June 15:38

[otolith]

G_T said:

Well there is a discount from a lot of providers. Even big/ruthless ones like the Admiral group etc. So I find it hard to believe there is "no statistical proof" because they certainly are offering discounts. Albeit small ones.

All the discounts I've seen have been of the same order that you get from being in an owner's club.

[G_T]

So its a similar % risk decrease?

That doesn't mean they don't have statistics to back it up. They're not in habit of reducing premiums unless they have to.

[bobbylondonuk]

Advanced Driving = understanding what your machine can do and what you can do with your machine.

Once you understand the above...you will be naturally more selective in where youwill use the potential of your machine.


in short..do it..it will change the way you drive forever!

[otolith]

G_T said:

So its a similar % risk decrease?

Nope, a marketing strategy.

[G_T]

otolith said:

G_T said:

So its a similar % risk decrease?

Nope, a marketing strategy.

Do you have proof? And out of curiosity are you in the IAM?

[otolith]

No, I'm not IAM.

If you can get the same discount for being in an owner's club as for being an IAM member, it's a discount not an element of risk pricing.

[p1esk]

otolith said:

It still troubles me that people who have advanced driving qualifications are not quantifiably lower risk than similar people who haven't. They should be, why do the underwriters have no evidence to support it?

Because there isn't any?

Best wishes all,
Dave.