According to research carried out by IAM RoadSmart …. ADVANCED RIDING IS FUN !
- 94% said it improved how they use road space
- 94% said their riding is smoother
- 90% said their riding is more conscious and less automatic
- 61% said that it helped them avoid an accident and ……
- 97% think that taking the advanced test has helped to increase the enjoyment they get from riding !
Recognising that the majority of accidents are caused by driver error, the IAM introduced the Advanced Driving Test in 1956 with the specific objective of significantly improving driving standards. By 1976 the number of motorcyclists in the UK had risen dramatically, so the IAM launched the Advanced Motorcycling Test to cater for those road users too.
The tests use the principles of advanced riding, pioneered and applied with great success by the Metropolitan Police, and are accredited by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). All tests are taken by IAM Examiners who either hold a Police Advanced Riding qualifications and have extensive experience working with Police Services throughout the UK, or have gained sufficient experience and qualifications to become an IAM Examiner.
The tests are not exclusively about safety, but to encourage the driver or rider to feel more confident on the road and to get greater enjoyment from the experience. The examiner is considering the following and a score of 2 must be achieved in each for a test pass, where 1 is Commended, 2 is Satisfactory and a score of 3 indicates the need for further development:
- Safety and Legality
- System
- Observation
- Planning and Hazard Management
- Anticipation
- Vehicle Sympathy
- Positioning
- Gear Changing
- Use of Gearbox
- Acceleration Sense
- Rear Observation
- Steering
- Braking
- Signals
- Knowledge
- Cornering
- Overtaking
- Restraint & Progress
- Human Factors & Concentration
- Courtesy
- Slow Manoeuvring
- Smoothness