Defensive Driving Course

Defensive Driving Course from Sandwell Automatic Driving School

Defensive Driving or Advanced Driving?

Defensive Driving is a form of Advanced Driving.

Advanced Driving Tests could be said to be generally looking for two things, safety, and brisk progress.

It would be typical for an Advanced Driving Examiner to tell a candidate at the beginning of an Advanced Driving Test that they should:

• “Drive as an experienced motorist, taking advantage of suitable opportunities to make progress and overtake, but keeping at all times within the bounds of safe driving and all speed limits.”

There is an expectation on an Advanced Driving Test that if it is safe to do so, you should be driving at the legal speed limit, and that if it is safe to do so, any overtaking opportunity should be taken.

Safety must always be paramount, but generally it is expected that you will make the fastest progress that safety and legality allows.

Whilst driving too slowly can be dangerous, many drivers will want to drive well, and drive safely, but will not always want to drive at the maximum safe speed.

This is Defensive Driving

Essentially Defensive Driving is Advanced Driving, but without the emphasis being placed on making the quickest safe progress possible.

Definition of Defensive Driving

There is an agreed definition of Advanced Driving

In 2000 the definition below was agreed by:

• The Driving Standards Agency,DSA; Now the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, DVSA
• Diamond Advanced Motorists
• The Institute of Advanced Motorists, IAM
• The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA

Definition of Advanced Driving

Advanced Driving is the ability to control the position and speed of the vehicle safely, systematically and smoothly, using road and traffic conditions to make reasonable progress unobtrusively with skill and responsibility.

This skill requires a positive but courteous attitude and a high standard of driving competence based on concentration, effective all-round observation, anticipation and planning.

This must be co-ordinated with good handling skills.

The vehicle will always be at the right place on the road at the right time, travelling at the right speed with the correct gear engaged and can always be stopped safely in the distance that can be seen to be clear.

Definition of Defensive Driving

There is no formally agreed definition of Defensive Driving.

The definition of Advanced Driving will work as a definition for Defensive Driving, the only difference is the emphasis placed on speed and making progress.

What Does Defensive Driving Look Like?

When you watch a real expert do anything, they make it look easy.

You are likely to see a calm, unhurried drive, even if the car is driving at a high speed.

All laws and rules will be adhered to, it couldn't really be described as an advanced drive if the law were broken!

Good observation and anticipation skills will mean that there is likely to be little drama, as potential problems are avoided early, before they progress.

The car will be under complete control.

All situations will be being monitored and will be under control.

Benefits of Defensive Driving

A Lower Accident Rate

Road Accidents are rare!

What are commonly called Accidents, should perhaps be called Crashes or Collisions because they have a cause.

The word Accident, implies something unavoidable.

A Crash has a cause, usually human error, and therefore are largely avoidable.

A Defensive Driver is less likely to cause a Crash.

A Defensive Driver is also more likely to be able to anticipate the Crashes that somebody else is trying to cause, and avoid them!

Cheaper Car Insurance

Defensive Drivers are more likely to have full no claims bonus, because of their lower accident or crash rate, and therefore have lower insurance costs.

Safety

Safety for you.

Safety for your passengers.

Safety for your car.

Safety for other road users sharing the road with you.

Less Stress, More Enjoyment

Increased awareness of what is happening around you, and the ability to look and think further ahead will improve your ability to anticipate events rather than react to them.

This enables you to make brisk progress with safety, making driving less stressful and more enjoyable.

Defensive Driving Training Course

There is no Defensive Driving Test, so the level that you take your Defensive Driving Skills to is your choice.

• Have a single Defensive Driving Training Session to improve your standard
• Have a few Defensive Driving Training Sessions to take your standard a little higher
• Plan a course of Defensive Driving Training Sessions to take your standard to an equivalent level to an Advanced Driving Test

Choose the option that suits your requirements.

Planning Your Defensive Driving Course

A typical Defensive Driving Course to reach an equivalent level to an Advanced Driving Test would probably consist of about 6 training sessions, with practice in between, but everyone's needs are different.

An example of a typical course

• Training Session 1
  • Short Assessment Drive
  • Analysis of Driving strengths, and weaknesses. Then plan the goals for the training session
  • Introduction to Systematic Driving, Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach

• Training Session 2
  • Developing skills on Urban Roads & Manoeuvres
  • Developing Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach Skills

• Training Session 3
  • Developing skills on Motorway Driving
  • Developing Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach Skills

• Training Session 4
  • Developing skills on Rural Roads and Dual Carriageways
  • Developing Hazard Assessment & Hazard Approach Skills

• Training Session 5
  • Practice on any areas needing further improvement or development
  • Or, General Revision

• Training Session 6
  • Practice on any areas needing further improvement or development
  • Or, General Revision

This Training Programme is based on preparing someone for an equivalent standard to an Advanced Driving Test, however, if you simply want an introduction to Defensive Driving techniques and principles, and their practical application, you may decide to have only one or two training sessions.

This Defensive Driving Training Programme is based on Half Day (3 hour) training sessions.

It is only intended as a guide, as the structure and length of your course will be altered to suit your own individual needs.

Who Will Train Me?

All Defensive Driver Training done on behalf of Sandwell Automatic Driving School is currently delivered by James Quinn

James has delivered driver training at all levels from complete beginner through to the most advanced levels, and trains and retrains driving instructors.

• James has been a DVSA Approved Driving Instructor since 1988.
• James qualified as a Driving Examiner for both the Diamond Advanced Motorists Driving Test and Elite Test in 1996
• James became a DVSA Registered Fleet Driving Instructor in 2002.
• James joined the ADINJC National Training Team in 2012 and became Head of Training in 2014

Defensive Driving Course Prices

Defensive Driving Course
3 Hour Defensive Driving Training Session		£150.00
1 Day (6 hour) Defensive Driving Training Session		£300.00

Advanced Defensive and Eco Driving Compared

Advanced Driving, Defensive Driving and Eco Driving all have many similarities, they all use essentially the same set of skills.

Advanced, Defensive and Eco Driving all involve developing driving skills to a high level.

The differences between, Advanced, Defensive and Eco Driving are the way the driver prioritises different aspects of driving.

	Advanced Driving	Defensive Driving	Eco driving
Safety	High Priority	High Priority	High Priority
Brisk Progress	High Priority	Low Priority	Low Priority
Economy	Low Priority	Low Priority	High Priority
The Environment	Low Priority	Low Priority	High Priority

Sandwell Automatic Driving School can provide training in conjunction with it's sister company Advanced Driver Trainers for Advanced Driving, Defensive Driving or Eco Driving.

You have the choice of developing your skills for one driving style, or we can tailor your training so that you are able to apply your skills to either Advanced Driving, or Defensive Driving, or Eco Driving, depending on the purpose that you have on any particular journey.

Pages in the Advanced Defensive and Eco Driving section of the Sandwell Automatic Driving School website:

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