WHETHER you’ve been driving for  six months or 16 years, the IAM  Advanced Driving course can help  you become a more skilled and controlled driver.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists  (IAM) believes you’re never too old or too  young to be a better driver, and has a  number of courses that can help you  discover what areas of your driving you  could improve.

It was with this in mind that Cheshire  West and Chester Council’s Safe & Sustainable Travel Team enrolled their council photographer, Andrew Pratt, who  drives all around the area on council  business, and his 20-year-old son Matthew, to complete their Advanced Driving  test.

Andrew said: “I wanted to do the course  to improve my driving skills, as I spend a  lot of time in my car traveling to various  photographic jobs around the borough.

“My observer’s name is Andrew Mayfield, and we first had an introductory  drive. This is where you’re given a route  to follow while he observes your driving.”

The first drive lasts about 40 minutes  and aims to get a starting point on areas to  improve. After this, sessions take between  an hour to an hour-and-a-half, and after  six sessions if your driving is good then  you can take your Advanced Motorists  test.

After a few sessions Andrew commented: “I have been learning how to fine tune  the way I drive, the way I look ahead and  how to read the route better.

“Basically it's about using a systematic  approach that teaches you how to take in  information as you drive and letting  everyone else around you know exactly  what you intend to do.

The types of  information you become more aware of  are road conditions, hazards you can see  or ones that might happen, preparing  yourself a long distance away to take any  action should it be needed.”

He added: “On a positive note, what I  have noticed is that my driving has improved alongside my confidence. Also my  ability to read situations has increased, to  the point that I'm now planning for what  other drivers might do so that I can keep  away from any possible danger.”

Once ‘test day’  arrived Andrew was  feeling a bit nervous, but after an hour- and-a-half covering all types of roads and  scenarios he was delighted to have passed  his exam.

He said: “I would encourage drivers to  take advantage of the IAM Skill for Life  programme, because it has made me a  more skilled, controlled and confident  driver.”

Matthew said: “I was keen to do the  course to improve my driving skills, with  the added bonus of hopefully lowering my  insurance premiums. My first session was  much more intensive than I imagined,  and this has helped me to read the road  and the road conditions in much more  detail.

“We’ve covered positioning the car on  the road and how to get into the correct  position when taking bends on all types of  roads. I’m now constantly scanning the  road ahead and adjusting my driving to  suit the road and the area I’m driving in.

“I am really enjoying the course, and  looking forward to improving my driving  even more. I am delighted that my dad  passed his exam, and will look towards  booking my advanced test.”

The IAM Advanced Driving Skill for  Life course cost £139 in total, and a typical  driver will have about eight sessions. Visit  www.iam.org.uk or call 0845 126 8600  for more details.