Institute of Advanced Motorists - Advanced Driving Test

Advanced Driving Test

The IAM offers the advanced driving test. It is run independently, and does not affect the driving licence from the country where the associate lives. The test is significantly more difficult that the standard driving test, but is within the reach of most drivers with the right guidance. The techniques are based on the UK police driving manual.

Reasons for attempting the test include safety, or simply as a status symbol: in the UK, it is well known and often provokes respect for one's skill, although advanced drivers must still comply with normal rules of the road. Motor insurers normally award a small discount on premiums (typically 10%), although it may not necessarily recover the costs of completing the test. It may also appeal because the associate can improve their skill as an individual, avoiding bland assumptions of risk based on statistics.

It is marketed under the name Skills for Life to emphasise the purpose of preventing fatalities and the length of time someone may be driving for.

Research normally concludes advanced drivers are safer and have better fuel efficiency. For example, a study by Brunel University found advanced drivers who had been through the IAM system of car control were nearly 70% better in all aspects of their driving – from steering to judging distances and speed. Earlier research by the Transport Research Laboratory that concluded drivers are less likely to crash if they have reached a measurable higher driving standard. Much research is conducted or funded by IAM themselves.

400,000 people have attempted the advanced test, and the pass rate is around 75%.