Tips and Blogs

The sky’s blue, sun is shining and the snow, fog and rain are a distant memory. It’s time to get the top down, the shades on and celebrate the great British summer with some open-air motoring. But hold on a minute - those shades might make you look cooler than an ice box, but are they OK for driving? Are sunglasses a boon or burden for the safe driver?

A runny nose, headache and constant sneezing – these are just a few of the symptoms hay fever sufferers deal with during the summer. These symptoms can affect motorists in a number of ways.

Now that half term is over, the chaos of the commute to work has resumed for some drivers. However, it doesn’t have to be a hectic journey. IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, has put together five tips which can help you have a smooth, stress-free commute to and from work.

This week is Child Safety Week and IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, has put together five key tips to keeping your child safe in your vehicle. Read Richard’s useful information about fitted car restraints and ensuring your child has a safe and comfortable car journey.

Now that the worst of the weather is over (fingers crossed) the roadworks have started and repairs are being made. This could affect our daily commute to work, or even prolong the school run.

It certainly seems when it comes to car crashes, if there are no injuries the next most important thing to be decided is … who was to blame?

Shaun Cronin, IAM RoadSmart regional service delivery manager (Southern) is a fan of that old rocker Ozzy Osbourne and we all know he really is ‘The Prince of Darkness’. However, back when cars were simple and motorcycles leaked oil, there was another man often referred to by this tag - way before black leather and long hair for men was considered in vogue.

Until comparatively recently, buying a diesel car was seen as good for the environment. Choosing diesel was encouraged by government through tax policies and promoted by car makers because it gave a relatively easy route to achieving the carbon reduction targets set by the EU.

In 1984 William Smith, Wilts and Bath Advanced Motorcyclists (WaBAM) advanced rider, as a 30-something callow young man bought a “hot hatch.” and thought he was a brilliant driver, and wanted an IAM RoadSmart red motorist’s badge on the grill, to prove it. Here's his story in our latest blog.

Every year IAM RoadSmart comments on the annual casualty statistics when they are published (usually in June), being pleased when the numbers fall and concerned when they stagnate. This year the publication has been delayed until the full tables are published in the autumn. That makes me suspect the news is not good, but that’s just speculation.