RAF Pilot turns Trustee

Former RAF pilot and airline training captain, Nick Stein, joined IAM RoadSmart as a member in 2011 and is part of the Chester and Nantwich Advanced Drivers Group. Nick has served as Chairperson and Chief Observer, and is also a member of South Cheshire Advanced Motorcyclists Group. 

Having thoroughly enjoyed his role within IAM RoadSmart, Nick says he jumped at the chance to become a Trustee. After spending his professional career working in the safety-conscious environment of aviation safety, he believes his experience would be a great asset to the UK’s largest road safety charity. He believes with the introduction of new tech like driverless cars, proper skills training will become increasingly relevant to improving road safety - and aviation has tried and tested most of this.

Where it began

Nick’s journey began in the infamous sweltering summer of 1976 on a Honda SS50 moped. “I took the then unusual step of taking and passing the moped test, so I didn’t have to spend the year riding around with L plates. A few weeks after my 17th birthday, I passed the motorcycle test and upgraded to a green Honda CB200. A few months later, I passed my driving test, and on my 18th birthday I got my first car - a Triumph Herald.” 

The love of riding 

Nick loves being out on his motorbike, “I enjoy riding the fabulous roads of North Wales and the Peak District which are both easily reachable from where I live in Cheshire. I enjoy the challenge of driving and riding to the highest possible standard and the satisfaction of knowing when I’ve done it well.”    

Nick's journey with IAM RoadSmart 

When Nick’s children started to drive, he was looking for ways to give them the skills they needed to stay safe on the roads and stumbled across IAM RoadSmart while browsing online.  

“It was exactly what I was after, but I realised that I would have to lead by example, so I did the course myself first. Both my children later took and passed their tests and as a parent it gave me great reassurance to know that my children had the extra training and skills to stay safe on the road.” 

Which is more stressful? Flying a plane or navigating the British roads? 

“As an airline pilot, the most dangerous part of my day was the drive to and from the airport.”  

What do you hope to achieve in your trustee role?  

Nick is keen to see IAM RoadSmart appeal to drivers by offering more on-road modules derived from the Advanced Driving Course and tailored to drivers’ specific needs, whilst being delivered by Observers. “Helping a lot of people get a little bit better would improve road safety and encourage drivers to continue to engage with us when they experience the benefits – a stealth approach if you like! It would also give Groups another way to attract members and give Observers more opportunity to do what they do best.”