Blue lights and better drivers: a volunteers’ story.

By John Teasdale 

Road safety and advanced driving have always been important to IAM RoadSmart Chief Observer John Teasdale, and he’s dedicated his working life to making the highways and byways safer places for all of us. 

His appetite for improving his driving skills began when he passed his “L” test in 2008 and then and the IAM RoadSmart Advanced Driver course in 2010 with * Weston and Mendip Advanced Motorists’ Group, and this is where he later became a Chair and Chief Observer.  

Early in his career as a teacher, John delivered a flagship BTEC in Driving and Driver Education qualification at several secondary schools in North Somerset as part of a pilot project. The course included both classroom theory sessions and on-road training and was shaped around the principles of the Goals for Driver Education (GDE) matrix. The GDE is a framework that considers all the skills and knowledge a driver needs.  

From teaching road safety in schools, John’s involvement with IAM RoadSmart also opened the door to the world of adult education, and for four years, he delivered speed awareness courses. He says that was a challenge, as the audience was often quite reluctant.  

In December 2014, John completed his ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) qualification and went on to work for Dorset Police as a Driver Awareness Scheme tutor.  

When the opportunity to train and work as an Emergency Response Driving Instructor came, John jumped at it. “Since starting with the company in 2022, I have successfully taken many student paramedics and emergency medical technicians through their Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving (CERADL3), a nationally recognised blue light course designed specifically for drivers of ambulance vehicles.” 

As an emergency response ambulance driving instructor, advanced driving is at the heart of John’s daily working life. The skills he first learnt with IAM RoadSmart – how to read a limit point, how to use vehicle controls accurately and skilfully, how to maintain the stability of a moving vehicle, and how to apply the system of car control – are the same skill he now works tirelessly to instil in his students.   

One of the most useful courses John completed prior to his emergency response driver training, was the IAM RoadSmart Masters which he passed in 2016 and requalified in last year, both at distinction level.  

“The Masters programme, although challenging, is hugely enjoyable and is the highest level of civilian driver training available outside the emergency services. I would strongly recommend the course to anyone who loves driving and wants to be recognised as one of the most highly qualified drivers on the road today.” 

John has always been an enthusiastic promoter of IAM RoadSmart’s courses ever since his first involvement with his local group in 2009. Most recently he championed the charity at the Emergency Services Day in Nailsea, North Somerset, was a local event to showcase the work of the emergency services and promote community engagement 

* Weston and Mendip are shortly due to merge with Bristol Advanced Motorists’ Group     after 40 years as an independent road safety charity to ensure IAM RoadSmart continues to have a presence in the greater Bristol and North Somerset area. 

Find more inspiring stories from our volunteers here, People Power (iamroadsmart.com)