As an IAM RoadSmart poll revealed reduced levels of confidence among non-advanced riders and drivers, Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s Head of Driving and Riding Standards, shares the essential skills everyone needs for staying sharp and keeping safe.

Breaking down can be dangerous and incredibly inconvenient, particularly if you’re travelling for a family getaway this October half-term. But with 488 miles of England’s motorway network made up of smart motorways and their hard shoulder becoming another lane to ease traffic flow, it’s more important than ever to ensure you can prevent avoidable breakdowns.

To help clear up the confusion and compare the differences between BEV's, HEV's and PHEV's available on the market IAM RoadSmart’s Corporate Training Manager, Lloyd Jones, is on hand with his expert advice.

Now that summer is well and truly over and the clocks are reverting by one hour on 31st October, the colder and darker evenings are now drawing in. Statistically we see more incidents involving pedestrians and vulnerable road users from October to March than we do throughout the rest of the year, with most incidents happening between 3pm and 7pm. With this in mind we need to take special care to look out for pedestrians and other road users when it’s dark.

More people are planning to ditch the petrol and diesel engines in favour for an eco-friendlier electric option, yet myths surrounding the technology still exist. Whether it’s range anxiety, the charging infrastructure, or the longevity of the battery – many drivers are still wary of making the switch.