In this week’s blog ‘Taking the Rural Road or Route’, IAM RoadSmart member Denis Cartmel, who has made his career from teaching others to drive tractors safely, offers his insight into the world of driving agricultural vehicles and some of the key aspects other road users should be aware of.

Back in February 2020, as a soon-to-be first-time mum and a member of IAM RoadSmart, I had so many fears going through my mind as my due date crept around the corner. “What if I go into labour in the car?...What if I’m screaming in the car on the way to hospital and it distracts my other half from the road?"

We all share the same road space. We all need to coordinate our journey with those around us. But sometimes, when someone pulls out or fails to indicate, it annoys us. It tests our patience. We forget to share.

How could anyone doubt my driving ability? I had driven hundreds of high-performance cars, road tested for Autocar, and presented Top Gear for years. I had even held a Class One HGV and a PSV double decker bus licence. And yet, and yet.

Tony Greenidge’s appointment as IAM RoadSmart’s CEO follows several years of change within the organisation, not least in 2020, which has brought some of the most significant challenges we have ever faced. In this blog Tony tells us a little more about his background, his career at IAM RoadSmart so far, and his vision for the future as we enter 2021.