As a driving ‘professional’ who for years has promoted Information Position Speed Gear Accelerate (IPSGA), being in the right gear is second nature when behind the wheel. The other day when watching my wife and sons getting ready to go out, a whole new meaning of ‘right gear’ sprung to mind.

Many people would like to become a Formula 1 driver, but as we well know very few achieve that dream. Some might say that their racing ambitions were thwarted by a lack of finance – but more likely, they weren’t actually that good! The reason why I am talking about Formula 1 is that being a success isn’t all about speed. With our President being 1992 Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell, I had the pleasure of spending a few hours with him while he took part in a major written feature with Auto Express magazine.

In the last few weeks, two events have sparked my interest more than usual. The first was the Chancellors Autumn statement and the second was the annual launch of the EuroRAP risk rating for UK roads.

Is this familiar? Have you heard this before? ‘I’ll have two pints and I’ll be ok to drive’. No doubt many of you have, as it seems a common misconception that two drinks is the acceptable amount you can drink and still drive whilst being under the legal limit. It suggests there is an awareness of the effects of alcohol and how it impacts on your ability to drive or stay within the legal limit; however the understanding of the consequences and how alcohol affects each and every individual has been lost in this approach.

Kevin Delaney, IAM RoadSmart consultant and head of road safety is due to retire soon and is going out with a bang by giving us his uplifting farewell article. Kevin shares his experience, working in road safety and what he believes the future holds for the industry in our latest blog