At IAM RoadSmart we talk a lot about the dangers of distraction when it comes to driving – and yes distraction plays a very large part in many accidents. Music can be both a distraction and a way of keeping the driver alert. Too loud or too high the bpm, the greater the chance the driver will go faster and less able to hear of other things around them.

We’re all aware of certain things around us that we need to look out for when we’re driving, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorbikes. But how often do we check what potential distractions we have inside our vehicle? Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, lists five items that could cause a distraction while driving.

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise that autonomous vehicle technology was a theme that came up repeatedly at the recent Parliamentary Advisory Committee for Transport Safety (PACTS) ‘Streel Legal’ conference on 28 March. Over the last couple of years, it seems like almost every day has brought with it a new headline about vehicle technology in general, often centring on the latest developments in driverless cars.

It may not feel like spring, but the winter season is officially over. And this means that many of us are keen to wipe the dust from our bikes and get them into top shape for the sunnier days that we are eagerly waiting for. Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of riding and driving advice, explains the POWDERY checks you should do on your bike before setting off for your first ride of the season.

It doesn’t seem long since cars were content to tell us how fast we were going and how much fuel was in the tank. Some appealed to the repressed fighter pilot with extra gauges for engine speed, battery voltage, oil pressure and even inlet vacuum, but most had a quite straightforward dashboard, meriting only the occasional glance.