It was a pleasant surprise to receive an email from my area manager not long ago asking if I would be free to help with an IAM RoadSmart event at Silverstone for a couple of days. Being an out and out petrol head of course I said yes.

I love to reminisce sometimes about the many road trips I used to go on when living in New Zealand. Most weekends began by heading off from home in Christchurch on a new adventure as soon as work finished on a Friday. I really loved the feeling of peace, and freedom, travelling along the empty highways.

It’s important to regularly check your tyres to see if they’re fit and healthy to help you get from A to B safely. That’s why IAM RoadSmart’s Head of Driving and Riding Standards, Richard Gladman, has put together some top tyre tips to help you stay safe on the road.

The sky’s blue, sun is shining and the snow, fog and rain are a distant memory. It’s time to get the top down, the shades on and celebrate the spring with some open-air motoring. But hold on a minute - those shades might make you look cooler than an ice box, but are they OK for driving? Are sunglasses a boon or burden for the safe driver?

Whether it’s winter or spring, there are some key items you’ll need in your vehicle all year around to help you stay safe on the road. Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, provides the eight essentials that you should always keep in your vehicle.