As IAM RoadSmart’s Head of Retraining, I’m in the thick of it when it comes to the commercial side of the business. However, learning about the charity side of the organisation is something I’ve been keen on knowing more about. So when I was invited to my local group’s recent event, I used this opportunity to mingle with members and find out more about what they do.

Stress affects us all at one time or another – whether it’s down to work, home life or a tough situation you’re facing. Stress can affect how we feel physically and emotionally as well as impair our judgement and our reactions, which isn’t good news when we need to concentrate on something significant, like driving.

Last week, two teenage would-be car thieves in Nashville, Tennessee, were thwarted by a manual gearbox. Having stolen a shopper’s keys, they were confronted with a mysterious third pedal and a stick in the floor. With no idea how to make the car move, they ran away in confusion and were later arrested.

To align with our ‘Thumbs Up For Great Driving and Riding’ month, our head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman, has put together six tips on how to share the road with other road users.

During July, I visited Lake Bled in Slovenia for a week where I hired a car for the majority of the time. My nerves had already kicked in a week before my trip at the thought of travelling on the “wrong” side of the road.