Craig McCall, DriveTech Advantage driver trainer, takes a workshop module in DriveTech’s young driver programme with my son Matt

Experienced drivers fail driving test

PERHAPS it’s not surprising that we all fall into bad habits. Particularly when it comes to driving: only one hand on the wheel; coasting; not paying enough attention…I’m sure we’re all guilty of these sort of errors.

So it doesn’t really surprise me when some new research from car maker Kia found that 50% of experienced drivers challenged to retake their test failed. Some of these had held a full licence for more than 30 years and regularly drove more than 150 miles a week.

But while we all fall into minor bad habits, what was more concerning about the Kia report was that half committed a ‘major’ during the examination: a dangerous driving offence for which they’re instantly disqualified. One candidate narrowly missed a pedestrian who stepped into the street between parked cars.

I suppose I’m acutely aware of this at the moment. My son, Matt, is taking driving lessons with the advanced driver training firm DriveTech. The DriveTech Advantage scheme does more than just instruct young drivers on how to pass the test. It coaches life skills in driving. It’s all very good.

Last week, Matt passed his theory test. So that’s the first hurdle over. Matt followed this with the second workshop of the DriveTech Advantage course.

This involves the driving coach, in this case Craig McCall, running through a two-hour workshop not only with Matt, but with a parent too (see blog 236 – DriveTech workshop).

Among the topics covered were car maintenance; concentration; alcohol; drugs; and fatigue. But the one that really stuck in my head was reaction times. Craig had a particularly good presentation slide for this, but let me paraphrase:

Reaction time under normal conditions: 0.98secs or 31m travelled
Reaction time when ‘drunk’ at the legal limit: 1.11secs or 35m travelled
Reaction time using hands-free mobile:1.25secs or 39m travelled
Reaction time using hand-held mobile:1.46secs or 45m travelled

In other words, even a hands-free phone is so distracting that you will travel two car lengths further than if you were intoxicated by alcohol. That’s a scary statistic. Especially given the number of people I see using a hand-held mobile at the wheel.

This sort of driving habit is inexcusable. Hopefully, driving courses such as DriveTech, and Kia’s highlighting of driving standards, will make safer drivers of both future drivers – and those with a long history at the wheel.