Two words that are distinctly different in driving - "react" & "respond"

"Slow down so you've got more time to react"

How many times have you see that phrase mentioned in various forums in relation to the use of speed? Everyone says it from the police to parents to driving instructors. Being "able to react in time" to changes in road and traffic conditions around you is seen as a good thing, and when it comes from the police (to put one particular group of highly qualified drivers up there for analysis) then you can trust the advice... because they know how to drive don't they?

Well, of course they do... but they're making a mistake in their attempts to get people to drive more sensibly - they don't react to things when they're driving! When they are driving to the scene of an emergency they call that an "emergency RESPONSE" rather than an "emergency REACTION"

The difference in the words might seem tricky to put into words. The dictionary definitions of the two words if you search on google are...

REACT- to act in response to something; to respond in a particular way

RESPOND - to do something as a reaction to somebody or something

So they are very, very similar in definition, but for me though, it's the emotion that is attached to the two words that is crucially important when used in the context of driving:

REACTING to something gives a picture of something urgent, hurried, fast, instinctive or even competitive - sportspeople react to the actions of their opponents.

RESPONDING to something feels more considered, relaxed and thought out... it's co-operative, courteous and the right thing to do having weighed up various options.

Now... when you see newly qualified, young drivers driving badly, perhaps give some thought to why they think that driving fast and relying on quick reactions are signs of good driving... 90% of the people talking to them about what "good driving" is have been telling them that's how to do it for years - we call it "unintended learning" in our profession.

Thoughts on space...

As a driving instructor, people expect me to hold strong views on speeding and to be very critical of everyone else's driving styles. I try very hard not to conform to that stereotype. The truth is that if I could change just one thing about the general standard of driving I see around me, it wouldn't be anything to do with speed; it'd be space - I would encourage everyone to create more space around them.

Space is never mentioned (and of course, it'd be hard to set up cameras to automatically prosecute people for poor use of it) but it's a very important consideration when it comes to choosing what speed to drive at. In theory, a car is safe travelling at any speed the driver likes as long as there is sufficient space around it to allow the driver to see developing hazards and handle them where it becomes necessary.

With their exemption from speed limits, space / risk management is basically how the emergency services drive with safety on blue lights.

If you look at the diagram above, we have 3 main zones around the car to consider.

Zone 1 - This is the space in front of the car. Having lots of space here obviously allows us to stop easily if needs be, but also it helps us to see past the vehicles in front and provides traffic waiting to emerge or turn at junctions with an opportunity to turn, thereby reducing congestion without affecting our journey too much (which in turn improves fuel consumption and arrival times because our average speed is more consistent) Aim for at least 2 clear seconds of time between you and the vehicle in front in good conditions and double that in wet weather - "only the fool breaks the two second rule"

Zone 2 - This is the space behind. Having space here allows us to brake firmly if needed without worry that the guy behind is going to hit us. Obviously there is only so much we can do to control Zone 2 space because some drivers just like to tailgate I suppose. I want there to be 2 seconds of time again, but if the car behind is too close, what I do is add their time to my zone 1 space - so if they're only 1 second behind me, I make a 3 seconds gap in zone 1 to further reduce the chance of hard braking.

Zone 3 - is the space alongside the car on both sides. Having space here means that we don't really need to worry about the width of the vehicle which turn leaves us free to risk assess the road around us and monitor things like compliance with local speed limits. I want to have 1 meter of space on both the left and the right hand sides as a minimum at 30mph. That allows car doors to open and people to walk around parked cars as I pass them without being in immediate danger of me hitting them and if I can't allow that much space, I reduce my speed on a "Less space? Less speed!" basis. If  I am passing a vulnerable road user like a cyclist or pedestrian, I double the space to leave 2 meters and leave as much space for horses as I can.

Managing space perfectly is one step towards having a perfect safety record... give it some thought.

Do you think you could be a Driving Instructor?

As well as teaching people to drive, at Nick Heath Driver Training, we also run a Driving Instructor Training (DIT) scheme which helps those who would like to become a Driving Instructor to gain the qualifications required and set themselves up as one of our Franchised Driving Instructors.

The qualification process starts with a DBS check, after which you are entitled to apply for a PRN (Personal Reference Number) which is linked to your entry on the register of Approved Driving Instructors where all your details and exam results will be kept on file.

You are then allowed to book the first part of a three part exam that you are required to pass in order to qualify as a Driving Instructor.

That "Part 1" test is a test of your subject knowledge. You'll be asked 100 multiple choice questions and expected to get at least 85% of those correct. The questions are taken from four different topics and you are not allowed to get less than 80% of the questions right in any single topic. At the same time, you will complete a hazard perception test, where you click on your mouse button if you see a developing hazard whilst watching a video clip - you get a maximum of 5 points depending on how early you see the hazard developing and you need to gather at least 57 points in order to pass that part of the test.

If you pass it, then you are obviously entitled to book your "Part 2" test of driving ability. Passing that first test also starts a clock ticking away - you must pass the next two tests within a period of 2yrs or your theory test certificate will expire and you must start the process again. These last two tests are also subject to restrictions on how many attempts at them you are allowed - you must pass them within three attempts or fail your attempt to become an Approved Driving Instructor. If that happens, you must wait until that 2yr clock has stopped ticking and then start the process again.

The Part 2 test is a driving test of approximately 1hr in length. You will do a variety of manoeuvres, the emergency stop and demonstrate your ability to use motorways where it is practical to do so as well as driving generally in a variety of road and traffic settings. In order to pass, you must attract no more than 6 driving faults and a high standard of driving is required - unlike learners, you may pick up driver faults for issues of finese or refinement.

Having passed the driving ability test, you are then entitled to book your 3rd exam, which is a test of teaching skill. This test was recently re-structured by DVSA to fall in line with the Standards Check that is carried out on Fully Qualified Driving Instructors every four years. A specially trained Driving Examiner from DVSA will sit in the back of the car whilst the PDI (Potential Driving Instructor) teaches a lesson. They will assess 17 different competencies and award an overall score at the end of the session - you will pass if you have achieved a score of at least 31 points out of a possible 51 unless there is a particularly low score in the area of "risk management"

After passing this test, you're then a Fully Qualified and Approved Driving Instructor who can give tuition for payment as long as you display your Green badge in the windscreen (see previous blog entry relating to the difference between Green and Pink licences)

Click here for more details of how Nick Heath Driver Training could help you on the way to becoming a Driving Instructor

The difference between Pink & Green ADI licenses

You may already have noticed that Driving Instructors have to display, by law, a licence (which is supplied and regulated by DVSA) in the windscreen of their car whilst they are giving paid tuition, but you may not have noticed that there are two type of license available - a Pink one and a Green one... what is the difference?

Well, the Pink version represents a "trainee" Driving Instructor who has passed two of the three exams required to gain "fully qualified" status and who has completed a minimum of 40hrs of training as well as being committed (these are the terms under which the licence is granted by DVSA) to around 20hrs of further training.

The Green version represents a "fully qualified" Driving Instructor who has passed all three of those exams. These Driving Instructors are the only ones allowed to advertise as "Approved", "Qualified" or "Fully Qualified" Driving Instructors and they are subject to repeated DBS and quality checks every four years. Following a quality check (which is known as a Standards Check and involved a specially trained DVSA examiner sitting in the back of the car and observing a lesson being conducted) these Driving Instructors are graded either Grade A, B or Unsatisfactory (in which case they much present themselves for another Standards Check very soon and show a more competent driving lesson or they face removal from the register of Approved Driving Instructors)

The term "trainee" Driving Instructor is a rather unfortunate one... whilst a pink licence is granted on completion of a minimum of 40hrs of training and commits you to another minimum of 20hrs of training, there is no minimum requirement placed on those passing the 3rd exam (which is a demonstration of teaching ability). It is therefore entirely possible (although probably unlikely) that the holder of a Pink licence may have undergone more training hours than the holder of a Green licence - if your Driving Instructor is operating under a Pink licence and you're happy with the level of service you're receiving, then you don't need to panic.

Welcome to the New Nick Heath Driver Training blog page

Hello everyone!

This is the newly relaunched blog page for Nick Heath Driver Training.

I'll be sharing news, views and information about what's going on in the world of driver training as well as some of the success's of our clients.

Please pop back from time to time for a catch up!