The Statistics, and the role of the instructor

After all driving instruction isn't just about the learning process it is also about responsibility post test, isn't that what the standards check is trying to achieve.  The inclusion of the ADI in the bid to contribute to vision zero is surely a worthwhile one, it's unfortunate that although this is the desire of the EU, the actual information hasn't been filtered down to those at the sharp end. So what are the latest statistics and how can we really take part.

The rise of fatal accidents on urban roads must send alarm bells ringing through road safety groups as this is the area where most engineering has taken place.  Speeding in those areas has been tackled country wide, with the introduction of average speed cameras in some villages, on major routes and past schools where there is an accident history, so what isn't working, and why not and can the new driver population contribute to the reduction of those figures.

Urban fatality rates were 34% this has risen to 42% in 2013, that is a huge and worrying change.  The vulnerable road user has always been the concern in this environment, with young teenagers having the highest fatal risk.  On questioning a group of experienced drivers most considered this group to be careless when crossing the road and distracted by technology.  While this may be the impression amongst drivers the research tells a different story.  The young teenager has always been a group for concern, going to school unaccompanied, spending more time without an adult in a peer group, this doesn't mean they are rising to the challenge of pressured behaviour, in fact the research tells a story to the contrary, in 2010 the BMJ published a report that recognised up to the age of 14 a child is unable to physically judge the speed of an approaching vehicle, as brain development cannot appreciate speed and distance at that point, so therefore is unable to quantify the risk.  When moving in a group they will follow the lead of the others, the trends suggest it is most likely to be the teenager on their own where fatal injury is most likely to take place.  There are two reasons for this.  The driver does not perceive a risk when there is a child alone as this is considered a manageable risk, the danger of manageable risk is the brain activity of the driver will switch to other risk assessments too thereby allocating less attention to the vulnerable lone person.  When the teen crosses the road in a group the driver will automatically respond, but the random unexpected behaviour of the lone pedestrian trying to assess the situation will take the road user by surprise and is most likely to result in fatal injury.

So when moving onto the young driver it is also useful to know that the same piece of research identified that an adult, considered over the age of 14, cannot judge the speed of an approaching vehicle once it is travelling at more than 50mph, although some would argue this point, it is a physical impossibility, our brain makes the assessment on fast, faster or even faster, which is why some choose an inappropriate gap in moving traffic.  All of this is of vital importance in the world of driver training.  Can the ADI really make a difference in terms of fatal accident figures, of course.  If the pupil buys into the concept which is where coaching comes in,

There is no recognisible address to the problem, despite the WHO publishing a list of considerations, the EURSC publishing a strategy that is vague and lacking in direction.  Where is the starting point, well unfortunately the only way is through thorough research starting from 1979, there are thousands of pages of data, targets and information, which do in fact result in a worthwhile plan, but the changes in the political arena interrupt this making it an arduous task for the majority.

We have lost our top slot as the safest roads to drive on in the European community, with Sweden back up there, in terms of figures, our results for 2013, although fallen from 1754 to 1713, it is a poor percentage change in comparision to other countries, particularly the new comers, in moving forward with major improvement.

Green paper for New Drivers

Whilst the back office sends out yet more surveys, I've had three in the last two days, and one email regarding research data, I also received an email notifying me that the results of the green paper consultation has been delayed until the autumn, no surprise there as this will coincide with the budget, the run up to a general election, and the likelihood of unpopular decisions being stalled until  May 2014.  This also coincides with the ERSC survey regarding amalgamation of driving standards in Europe, the decision to cap EU speed limits at a maximum of 80mph and the slowed introduction of kerbsafe.

Tackling seat belt law, where uptake across the World amongst drivers is at an all time low, the UK enforcement is weak, with civil liberty groups complaining that it restricts their human rights, yet there seems to be no reference to the right of the innocent party killed by a passenger leaving a vehicle at point of impact and killing someone else. Roads are shared space and shared space is shared responsibility, so if a conscious decision is made to ignore the research and advice and of course the law of the land, then that individual should be expected to deal with the consequence. Unfortunately this is not always the way, my studies show that any driver may not accept they are wrong, even when the evidence is clearly pointing a finger at them.

Across the member states, lack of seat belt use comes in second only to speed as the cause of road fatality, hence the decision to change the law with regard to child seats. We do of course have the lowest fatality rate ever recorded for 2012, despite this flouting of the law. Yet the UK Government has stepped away a little from road safety and road safety budgets, while declaring that they are dedicated to road safety the information I have read shows that is because this is being tackled by the EU and we have been reluctant to encourage targets, with the London Mayor appearing to be the only one who wants to make serious inroads into protecting the vulnerable road user.  Road safety will not be able to sustain looking after itself.

Driver trainers were heavily targeted in the mid 2000's and steps to overhaul education and monitoring has been slow to come to the forefront, however silence does not mean the cogs have stopped turning it means they are being fine tuned.  There seems to be a shift towards recognised QCF awards which again will support the private sector and will show a more even knowledge base than the current system allows.  However having a qualification is not a guarantee of anything, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, being part of a tick box system as an ADI is surely not going to have a big red standards check stamp as a seal of approval.

Where is the future of road safety heading, well I have a very good idea, and a little knowledge too, if you read between the lines it will be crystal clear. The meeting on the 1st July will definitely throw up few answers but lots of questions.  The transcript will make interesting reading, much more than before, I'm certain.

CCL for learner drivers

Four weeks ago I wrote to the minister of transport, as a fully qualified life and executive coach. I did identify myself as a driver trainer, however I also passed on some of the research I am involved in.

 I am deeply concerned by the watered down approach to change within the driving instruction industry, particularly this spoon fed coaching which are words with no substance. having studied hard for my qualifications over the last few years and taken time to build a robust portfolio of clients within the executive sector as well as individual clients, I have found it quite difficult to see how coaching can be incorporated in it's purest form to help learner drivers. It was a relief to find that it has been recognised within Government that misuse of coaching has the potential to be damaging to the client, as I felt that had been over looked.

Some of the response covers the Standards document and the fact that trainers should not change their methods, just that ADI's have felt restricted within their work with clients and this encourages more listening and a better transition of the transfer of responsibility from trainer to trainee.  It also says that once the standards check comes into force instructors will be given a clearer idea of what is expected of them and this will enable them to choose more effective training.

I asked how an instructor could present coaching to a client without years of study and qualifications

'We do not want to lose what we already have and if we were to suddenly say that all ADIs had to become coaches there would be some who would become confused about what was being asked of them.  Others would try to deploy what they understood to be coaching tools and not do it well.  The result could be an overall deterioration in the quality of driver instruction.'


I asked why CCL is considered to be coaching within the driver training industry, the response was

'I can assure you that we are very aware client centred learning (CCL) is not the same as coaching. '


Although the reply was very in depth I have felt that these are very relevant to the sudden twist towards coaching for instructors, there are many other elements that were specifically asked linked to my research and understanding of the real risk within the young driver sector.

However, I am passionate about road safety, I do still work as a driving instructor, and I desperately would like to see better fatality figures for young drivers. Some of you may have seen my research and others may have read extracts from my up coming book, although not for the driving instructor industry, young drivers and road risk is touched upon. So, with this in mind I needed some answers, and today they were not just answered in full, but they satisfied my concerns.  As I am known to be cynical, as most writers are, when dealing with quotes and lengthy exchange, I feel that this response was by far one of the best I have received to date.

Moving along, it was felt that although HERMES was used as a reference which had emphasised coaching as a concept, this has been decided against, with the overall feeling being that there will be no attempt to use fully formed coaching skills, the aim is to relieve instructors of rigid approaches to training and allow more listening in the learning environment.

This appears to be quality control with the clients needs being more important and the tutor taking a guiding role. However, although this seems like a sensible approach it still doesn't tackle scientific evidence which shows that the young driver brain activity, risk, excitement etc is the controlling influence as opposed to the training environment.

Copyright A.Green 2013 - no extracts or reproduction without express consent of the author.

 

Shaking up the Learner Driver

How many have noticed major changes to the learning to drive process? In the last forty years not much has changed. We now have a theory test, yet for those of us who were asked a couple of questions from the highway code I believe we learned more, rather than the multi choice game that can be taken several times. Then we have the hazard perception test, a useful tool for a tutor, but for a test of ability?

So what else has changed? A couple of know your car questions, slightly longer in the driving seat, parking manoeuvres.

Yet the current Government, under pressure from the EU are after reform, on a grand scale, to reduce the amount of young drivers killed and seriously injured on our roads, despite the fact that the growing group are over 65. Will a big shake up be a vote winner? Of course not, so how quiet can they keep this? have they gagged the press? There has been very little information bandied about yet with the green paper due to be published next month it's gone quiet.

If you have a teenager about to learn to drive do you want it to be harder? The changes affect all age groups, so with more people leaving the learning process until they are twenty or older, is this just lip service, will it make any difference to the figures. Although teen drivers have always been a singled out group, how risky are they? Does the complacency of the older, experienced drivers put them at risk by not playing fair on the roads and expecting the novice to know how to cope with their random actions. Our roads are shared space, but in real terms does it really feel that way?

If we, as drivers, were nicer to each other, would road death fall, and would young drivers have a better chance?

Many would have us believe it is attitude, yet there is scientific evidence to suggest otherwise.

The interest of the driver is represented by groups of road safety professionals within the confines of the Driving Standards Agency arena, how many potential drivers get a say? How many are asked? The future of the learner driver is decided by those who have a financial interest.

I'm sure Mr McLoughlin would like your views? Or maybe not!