A guide to UK advanced driving courses
Advanced driving courses can help you become a better, safer and more confident driver - and in some cases, they can help reduce your car insurance premiums
Key Takeaways
Popular advanced driving courses in the UK include Pass Plus, IAM RoadSmart and RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders, offering various levels of training
These courses go beyond the basics of standard driving lessons by teaching you how to handle specific and challenging driving conditions
They can also help lower your car insurance premiums, demonstrating to insurers that you are a safe and accomplished driver with a lower risk profile
What is an advanced driving course?
An advanced driving course goes beyond standard driving lessons that cover the essentials you need to navigate the road safely. They’re designed to equip drivers with specific skills suited to certain situations that standard lessons don’t cover, from night driving and severe weather to driving on motorways and dual carriageways.
What advanced driving courses are available?
There are a number of different advanced driving courses available in the UK, but the most popular include:
Pass Plus: Widely recognised among insurers, the Pass Plus scheme is run throughout the country by approved driving instructors (ADIs). It usually takes around six hours to complete, covering all-weather driving, motorways, night-time driving and rush hour traffic. It can often help reduce your car insurance premiums, so you can recoup some of the cost of the lessons - which can vary depending on the instructor.
IAM RoadSmart: The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) RoadSmart course is accredited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), and usually takes between six and 12 sessions. It covers control, observation, timing, positioning, and the ability to deal with unpredictable roads, among other things, conducted by an IMI expert. It culminates in a test that can lead to IAM membership and potential insurance discounts if you pass.
Alternative courses:
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Advanced Drivers and Rides scheme focuses on road safety and is based on the same roadcraft principles as the IAM advanced driving course.
It’s a cost-effective way to improve your driving, but RoSPA is not widely recognised by car insurance providers, so it’s best to not rely on it to help you cut your car insurance costs.
You can take advanced driving lessons with an AA driving school instructor. The minimum lesson time is two hours, during which you will cover skills such as urban and motorway driving.
However, while lessons of this kind can help to make you a better driver, they are less likely to lead to a car insurance discount – unless you take your Pass Plus with the AA.
What is covered by advanced driving courses?
Advanced driving courses are designed to sharpen specific driving skills that aren’t covered in basic lessons, such as:
Road awareness: Developing an acute sense of one's surroundings and potential hazards
Difficult weather conditions: Learning techniques for safe driving in rain, fog, ice, and snow
Motorways and dual carriageways: Understanding the nuances of high-speed driving
Night-time driving: Enhancing visibility and awareness when the sun goes down
Rural and urban driving: Adapting to varied environments with their own unique challenges
Speed awareness: Recognising the importance of speed control and its impact on safety
Transmission mastery: Becoming adept at both automatic and manual vehicles
Efficient driving: Learning how to drive in a way that conserves fuel and reduces wear and tear
Am I eligible for an advanced driving course?
As long as you have a full UK driver’s licence you can enrol in an advanced driving course.
Are advanced driving courses worth it?
Advanced driving courses are primarily designed to make you a better, safer and more confident driver. Costs can vary, and while having passed an advanced course can help bring your car insurance costs down, it’s important to weigh that against the actual price of your lessons if cutting premiums is your objective.
Will an advanced driving course reduce my car insurance premiums?
Potentially - while it’s not guaranteed, it is likely that passing an advanced driving course will mean insurers see you as a lower risk of being involved in an accident. This can be especially true for young drivers and those with convictions who already face higher-than-average premiums.
