Newslink July 01-40

msagb.com 

Newslink 

Issue 366 • July 2023 

The Voice of MSA GB 

Standards Checks 

without the risks 

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For all the latest news, see www.msagb.com 

I sympathise with today’s 

‘trapped’ learners - but we 

cannot dance to their tune 

Colin Lilly 

Editor, 


When taking on a new pupil, one of the 

questions ADIs like answering is, ‘when do 

you hope to pass your driving test’? In other 

words, can we both set the same goal? 

The answer we would like to hear is ‘as 

soon as you think I am ready’. It is a long time 

since I have heard that reply! 

Recently, AA Driving School surveyed its 

learners to find the top motivators to passing 

the test. You can read more about the report 

on page 9, but here are a few takeaways. 

Among young drivers aged 18 to 24 the most 

common ‘deadlines’ were: 

n In time for summer (20%) 

n A work commitment (19%) 

n Starting further education (19%) 

n Leaving childhood home (12%) 

n Their birthday (12%) 

n An educational commitment (11%) 

n Driving to a holiday (5%) 

n Before the weather worsened (3%) 

So it seems that work, education and the 

weather are the triggers that start a young 

person on the road to a driving licence. In fact, 

61% of young drivers in the survey said they 

had set a personal deadline. Among all drivers 

A date for your diary: the 

2024 MSA GB conference 

currently learning only 21% had set a similar 

goal. Perhaps this is down to the impatience 

of youth. 

The desire to learn quickly has led to many 

learners grabbing unrealistically early tests 

or heading for an unfamiliar test centres, in 

many cases not knowing where the town is, 

let alone what the road system is like. 

I usually persude pupils to drop the idea of 

changing the test centre by warning that the 

pass rate at a preferred test centre, ie, one 

that is familiar to the pupil, is 65.9%, whereas 

the pass rate at a non-preferred centre is 

47.6%. That fact tends to work. 

But the long waiting lists provoke a feeling 

of being trapped and for some, any 

opportunity to escape is seized. 

The underlying belief that a driving licence 

is a rite of passage is far from new. I 

remember it being thus almost 60 years ago. 

However, many learners do not realise that 

their parents, or possibly their grandparents, 

had the same fears due to licence or driving 

test backlogs in the past. 

The situation of the pandemic and its 

social-changing aftermath may be unique in 

our times but the cost of living issues we face 

today are cyclical. Unique or not, these 

factors still affect our businesses and 

possibly our professional reputations. 

We must be careful not to fall victims of 

our clients’ whims – no matter how much 

they press for an L-test. 

We are delighted to announce the launch of the 

MSA GB 2024 conference. 

Taking place in-person from 22nd – 23rd March 2024, 

our annual conference is set to be bigger and better than 

ever, as we bring together delegates from across the UK 

to meet with leading figures from the motoring and road 

safety community. Each one will be ready to impart their 

knowledge, opinions, and expertise to our attendees. 

Alongside a jam-packed day of presentations and interactive workshops, there’ll also be a full 

schedule of entertainment and leisure activities, so you’ll have plenty of time for networking 

and to catch up with old friends and forge new connections. 

We will soon be providing further details on the MSA GB 2024 Annual Conference, so please 

keep an eye on Newslink, our app and social media channels for updates. 

Welcome to your 

digital, interactive 


See a pale blue box in any article or 

on an advert? It it contains a web 

address or email, it’s interactive. Just 

click and it will take you to the 

appropriate web page or email so you 

can find more details easier. 

You’ll also find these panels across 

the magazine: just click for more 

information on any given subject. 

To get the 

full story, 

click here 

How to access this magazine 

You can read Newslink in three ways: 

Go online and read the interactive 

magazine on the Yumpu website; or, 

if you would like to read it when you 

don’t have a mobile signal or WiFi, 

you can download the magazine to 

your tablet, PC or phone to read at 

your leisure. Alternatively, a pdf can 

be found on the MSA GB website, at 

www.msagb.com 

COVER STORY 

Risk management is 

an essential part of 

the Standards 

Check, but it seems 

that it is still widely 

misunderstood, 

says ADI trainer 

Steve Garrod. 

See page 24 

Follow the link 

MSA GB sends 

you to access 

Newslink, 

and then just 

click Download 

(circled above) 

to save a copy 

on your device 

NEWSLINK n JULY 2023 03

Inside 

12 

06 

34 

Tackling the 

bots – again! 

News & Features 

BBC reveals scale of test fraud 

A major investigation by the BBC has 

revealed organised L-test fraud – and 

the DVSA admits it has no idea of how 

big the problem is – Pg 6 

DVSA in new anti-Bot drive 

Loveday Ryder outlines the latest 

DVSA strategies for disrupting the 

activities of unscrupulous firms that 

are sweeping up all the L-tests 

– Pg 12 

20mph plan hits L-test block 

Legislation in Wales means 20mph 

will be the default speed limit in urban 

areas from September 17; how will this 

impact on driving tests? – Pg 14 

Graduated licences 

A conference focused on young 

drivers has heard new reasons to 

bring in graduated licensing – but 

admitted the Government does not 

seem too keen – Pg 18 

10 

Poland praised 

The European Transport Safety 

Council has awarded Poland its 

highest honour after it halved its 

annual road deaths in a decade 

– Pg 20 

36 

Get the parents involved 

Janet Stewart asks, do you get the 

parents involved in teaching their 

children – or are they happy to just 

stump up the cash? – Pg 28 


The Voice of MSA GB 

The Motor Schools Association 

of Great Britain Ltd 

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©2023 The Motor Schools 

Association of Great Britain 

Ltd. Reproducing in whole 

or part is forbidden without 

express permission of the 

editor. 

04 NEWSLINK ■ JULY 2023


MSA GB Board of 

Management 

National Chairman & 

Area 2 - East Coast Chair 

Mike Yeomans 

7 Oak Avenue, Elloughton, 

Brough HU15 1LA 

T: 07772 757529 

E: mike.yeomans@msagb.com 

Vice Chairman 

Peter Harvey MBE 


E: peter.harveymbe@msagb.com 

Area 1 – Scotland & 

Northern Ireland 

Chair: Steven Porter 

18 Heron Place, Johnstone 

PA5 0RW 

T: 01505 345372 or 

07747 600672 

E: steven.porter@msagb.com 

Area 3 – London & South East 

Chair: Tom Kwok 

52B Sutton Road, Muswell Hill, 

London N10 1HE 

07956 269922 

E: tom.kwok@msagb.com 

Area 4 – West Coast & Wales 

Chair: Arthur Mynott 

9 Hagleys Green, Crowcombe, 

Taunton TA4 4AH 


E: arthur.mynott@msagb.com 

How MSA GB 

is organised, in 

four AREAS 

AREA 1 

AREA 4 

AREA 2 

AREA 3 

Keep in touch 

If you have updated your address, telephone numbers or 

changed your email address recently, please let us know 

at head office by emailing us with your new details and 

membership number to info@msagb.com. 

If you can’t find your membership number, give us a ring 

on 01787 221020. 

Follow MSA GB on social media 

Just click on the icon to go 

through to the relevant site 


News 

BBC’s test fraud report makes depressing 

viewing as scale of problem revealed 

Colin Lilly 

Editor 

MSA GB Newslink 

DVSA says fraud cases have 

tripled in the past two years 

– and the true scale of the 

problem may never be known 

On June 28, a report on the BBC’s News at 

One revealed the results of an investigation 

into driving test fraud, highlighting the 

unscrupulous people and businesses openly 

advertising their services on social media to 

help learners circumvent their theory or 

practical tests. 

The investigation team found over 600 

pages, groups and accounts on Facebook and 

TikTok, all offering a driving licence without 

needing to take the required tests. The BBC 

found 669 pages groups and accounts, with 

139,000 followers. 

The services on offer vary from lookalikes 

to take a practical test on behalf of someone 

else, to cheating the theory test by using a 

small Bluetooth earpiece and the audio 

assistance componet of the theory test. 

The social media owners Meta and TikTok 

say such advertising breaches their 

A screengrab from the BBC News at One report, featuring the 

views of MSA GB’s Janet Stewart (pictured on a lesson with a pupil) 

One of the people featured in the news report, talking to the 

BBC’s undercover reporter. Screengrab: BBC News at One 

guidelines and the accounts, if detected, will 

be taken down. The adverts have also 

appeared on Instagram. 

DVSA estimates that driving test fraud has 

tripled in the past five years, from 654 in 

2018 to 2,015 in 2023. They admit it remains a 

largely hidden problem, however, and they do 

not know the true scale of the fraud. 

The investigators found adverts 

throughout social media showing pictures of 

genuine pass certificates and driving licences 

taken from real driving licences. Many were 

generated from promotional posts on real 

driving school accounts. That in itself is a 

reminder about exactly what we publicise on 

our websites and social media feeds; be 

careful that delighted pupils showing off pass 

certificates don’t reveal too much 

information. 

In the report, the BBC journalist contacted 

several individuals offering their services 

while posing as someone with no driving 

experience who was looking for a licence. 

Among those contacted, one offered a 

pass certificate delivered to the reporter’s 

home in five days for £720. 

One woman who advertised on Facebook 

in Vietnamese said she charged £1,600 for 

taking the theory test and £2,600 for the 

practical test. She also required a photo of the 

reporter to match a look-alike fraud 

candidate. 

This is a total of £4,200 compared with 

RAC estimates of £1,551 including test and 

Janet offers her view 

Long-time MSA GB member and Newslink 

contributor Janet Stewart took part in the BBC 

report on June 28, offering her views on the 

fraudsters while highlighting, through filming of 

her lessons, just some of the reasons why road 

safety is severaly compromised by learners 

obtaining a driving licence without formal 

training or taking an L-test. 

Janet described the fraud as a “disaster” but 

rightly highlighted that one of the sources of 

the problem was the DVSA’s test waiting lists. 

“Young people are being told that they have to 

wait six months for a test... when you are 17, 18, 

six months seems like an eternity. 

“If L-tests were more readily available, 

certainly some of the supply lines of learners to 

the fradusters would be cut off.” 

06 NEWSLINK n JULY 2023


lessons for honest learners. 

Anyone using the services, if ever caught, 

would have their licence revoked, face 

prosecution for fraud potentially resulting in a 

prison sentence and/or a fine. 

It has been suggested that the rise in fraud 

could be down to the long driving test waiting 

list with a six month wait, assuming a 

first-time pass. 

One BBC reporter responded to a flyer, 

written in Turkish, they had found in a London 

café. The reporter, posing as someone with 

little driving experience, met the advertiser. 

He offered the ‘microscopic’ Bluetooth 

earpiece service for the theory test for 

£1,500. They have claimed to have been 

doing this for a long time and had helped a 

minimum of two people a day. 

One legitimate driver had found that a 

photo of his driving licence had been stolen 

from a logistics company he was registered 

with. He had discovered it being used on 

Instagram by someone offering theory/ 

practical certificates without exams. 

“The DVSA’s head of law 

enforcement, Marian Kitson, 

said it had revoked hundreds of 

illegally obtained licences in 

2022, but admitted they did not 

know the full scale of the 

problem. ... ‘the internet is so 

huge; the social media platforms 

are vast and these people are 

very clever...’ 

Subsequently, over the last year, he has had 

to dispute hundreds of French parking and 

speeding tickets from someone using his 

licence fraudulently. 

During the year from April 2022, DVSA had 

sent 30 cases of fraud by false 

representation for prosecution - involving 

497 offences, and there had been 53 arrests. 

The DVSA’s head of law enforcement, 

Marian Kitson, was interviewed on the news 

report. She said the agency had revoked 

hundreds of illegally obtained licences in 

2022, but admitted they did not know the full 

scale of the problem. 

She is quoted as saying “The internet is so 

huge; the social media platforms are vast and 

these people are very clever, they move the 

adverts around; they change them 

frequently,” she said. “So actually, spotting 

them and taking action quickly is a real 

challenge.” 

The larger problem is the unknown number 

of people with no formal training and perhaps 

little or no experience who are on our roads. 

In total the report made sobering and 

depressing viewing. About the only bright 

point came in the interview with our very 

own Janet Stewart, who made some 

pertinent comments to the reporter – as well 

as giving her a quick refresher course on her 

driving. It was nice to see an MSA GB member 

being asked for their opinions, and for the 

BBC to be taking this problem seriously 

enough to devote a lengthy news report to it. 


News 

High Wycombe: 

new DTC opens 

High Wycombe has a new driving test 

centre, after the DVSA opened a new 

base for testing on June 26. 

All car tests in the town will now take 

place from Kingsmead Business Park, 

Fredrick Place, High Wycombe HP11 1JU. 

There are a few rules to note about the 

new site. Please arrive no earlier than five 

minutes before the time of the test. 

To get to the DTC, drive up to the 

automatic barriers and follow the 

one-way system to the left and take the 

first right. Please park towards the end of 

the row on the right, in parking bay 

numbers 578, 579 or 580. 

It’s important that the parking rules are 

followed and that no other parking spaces 

are used in the business park. 

The rules on parking spaces are strictly 

enforced by the business park. 

Due to parking restrictions, please do 

not practise parking with candidates. 

Examiners will meet customers at their 

car at the time of the test, in one of the 

specified parking bays. 

The DTC has no toilet or waiting room 

facilities available. There is a cafe in the 

business park where hot drinks and 

refreshments are available. 

The last point raised a concern for MSA 

GB: “It seems strange that the DVSA has 

committed to a new office where there 

are no waiting rooms or toilet facilities. 

Not allowing candidates to arrive in good 

time before their test seems like a way of 

increasing stress levels unnecessarily, 

too.” 

Candidates to receive theory test 

result by email as DVSA increases 

digitalisation of its results service 

The DVSA has begun providing candidates 

with their theory test results by email as well 

as by letter. 

The test result email will be sent shortly 

after test completion (approximately 10 

minutes afterwards). Candidates should 

continue to collect their paper results letter in 

the theory test centre, and they are still 

advised to take this with them to their 

practical driving test. 

The test result email will contain: 

n Test Result (pass/fail) 

nTest Type (e.g. Car) 

n Certificate number (for pass only: for 

LGV and PCV candidates, this will only be 

shown on the full pass message) 

n Licence Number (partially masked to 

reduce Personal Identifiable information 

risks) 

n Test Date (day the test was taken) 

n Expiry Date (for pass only) 

n Link to optional survey 

If you are booking a theory test on behalf 

of a pupil, you will notice that the trainer 

booker portal has been amended to require 

ADIs to enter the candidate’s email address 

when he or she assigns them to a slot. This 

will be the address the results go to. 

This field will be mandatory so the 

candidate’s email address must be entered so 

that they can receive their results. 

Do not use your own Trainer Booker email 

address in the candidate email address field. 

This will result in you being unable to access 

the trainer booker system. 

If trainers make an error when entering 

the candidate’s email, it can be amended from 

within the portal. 

Trainers are advised that because of this 

change they should start to capture 

candidates’ email addresses, if they don’t 

already. 

Candidates who were assigned to slots 

before the change comes into effect but sit 

their test after it goes live, will not receive 

emailed results as their email address will not 

have been captured. 

Bit of a puddle? No problem for me! 

Norbreck to continue as 

Blackpool DTC base 

ADIs using the Blackpool DTC have been 

advised that Norbreck Castle Hotel will 

now be the temporary base for all testing 

until at least Friday, September 29. 

The DVSA is based in the Lancastria 

Suite at the rear of the hotel, which can 

be found on the Queen’s Promenade, 

Norbreck. 

Upon arrival, you will need to enter your 

vehicle registration on the keypad 

provided to avoid a parking charge. 

The hotel has toilet facilities available 

for candidates and instructors. 

A motorist comes out of a road safely after it was inundated by a flash flood in the Lower Wick 

area of Worcester during a thunderstorm. Road safety groups said motorists were continuing 

to ignore the dangers of attempting to drive through flooded roads, despite warnings not to 

attempt to do so. A spokesman for the AA said motorists ‘should use their common sense if 

they see a stretch of road covered in water. Never attempt to drive along it unless you are sure 

it is no more than a couple of inches deep.” 



Work and education biggest reasons to want a pass 

Being able to access work and education are 

the top motivations for young people getting 

their driving licence, new research from the 

AA Driving School has revealed. 

The majority of young drivers (61%) 

surveyed said they had a personal deadline 

they wanted to pass their driving test in time 

for. This fell to one fifth (21%) amongst 

drivers of all ages, indicating younger drivers 

are more motivated by specific goals to get 

behind the wheel. 

Older drivers aged 65 plus were the most 

likely to say they had no ambition to pass 

their driving test by a particular point (81%). 

Just 3% of older drivers had been motivated 

to pass their driving test by starting further 

education, while 9% were spurred on by a 

work commitment. 

While the overall top motivator amongst 

young drivers aged 18-to-24 was to pass in 

time for the summer (20%), passing in time 

for a work commitment, educational 

commitment or starting further education 

motivated almost half (49%) to switch their 

provisional licence for a full. 

The top deadlines young drivers (18-to- 

24) wanted to pass their practical test in time 

for were: 

1. In time for summer (20%) 

2. A work commitment (19%) 

3. Starting further education (19%) 

4. Leaving childhood home (12%) 

5. Their birthday (12%) 

6. An educational commitment (11%) 

7. Driving to a holiday (5%) 

8. Before the weather worsened (3%) 

According to AA Driving School data, in 

2022 the most popular month for starting 

driving lessons is November, perhaps aligning 

with those who want to pass before the start 

of the next academic year. 

Camilla Benitz, AA Driving School managing 

director, said: “It is really interesting to see 

what motivates today’s young drivers to pass 

their test compared to older generations. 

“The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis 

mean most people are really considering how 

to spend their time and money. For young 

people, learning to drive is clearly more of a 

practical consideration rather than an 

emotional one, and they are really looking at 

the benefits driving will bring them. 

“Having a driving licence is a gateway to 

independent adult life for many young people. 

It opens up the door to more education and 

employment opportunities, which perhaps 

they are under greater pressure to consider 

than previous generations. 

“The fly in the ointment to this is the 

driving test backlog, which means many 

learners up and down the country are facing 

lengthy waits to book their practical test. 

“The fact so many are clearly trying to pass 

in order to access education or employment 

only makes the backlog a more bitter pill to 

swallow.” 

NEWSLINK n JULY 2023 

09

News 

New survey finds rise in anxious drivers 

A new report by insurer Aviva has revealed 

that over a third of motorists experience 

anxiety while driving, with nearly half saying 

that nerves affect their ability to drive. 

The study, which surveyed 1,441 UK 

motorists, found that individuals in London 

(44%), the east of England (44%) and 

Yorkshire and the Humber (38%) were the 

most likely to identify as anxious drivers. 

In contrast, those in the North East were the 

least likely to experience driving-related 

anxiety, with only 23% reporting such feelings. 

The research also highlighted that drivers 

who primarily use only minor connecting 

roads (32%) or in urban areas (31%) were 

more prone to experiencing driving nerves. 

Interestingly, only 7% of individuals who 

predominantly drive on motorways reported 

feeling anxious while driving. 

Among those who reported feeling uneasy 

about driving, more than three-quarters 

stated that they experience physical 

symptoms such as rapid heartbeat (23%), 

sweating (22%) and nausea (15%). 

In addition, 9% of individuals in this group 

reported chest pains and difficulty breathing 

as a result of their driving-related anxiety. 

It was revealed that 39% of individuals who 

acknowledged anxiety affecting their driving 

had reported this issue to the Driver and 

Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). However, 

16% of people in this position admitted that 

they were unaware of the requirement to 

report it. 

Aviva also submitted a freedom of 

information (FOI) request to the DVLA, which 

revealed that a total of 534,692 individuals 

had reported a medical condition between 

January 1 and December 31, 2022. Out of 

A return to 

aggressive 

behaviour by 

other road 

users since 

the 

comparative 

calm of the 

pandemic 

could be a 

reason for the 

increase in 

anxious 

drivers 

those reports, 5,614 were related to anxiety. 

Interestingly, driving anxiety is more 

prevalent among younger drivers, with 62% 

of under 25 years expressing worries behind 

the wheel. Only 22% of drivers aged 65 and 

above reported experiencing such nerves. 

Despite the prevalence of driving-related 

anxiety, three-quarters of drivers admitted 

to occasionally exhibiting bad behavior on the 

road. The most common confessions included 

speeding (34%), swearing at other motorists 

(31%), making rude gestures (21%) and 

fiddling with in-car technology (18%). 

“Feeling anxious when driving can be very 

distressing for motorists and can even 

prevent them getting behind the wheel. 

However, there are ways that people can aim 

to get on top of their nerves, from learning 

calming techniques, to using technology to 

identify areas for improvement,” says Lorna 

Whalley, Head of Propositions at Aviva. 

“This can help people to become more 

confident drivers, which can mean safer 

roads for both motorists and pedestrians.” 

Reasons for the increase in people 

reporting anxiety when driving are unclear, 

but some psychologists have suggested it 

could be linked to changed experiences 

during the pandemic. For around 18 months 

traffic levels were reduced, as people were 

either forced to stay at home during 

lockdowns, or reduced their driving because 

their lifestyles had changed, either by 

working from home, so no longer needing to 

commute, or social and leisure activities 

were curtailed. Those that did drive found a 

more relaxed environment, with less traffic 

on the roads. There were also reports that 

during lockdowns drivers behaved more 

courteously towards each other, with less 

aggressive behaviour. 

Now drivers have returned to the road, 

some have forgotten how driving was before 

March 2020, and found it difficult to handle 

heavy congestion and aggressive driving 

behaviour. 

This would mirror other aspects of life, with 

reports that agoraphobia (fear of social 

environments or being with other people 

outside the home) is also on the increase: 

people who became used to walking on 

uncrowded streets during the pandemic are 

now struggling to cope since life returned to 

its usual hustle and bustle. 


News 

DVSA says it’s dealing with the bots and 

firms profiteering from test shortages 

As members will be only too aware, high 

waiting times for driving test appointments 

has led to a rise in the use of automated bots 

that exploit learner drivers. As well as 

hoovering up the few available tests, the bots 

also allow firms to book tests for reselling on 

at higher prices. 

In her latest blog, DVSA Chief Executive 

Officer Loveday Ryder, explains what bots 

are, the challenges they pose, how the DVSA 

is trying to protect learner drivers and the 

steps it is taking to deal with them. 

The high waiting times for driving test 

appointments have led to a rise in the use of 

automated bots that exploit the driving test 

booking service. This can result in the 

reselling of appointments, often at inflated 

prices. In this article, I want to explain what 

bots are, the challenges they pose, and the 

steps we’re taking to deal with this issue. 

Understanding bots 

If you’re unfamiliar with the term, ‘bots’ are 

automated software programs that perform 

specific tasks over the internet. They’re 

Loveday 

Ryder 

designed to mimic human behaviour and can 

be programmed to carry out various actions 

– including searching for and reserving 

driving test appointments. 

Bots are developed to work at a much 

faster speed than humans, so they’re an 

attractive tool for people who want to exploit 

our systems. 

Using bots, organisations can swiftly find 

and secure available slots more quickly than 

individual customers. 

These organisations will hold on to these 

test appointments until they can resell them 

at a higher price. This means that those who 

are ready to take their test can struggle to 

find one at a date and time of their choice. 

This practice makes it harder for everyone 

and can lead to people resorting to paying 

over the odds for an appointment. 

While this is unfair, it’s not illegal. 

Finding ways to stop ever-advancing bot 

technologies 

The challenge for us is to find ways to stop 

bots from accessing the booking site without 

affecting genuine learners and ADIs trying to 

use the service. 

We do some basic things that you’d 

expect, like using a CAPTCHA test to check if 

a user is human if we suspect it might be a 

bot. 

We also use other more advanced bot 

protection measures. We’re not going to go 

into details of what those are, as that 

information could help people get around 

them. But as we step up our measures, the 

technologies the profiteers are using 

continue to advance. They can often be 



adjusted to get around changes we make. 

It’s a difficult balancing act 

We work hard to stop bots, and it’s very 

technical work. Due to the complexities 

involved in differentiating between bots and 

genuine users, there can be times where the 

steps taken to prevent automated access 

result in inconveniences for our customers. 

A recent change to the service did just this 

and we know that some of you will have 

received an ‘error 15’ message when trying to 

book a test. We are sorry for any 

inconvenience this caused. 

If you are experiencing any problems 

accessing the booking service, there is a list 

of workarounds published on GOV.UK. These 

are updated if any new errors are reported. 

If these workarounds do not help there are 

details about what to do next on the GOV.UK 

page. 

More protection is coming 

We do have some more changes up our 

sleeves that will support our efforts in 

making sure the booking process is fair for all. 

Again, we’re unable to go in to too much 

detail as it will give the game away. But 

please be reassured we are constantly 

looking for ways to disrupt organisations and 

people who are using the system unfairly. 

Education and communication can help 

We understand why people will resort to 

using services that offer to find cancellations. 

But we also know that some of these 

services might collect personal data that 

learners might not expect or be comfortable 

with. 

It’s important for you to remain vigilant 

“The challenge for us is to find 

ways to stop bots from 

accessing the booking site 

without affecting genuine 

learners and ADIs trying to use 

the service...” 

about sharing information as well. The recent 

phishing email being sent to ADIs shows that 

you are being targeted, too. 

Remember to only share your information 

if you are 100% certain the person asking for 

your data is who they say they are. You can 

find more information about spotting scam 

emails on the action fraud website. 

So it’s really important that learners check 

the terms and conditions about how their 

data will be used. 

To help raise awareness of the dangers we 

are: 

- providing comprehensive information and 

guidance on our official channels, including 

GOV.UK and our social media platforms 

through our ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign 

- working with other organisations such as 

driving schools, regulatory bodies, and social 

media influencers to circulate information 

about the risks of third-party services 

- encouraging learner drivers to report any 

misuse of their details related to driving test 

bookings to our data protection manager or 

the Information Commissioner. 

By educating learner drivers about the 

risks of using third-party services, we aim to 

empower them to make informed decisions 

and avoid being exploited. 

We have focused on promoting the use of 

official DVSA channels for driving test 

bookings, which ensures a safe and secure 

process for all learners. 

Stopping exploitation of the service for ADIs 

to book and manage tests 

We know that some businesses exploit the 

system that was designed for ADIs to book 

and manage driving tests for their pupils. 

On 9 January 2023 we introduced stricter 

terms and conditions for using the service. 

We’ve also tightened up the way we monitor 

the usage of this system. 

We’re going to be making some more 

changes to the terms and conditions soon. 

These will include: 

- stopping users from using the service if 

they cancel 20% or more of their tests in the 

10 working days leading up to the test (those 

who cancel in the 3 working days before the 

test will also continue to lose the test fee) 

- making sure that accounts have an ADI 

linked to them – if they do not, the account 

will be suspended 

We’ll confirm when these changes will take 

affect nearer the time and will contact all 

users of the service to keep them informed. 

What ADIs said... 

Newslink had a look at some of the 

comments posted underneath Loveday 

Ryder’s blog to gauge ADIs’ opinions... 

Block the bots, not ADIs 

“All I hear is that people are still getting 

tests using apps like Testi so the DVSA 

system is not preventing these apps from 

booking tests. I try to book tests for 

pupils and I keep getting error 15 so it is 

the ADIs you are blocking...” 

Testi - is this a bot? 

“Are you including the likes of the Testi 

app under the term ‘bots’? I’d be 

particularly interested to hear a response 

to this if possible. I currently have three 

pupils test ready and unable to get a test. 

The situation has deteriorated since the 

beginning of the year...” 

No licence number, no test! 

“One way of stopping it is surely to not 

allow tests to be booked without a driving 

licence and theory certificate number. 

Then tests can only be booked by 

customers and not bots...” 

Service worse than ever 

“Disgraceful you haven’t sorted this out 

- it’s worse than ever! If only you had 

access to tens of thousands of trusted, 

licensed and vetted professionals who 

could allocate a proportion of the tests to 

pupils at their discretion ...” 

Spot the bogus entries 

“Why don’t you observe and scrutinise 

the repeated emails that come from the 

bogus candidates who use bots? Why 

don’t you check the candidate details for 

accuracy and if it’s repeatedly wrong, it 

will then indicate that the organisation is 

using a bot...” 

Waiting times up - so the bots are up! 

“It’s a self-fulfilling thing... If the waiting 

times were actually going down, there 

would be no need for learners to even 

consider exploitative services to book 

their test. As it stands, two years on from 

‘service as normal’, waiting times at 

Cheetham Hill (my closest centre) is five 

months! What are you actually doing? I’ve 

not seen any new examiners, no 

extended working days...” 


News 

Welsh criticism of 20mph plans increases amid 

fears it could damage lessons and L-testing 

A debate in the Welsh Senedd has revealed 

strong opposition to introducing a default 

20mph speed limit across Wales’s urban 

areas – but supporters said the move would 

save lives and money. 

The decision to make 20mph the ‘default 

national position in residential areas’ in Wales 

was made in July 2022 by the Senedd, and 

the law will come into force in September 

2023. 

The new legislation will not apply a blanket 

speed limit on all roads, but it will make the 

default limit 20mph on residential roads and 

busy pedestrian streets. Local authorities will 

be able to ask for a limit greater than 20mph 

where circumstances dictate it is necessary, 

though what these are has not been clarified. 

But the move – while welcomed by many 

in the road safety community – could have 

major implications for driver training and 

testing, denying learners the chance to either 

practise at speeds greater than 20mph, or be 

tested at them. The legislation does not allow 

the DVSA a role in setting speed limits, either. 

Currently, just 2.5% of Welsh roads have a 

speed limit of 20mph, but this is expected to 

increase to approximately 35%. 

The Welsh Government hopes the move 

will help to save lives, develop safer 

communities, improve the quality of life and 

encourage more people to make more 

sustainable and active travel choices. 

However, a petition was raised criticising 

the move, stating: “This decision [to introduce 

the 20mph limit] is not representative of the 

broader public opinion and as such, it is not 

democratic to implement the changes. 

“An alteration to road laws on this scale 

should be subject to much more extensive 

polling or possibly as part of a Welsh 

referendum on the matter.” 

22,000 people signed the petition, leading 

to a debate in the Senedd, which was held on 

Wednesday, June 28. 

Addressing the Senedd, Conservative MS 

Joel James said the fact that over 21,000 

people signed the petition against the 

proposal shows the “enormity in opposition 

to a blanket reduction” to 20mph. 

Mr James said that while he understands 

the need for 20mph roads where better air 

quality is needed, a blanket reduction is 

“completely unenforceable” 

He added that studies showed the 

introduction of 20mph roads increased travel 

Coming soon everywhere 

to Wales’s urban areas? 

times by up to as much 5mph. “Drivers will 

likely drive faster on roads to make up for lost 

time, causing more collisions and road rage,” 

he said. 

But Llyr Griffiths of Plaid Cymru says he 

supported the legislation on the basis that 

most urban roads “do not need to be 

20mph.” But he did highlight that “as we see 

the maps emerging we will see roads on the 

edge of towns that show 20mph isn’t really 

necessary, and isn’t maybe the most sensible 

speed limit option.” 

He suggesed that asking whether some 

roads were kept at 30mph would be more 

appropriate. 

Tory MS Natasha Asghar described the 

blanket change from 30mph to 20mph as 

“highly damaging”. 

She called for a “targeted approach” over a 

blanket rule, pointing out that over half of 

those who took part in the Government 

consultation were against the plans. 

Conservative MS Sam Rowlands said a 

survey in his constituency of Buckley, which 

was used as a pilot area, found that over 90% 

of residents thought the trial was a “failure” 

Speaking for the proposal , Hefin David 

(Labour) said there have been “tragic 

accidents” in residential areas, and that “on 

the whole, this is the right policy” for areas in 

his constituency, while Jane Dodds said 

20mph roads “save lives” and “helps our 

health services”. 

John Griffiths, Labour MS, said the 20mph 

rule will let people “reclaim their streets” and 

make “living communities”. He says it is 

“perfectly possible” for local authorities to 

“tweak” the exemptions after the rule is 



“Tory MS Natasha Asghar MS 

described the blanket change 

from 30mph to 20mph as 

“highly damaging” and called 

for a “targeted approach” ... 

Conservative MS Sam 

Rowlands said that 90% of 

residents in Buckley thought 

the trial was a ‘failure’ ” 

The Senedd 

implemented. 

Fellow Labour MS Lee Waters said the ban 

was not a “blanket ban” as was initially the 

case in the pilot, and opposition members 

saying this was be the case were being 

“deliberately misleading” 

“Highway authorities can make exceptions 

if they have a clear case”, he said addressing 

concerns about the authorities making 

exceptions to rules. “The evidence on road 

safety is unarguable; evidence shows 

someone is five times more likely to be killed 

if hit by a car travelling at 20mph than at 

30mph.” 

Disappointingly, none of the members of 

the Senedd appeared to consider the impact 

this legislation will have on learning to drive, 

or on the driving test. 

While ADIs in urban areas such as Cardiff, 

Swansea or Newport should be able to 

organise lesson plans to accommodate 

‘faster’ roads at some point during a lesson, 

the tighter time constraints of the L-test 

(around 45 minutes in total, of which 31-38 

minutes are spent driving) might make it 

impossible for an examiner to do so. 

The DVSA currently remains tightlipped on 

its view of the policy. A spokesman told 

Newslink: “Driving test centre and routes are 

kept under constant review to make sure 

driving tests continue to test the ability of 

candidates to drive safely and independently.” 

However, the DVSA has admitted 

previously that the policy could present 

significant problems for its driving test 

infrastructure. Speaking to the MSA GB 

conference in March, Peter Hearn said: “In 

built-up places such as Cardiff this would 

mean that nearly all driving tests would take 

place at no more than 20mph, which would 

clearly be wrong.” 

He added that: “If this is implemented as it 

stands, we will need to look at whether we 

need to move all urban DTCs in Wales to 

outside towns and cities.” 

No such move has been announced so far, 

so we can assume the DVSA is waiting to see 

if there are any further developments to the 

legislation before making wholesale changes 

to Wales’s DTC estate. The comments by Lee 

Waters, who previously held cabinet roles 

that included oversight of transport, 

suggesting “exceptions can be made if there 

is a clear case”, does offer a way out of what 

could be a highy political problem. 

Supporters of the plan outside the Senedd 

said introducing more 20mph zones should 

be applauded. The founder of 20s Plenty for 

Us, Rod King, says he “confidently expects 

the national 20mph limit will proceed as 

planned.” 

He said: “The legislation for the national 

20mph limit was passed nearly a year ago. 

The changes will take place on September 17 

and already local authorities have done a 

large part of the work associated with 

changing signs and setting exceptions where 

appropriate.” 

He added: “The plans for a national 20mph 

default were subject to a democratic debate, 

starting in 2018. After wide consultation with 

stakeholders, local authorities and Welsh 

Assembly members, the 20mph Task Force 

“In built-up areas such as 

Cardiff this legislation could 

mean that nearly all driving 

tests would take place at no 

more than 20mph... this 

would clearly be wrong...” 

Report received cross-party support in 2020 

and majority support in 2022. It has also been 

approved by the UK Secretary of State. 

“With regard to this petition, we know from 

repeated UK surveys that 20mph limits gain 

majority support, yet are opposed by about 

14% of those surveyed. That 22,000 people 

have signed a petition – which amounts to 

just 1.4% of the 1.6 million Welsh drivers – is 

neither surprising nor significant. 

“We confidently expect Senedd to 

recognise that full and appropriate democratic 

process has been followed and that the 

national 20mph limit will proceed as planned. It 

will lead a transformative change in Welsh 

communities and the foundation for enhanced 

active travel, liveability and public health.” 

Research conducted by the Transport 

Research Institute (TRI) at Edinburgh Napier 

University, in conjunction with Public Health 

Wales, estimates the default 20mph speed 

limit will save around £100 million in the first 

year. 

The estimated cost saving is the result of 

fewer deaths and injuries – with predictions 

that the lower limit will save more than 100 

lives over a decade and 14,000 casualties in 

total. 

Meanwhile, a new independent public 

attitude survey, conducted by Beaufort 

Research on behalf of the Welsh 

Government, shows the majority of 

respondents support a new lower speed limit. 

Almost two-thirds of people surveyed said 

they would support a 20mph speed limit 

where they lived and 62% said they wanted 

everyone to slow down on the roads. 


News 

ADI groups and associations 

MSA GB is proud of its long-standing links with many local ADI 

groups around the country. Many are small, dedicated to driver 

training in one city, town or even focused on a sole DTC, but all 

work tirelessly to improve the work of being an ADI. This can 

be in representing ADIs’ interests and views to your DVSA area 

manager, offering an ADI’s voice to local authorities and town 

planners, or by simply providing a network within which ADIs can 

find help and advice from their fellow instructors. After all, for 

many ADIs working as sole traders, being a driving instructor can 

be a lonely task: local ADI groups help stop it feeling quite so much 

that it’s ‘you against the world.’ 

From this issue onwards Newslink will be publishing a list of local 

ADI groups and associations. We will only publish those groups 

who let us know they are happy to be included in our list, however, 

so if you would like to see your details here, please contact Peter 

Harvey at peterharveymbe@msagb.com 

Aberdeen and District Driving Schools Association 

Secretary: Derek Young 

T: 07732 379396 

E: derekyoungcreel@aol.com 

Meets quarterly February (AGM), May, August and November. 

Cost £35 per annum 

Angus Driving Instructors Association 

Secretary: Frances Matthew 

T: 07703 664522 

E; francesmatthew@hotmail.co.uk 

This group holds six meeting per year (usually one week after the 

Scottish committee meeting) 

Cost £20 per year. 

Aylesbury Vale Driving Instructors Association 

Chairman: Sue Pusey 

T: 07780 606868 

E: AVDIA@btinternet.com 

Meetings are first Wednesday of every month at Church of the 

Holy Spirit, Camborne Avenue, Aylesbury, HP21 7UE. 7.30pm start. 

Guest speaker every other month, refreshments provided. 

Annual fee £30. First meeting free as try before you buy. 

Birmingham Approved Driving Instructors 

Contact: Dave Allen 

T: 07939 627493 

E: Daveallen1999@googlemail.com 

Cornwall Association of Approved Driving Instructors (CAADI) 

Secretary: Rachael Lloyd-Phillips 

E: rachael@oneandallsom.co.uk 

This group meets via Zoom on the 3rd Monday every other month 

at 7.30pm. 

City of Dunfermline and District ADIs 

Secretary: Gail Pilch 

T: 07817 661450 

E: dunfermlineadisecretary@outlook.com 

Meetings are bi-monthly, at 

Dunfermline Northern Bowling Club, Dewar Street, 

Dunfermline KY12 8AD 

Glasgow & District Driving Instructors Association 

Contact: Bryan Phillips 

T: 07989 339 646 

E: bryan.phillips@hotmail.co.uk 

Meet on the last Sunday of the month, once every quarter, at 

The Fort Theatre, Kenmuir Ave, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, G64 2DW. 

Joining fee: £15 per year 

Hinckley & District Driver Trainers Association (HDDTA) 

Chairman: Barrie Pates 

T: 07914 408 739 

E: haddta@yahoo.com 

Hull and East Riding Driving Instructors (HERDI) 

Contact: Andrew 

T: 07754542993 

E: herdi.rsa@gmail.com 

Lanark Driving Instructors 

Secretary: Sandra Smillie 

T: 07975 147150 

Meet quarterly from March which is our AGM 

South Warwickshire Association of ADIs (SWAADI) 

Andy Thomas 

T: 01926 717230 / 07900 673634 

E: artommo@hotmail.com 

We meet at 8.30pm every third Monday of the month except 

August and December (no meetings) at The Windmill Inn, 

Tachbrook Road Leamington Spa CV31 3DD, 

Rolls and snacks are available for a small charge and membership 

is £25 a year and includes a monthly newsletter and addition to a 

WhatsApp group for local issues/traffic updates, etc. 

Swindon Driving Instructors Association (Swindon DIA) 

Contact: Sandra Jill Richens 

T: 07795 006015 

E: SJRichens@btinternet.com 

Taunton Association Driving Instructors 

See Facebook page – search ‘Taunton ADI & PDI Forum’ 

If you want to see your local ADI group listed in this index, 

contact Peter Harvey on peterharveymbe@msagb.com 



HMRC help on offer for tax affairs 

Not sure what expenses you can claim for, or 

how to keep your records? Then join the 

HMRC’s live webinars for more information, 

during which you can ask questions using the 

on-screen text box. 

Record keeping for the self-employed 

Find out about setting up a record system, 

tips on keeping it up to date, what you need 

to record, and how long to keep your records. 

Register here to join 

Leisurely move for 

Macclesfield DTC 

Capital allowances for the self-employed 

If you use the traditional method of 

accounting, this webinar explains how to 

claim tax relief when buying larger items for 

use in your business, such as vans, tools and 

machinery. Register here to join 

For more information on claiming for cars, 

please look out for our separate webinar, ‘Car 

expenses for the self-employed’. 

In addition, HMRC’s YouTube channel has a 

selection of helpful short videos including: 

n Basic record keeping for the selfemployed. 

You can watch the video here. 

n How do I cancel my Self Assessment 

registration? 

You can watch the video here. 

Finally, remember that Making Tax Digital 

for Income Tax for the self-employed comes 

in from April 6, 2026 if you have an annual 

business or property income of more than 

£50,000; and from April 6, 2027 if you have 

an annual business or property income of 

more than £30,000. 

Macclesfield driving test centre’s temporary 

relocation to Bollington Leisure Centre has 

been extended until July 30. 

Candidates should use the overflow 

carpark of Bollington Football Club which is 

next door on Ovenhouse Lane. You can follow 

the DVSA signage. 

Examiners will meet candidates at their 

cars at the time of the test. 

The car park must not be used for 

candidates to practise parking exercises. 

Candidates and instructors will be able to 

use the toilet facilities at the centre. There is 

also a café for accompanying drivers to wait 

in. 

Virtual safety warning 

John Lomas writes... “Some time ago 

Newslink readers may recall I spotted this 

new street sign (above), warning pedestrians 

not to be fixated on their phones when 

walking near the road, and to pay attention to 

cars. Now that Apple has introduced its new 

VR sets, does this sign now need updating to 

include pedestrians transfixed by the world 

of virtual reality?” 


News: Young Driver Focus 

Young Driver conference hears new calls 

for a graduated approach to licences 

The Young Driver Focus Conference, 

organised by First Car publishers, the RAC 

Foundation and Road Safety GB, heard from a 

number of high-profile speakers on the 

subject of road safety when it held its annual 

event at the RAC Club, Pall Mall. 

Topics covered included the importance of 

wearing a seatbelt, the science behind driving 

safer vehicles, the part played by driver 

fatigue in road casualties and how we can 

look to extend the learning-to-drive process. 

This latter session was probably the one of 

greatest interest to ADIs. Led by Dr Shaun 

Herman, chief scientist at the TRL, it 

considered the role a longer training period 

could have on improving novice drivers’ 

post-test experiences. 

Dr Helman said: “Extending the learning-to 

-drive process has been a significant topic of 

discussion for many years now. 

“In particular, the focus has been on 

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) systems 

that extend learning to drive by creating a 

minimum learning-to-drive timescale, as well 

as post-test controls on driving at night and 

while carrying peer-age passengers (both of 

which are acknowledged as high-risk 

situations for new drivers). 

“Despite its use in other countries, from 

Australia to the USA, the British Government 

has repeatedly discussed the concept, but 

then dropped it. 

“However, GDL continues to be promoted 

by road safety professionals and motoring 

organisations. The reason is that the basic 

facts remain the same: Young and novice 

drivers are over-represented in collisions, and 

both their young age and relative lack of 

on-road experience are risk factors that have 

long been established, as are driving with 

peer-age passengers, and at night. 

“The evidence tells us that we can reduce 

collisions by having minimum learning 

periods, maybe including a minimum number 

of learning hours, and post-test controls on 

unsupervised driving at night, and on 

unsupervised driving with peer-age 

passengers. 

“Professional, academic and statistical 

evidence continues to back these 

approaches. They remain the key to 

improving the skills, actions and safety of all 

new, young drivers. ” 

But despite the evidence supporting some 

kind of extension of GDLs, Government 

intervention appeared unlikely, he admitted. 

As a result, “without the formal legislative 

requirements, the next best option is to 

encourage new drivers to self-impose these 

measures while they gain the necessary ‘on 

the road’ experience and maturity behind the 

wheel, to be safer, more responsible drivers.” 

His presentation led to some points being 

raised by other speakers. Daisy Cresswell, 

founder, Make (Good) Trouble CIC, 

Professor Ashleigh 

Filtness 

commented: “Peer passenger restrictions are 

a real ‘no’ as far as young drivers are 

concerned... therefore if you want to get 

younger people on board, then they have to 

be involved in the production of the learning 

materials.” 

She offered an interesting idea: “Young 

people should have to learn how to drive with 

their peers in the car. It needs to be 

interactive and fun and part of the process, 

but make it all about safety.” 

Lisa Skaife, CEO founder, myDRIVE 

SCHOOL and Road Safety Matters: “In my 

opinion, ensuring 40 hours of lessons with a 

professional is better than longer learning 

periods spent with parents supervising, or 

placing limited restrictions on new drivers”, 

while Ian Mulligan, managing director, Young 

Driver, said: “I think if you start them learning 

younger, just like learning languages, the 

results are better and last longer. It 

normalises driving in a way that then reduces 

their desire to show off to their peers.” 

Elsewhere in the day there were 

interesting contributions on other areas. 

Given how many of our pupils are young – a 

demographic known for keeping odd hours at 

day or night and not prioritising their sleep 

– the thoughts of Professor Ashleigh Filtness 



Click here to read the full report 

of Loughborough University on fatigue were 

also interesting. She pointed out that: “It is 

estimated that fatigue contributes to 

15–30% of all road crashes. In fact, the risk of 

crashing doubles when sleepy. At 70mph, a 

two second microsleep will see you travel 62 

metres. 

“That’s why fatigue-related crashes are 

more likely to be fatal/serious injury events, 

involving stationary objects, and occuring at 

night and over the weekend. 

“The statistics show us that young drivers 

are over-represented generally in crashes 

where tiredness is a contributory factor. 

Young people need more sleep than adults, as 

they are transitioning from the high sleep 

needs of a child, to the lower sleep needs of 

adults. 

“At the same time circadian rhythm shifts 

during teenage years, creating a tendency for 

later sleep onset and rising. This sleep need 

and preferred sleep timing is often at odds 

with life demands”. 

She said that young people’s maturing 

brains need a lot more sleep. “Young people’s 

lifestyles, working and socialising, and their 

high dependency on screens and social 

media, combined with a lower consciousness 

of risk, means they too easily overestimate 

their ability to drive while fatigued. 

“We need to better educate young drivers, 

but to make this successful we need them to 

buy into the learning. We need to give them 

simple tools and structures alongside 

knowledge of the facts.” 

She added: “While fatigue can be relieved 

temporarily by caffeinated drinks, sleepiness 

is an overriding need of the brain, and you 

cannot stop it. Make a commitment to not 

drive when fatigued. Set a sleep target, with 

good sleep habits. Plan journeys around sleep 

need. And remember, if the body/brain needs 

to sleep, then it will sleep. ” 

Technology is no panacea... but it can 

make big in-roads into crash statistics 

The work of Tom Leggett, a Vehicle 

Technology Specialist at Thatcham Research, 

sees him gathering insight and intelligence on 

current and future technology. Working 

closely with manufacturers and technology 

suppliers, he helps decipher the meaning of 

new technologies and how these may and, do, 

affect users, including road safety. 

He told the Young Driver conference: “New 

vehicle technology is not necessarily a 

panacea for curing all the road safety issues, 

as some claim, but it can have a big role in 

helping drivers drive more effectively and to 

do so as safer road users. 

“Twenty years ago, the advice for new 

drivers was to choose a first car with ABS, 

passenger airbags and, at an absolute push, 

some kind of traction control. 

“In the past two decades, the amount of 

advance driver assistance systems (ADAS) 

technology on affordable small cars has 

exploded, but consumer knowledge hasn’t 

necessarily kept pace”. 

While EuroNCAP provides easy-to 

understand ratings for active and passive 

vehicle safety, and “is believed to have saved 

more than 78,000 lives” since its first 

published in 1997, “new drivers and parents 

still prioritise style and cost over safety”. 

Helping the driver through technology can 

make a huge difference. After all, the car itself 

is technology, and the cleverer it is then the 

greater the potential to protect the driver, 

passengers and other road users. This may be 

in the way the vehicle is constructed for 

protection, to the driver aids that can help 

prevent crashes. ” 

He pointed out that Automatic Emergency 

Braking (AEB) hit the headlines around 2015 

and is now compulsory on all new vehicles in 

the EU (2022). “It has already reduced 

collisions for vehicles using it by 60-70%”. 

But there are so many positive examples 

from ESC (electronic stability control) to LSS 

(lane support systems). 

“At 30 mph a car covers 13 metres a 

second. It means that distraction behind the 

wheel, especially for novice young drivers, is a 

huge issue, whether noisy peer group 

passengers, or a pinging smartphone. Just 

adjusting the sound system means drivers 

divert their eyes from the road for seconds at 

a time. 25-30% of all crashes have distraction 

involved, and the true number is probably 

more.” 

New technology has the power to prevent 

crashes and save lives. The driver is always 

ultimately responsible, but the new 

technology is there to help keep them stay 

safe. 

Tom’s overriding message is that we need 

to ensure young drivers, often the most 

vulnerable drivers, “drive the safest vehicles”. 

“Everyone knows about airbags and 

seatbelts, but what if we can stop the crashes 

happening all together?” 


News 

Poland wins international road safety 

award as deaths halve in ten years 

The European Transport Safety Council 

(ETSC) has awarded its 2023 Road Safety 

Performance Index (PIN) Award to Poland for 

the first time, after the country made such 

huge strides in improving road safety that its 

road deaths fell by 47% between 2012 and 

2022. The EU average reduction over the 

same period was 22%. 

Road mortality (the number of road 

deaths per inhabitant) stood at 50 per million 

in Poland last year, down from 93 per million 

in 2012. Mortality in 2022 was better than 

Italy (54 per million). 

Norway had the safest roads in Europe (21 

per million) followed by Sweden (22 per 

million). 

The announcement coincides with new 

analysis published by ETSC which shows road 

deaths in Europe rose by 4% last year, to 

20,679. That number is still 9% lower than in 

2019, the last year before the Covid-19 

pandemic dramatically altered traffic 

volumes, but ETSC is warning that a 17.2% 

decrease would have been needed since 2019 

in order to stay on track to reach the EU and 

UN target of halving the number of road 

deaths by 2030. 

The ETSC panel of experts cited several 

“The EU has set a target to halve the number of road 

deaths by 2030, based on their level in 2019. The progress 

in reducing serious road traffic injuries over the last 

decade in the EU was poor, especially in comparison with 

the reduction in road deaths. There has been only a 14% 

reduction over the period 2012-2022. The exact number 

of people seriously injured in road collisions is not yet 

known in all EU countries...” If the EU had reduced 

deaths at a constant annual rate of progress of 6.7%, the 

greater reductions in deaths in the years 2012-2021 

would have increased the valuation of the benefit to 

society by about €108 billion to about €212 billion over 

those years. 

key elements in the decision to award this 

year’s prize to Poland in addition to the 

substantial reduction in road deaths: 

n The introduction of a comprehensive 

National Road Safety Programme for 

2021-2030 which sets targets to cut both 

deaths and serious injuries by 50%; 

n A large-scale four-year Safe Road 

Infrastructure Programme; 

n Expansion of the speed camera and 

time-over-distance camera network; 

n An increase in drink-driving enforcement 

checks of 19% on average each year between 

Mortality rates per million inhabitants 

2010 and 2019; 

n Introduction of the “emergency 

corridor” system of enabling emergency 

vehicles to access collision sites on 

motorways. 

ETSC says speed limits and observed 

vehicle speeds in Poland are still too high, 

however. The 140 km/h maximum speed 

The graph shows the 

number of people who die 

every year, country by 

country, per million 

inhabitants. Norway is the 

road safety leader, with 

the UK third, just ahead of 

Denmark. The big surprise 

has been the collapse in 

the Netherlands’ 

performance: previously 

one of Europe’s safest 

nations, it has seen its 

road deaths rise, in 

comparison to its peers. 

The worst-performing 

nations are Eastern 

European: Romania, 

Serbia, Bulgaria and 

Hungary are the bottom 

four. 



Key points: 

Norway is the safest country for road 

users, with 21 road deaths per million 

inhabitants in 2022. 

Sweden is second, with 22 deaths per 

million inhabitants. 

In the UK, Denmark, Switzerland, 

Ireland, Germany and Finland, road 

mortality is below 35 deaths per million 

inhabitants; in the EU the average 

mortality was 46 deaths per million 

inhabitants in 2022; this compares with 

54 per million in 2012. 

The highest mortality is in Romania and 

Serbia with 86 and 83 road deaths per 

million inhabitants respectively. 

In two countries – Malta and the 

Netherlands – road mortality is higher 

in 2022 than in 2012. 

onmotorways is the highest in the EU with 

the exception of Germany. However, ETSC 

has welcomed the decision to axe higher 

night-time speed limits in urban areas, which 

was replaced with a permanent 50 km/h limit 

in 2021, though ETSC says Poland should also 

consider limiting speeds to 30 km/h on roads 

used by pedestrians and cyclists in urban 

areas. 

Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the 

European Transport Safety Council said: “In 

ten years, Poland has greatly improved road 

safety, and set an example on how to take 

the issue seriously. There has been a genuine 

commitment to setting targets, improving 

infrastructure and boosting enforcement, all 

key factors in this impressive reduction. 

“For Europe as a whole, more work is 

needed, at the EU and national levels. The 

‘road safety package’, announced by the 

European Commission in March, makes some 

positive changes to driver licensing and could 

improve cross-border enforcement. 

“The new initiative to enable cross-border 

recognition of driving bans is also welcome. 

“It’s now up to Member States and the 

European Parliament to ensure elements 

which could have a negative impact on road 

safety are removed and the package’s 

potential road safety benefits aren’t watered 

down on the often-treacherous road to 

becoming law. 

“At the national level, it is up to 

governments across Europe to strive by all 

means at their disposal to resume their 

annual reductions in numbers killed and 

seriously injured in line with the EU and UN 

targets for 2030.” 

Road deaths drop, 2012-2022 

The goal was to see road 

deaths halve across 

Europe by 2030, based on 

their level in 2019. This 

would demand that the 

average road deaths fall 

year-on-year by around 

4-5%, but few nations 

have achieved anything 

like that figure. The UK is 

currently seeing its road 

deaths reduce by only one 

per cent a year 


News 

Discrimination 

charge as older 

drivers asked to 

renew licences 

The chair of the Irish Society of Physicians in 

Geriatric Medicine has spoken out against a 

European Commission proposal to introduce 

a mandatory driving licence renewal process 

for drivers aged 70+, saying the rule would be 

‘discriminatory’. 

In a letter to European Commissioner for 

Transport Adina Vălean sent earlier this 

month, and seen by Politico, Professor 

Desmond O’Neil said that older drivers are 

some of the safest drivers, and higher death 

rates in the age group are due to the fragility 

of older people, not an increased likelihood to 

cause a crash. 

Prof. O’Neill said that updated driving 

licence rules should focus on medical 

conditions across the lifespan, not just on 

older drivers. 

ETSC is calling for the EU to introduce a 

screening protocol for doctors to use with all 

age groups to assess medical fitness to drive. 

Sweden (the safest country for road 

safety in the EU) has carried out a study 

looking into the introduction of age-based 

screening. 

The Swedish Transport Agency report 

concluded that the country should not 

introduce mandatory medical screening for 

older drivers but instead recommended 

further investigations for drivers of all ages 

suffering from substance abuse, mental 

disorders, epilepsy and diabetes. 

In the UK, it is mandatory for drivers to 

renew their licences at 70, though they do 

not need to fulfill any requirements other 

than to self-certificate their fitness to drive. 

Vehicle thefts costing UK insurers 

£1.54bn a year, up £100m 

Claims Management & Adjusting Ltd (CMA), 

the UK’s longest established specialist motor 

insurance loss adjuster, has worked out that 

vehicle thefts are now costing UK insurers an 

estimated £1.54billion a year, amid a further 

decline in the stolen car recovery rate. 

CMA Managing Director, Philip Swift, a 

former police detective, said: “Vehicle theft 

costs to UK insurers increased again last 

year, up by £100m to £1.54bn. With the 

number of thefts and vehicle values static, 

this rise is due to a further 5% decline in 

stolen car recovery rates. 

“The sad fact is, if your car is stolen, you are 

unlikely to ever see it again. A Freedom of 

Information Act request to Kent police 

recently revealed an astonishingly low 6% 

recovery rate. 

“According to our analysis, the nationwide 

picture is better, with around 23% of stolen 

vehicles currently recovered. However, it is a 

continuation of the steady downward trend 

we have seen since 2006, when over three 

quarters of stolen cars were successfully 

recovered. 

“Unfortunately, vehicle theft and its 

victims are simply not a priority for many UK 

police services. Essex recently put as much in 

writing to us, highlighting ‘unprecedented 

workload.’ The picture is worse in pound note 

terms than the ‘joyriding’ epidemic of the 

1990s, when there were half a million thefts a 

year. Today, fewer cars are taken but 

organised criminal gangs target high value 

models like Range Rovers, often for parts or 

export. 

“A lack of data clouds understanding, with 

forces such as West Midlands not even 

recording the theft method. We were recently 

asked to believe that professional thieves 

used sophisticated security bypass 

equipment to steal an old Ford. Does that 

sound likely or just a convenient, often 

accepted, explanation designed to expedite 

an insurance payout? 

“Years ago, the excellent Operation 

Igneous demonstrated how a more 

thoughtful approach could expose fraudulent 

claims and reduce vehicle crime by 30%. A 

plan to roll it out UK-wide was shelved on 

grounds of cost – a false economy if ever 

there was one. We at CMA adopted much of 

the Igneous methodology and it continues to 

deliver exceptional results. 

“The future of vehicle crime investigation 

lies in quickly utilising data from modern 

connected cars, but this will require far closer 

co-operation between insurers, the police, 

vehicle manufacturers and associated 

parties.” 

Driving school cars are not immune from 

theft. Colin Lilly, the Newslink Editor, has had 

two cars stolen, neither of which were 

recovered. One of them was a driver training 

car approaching the end of its life, so logic 

does not always apply. 

The end result is that the cost to insurers 

will be passed on to premium payers. 

Government told to close gap between chargepoints and EV sales 

The gulf between the number of electric 

vehicles (EVs) on the road and public charge 

points could continue for “a number of 

months”, according to a transport minister. 

Jesse Norman acknowledged there has 

been a “disconnect” between vehicles and 

required infrastructure, citing “rapidly 

growing” EV purchases as the reason. 

But he insisted the Government has plans 

in place to support expansion, with billions of 

pounds of private investment planned. 

Mr Norman told MPs: “There are currently 

over 42,000 public electric vehicle charge 

points in the UK alongside hundreds of 

thousands more in homes and workplaces. 

“The Government allocated a share of £381 

million to every local area in England under 

the LEVI, Local EV Infrastructure fund, and is 

also supporting rapid charges along the 

strategic road network.” 

But Labour MP Matt Western (Warwick 

and Leamington) said: “The gulf between the 

number of EVs on our roads and the number 

of public charge points has doubled in the last 

year. So it seems the Government needs to 

do more in terms of planning.” 

The Times said industry figures showed 

that there were 36 electric cars on the road 

for every standard public charger last year. It 

said this compared with 31 at the end of 2021. 

The AA reported that EV breakdowns 

caused by running out of charge has fallen by 

nearly three-quarters since 2019. 


HMCA 


Private healthcare is peace of mind 

No matter how fit and healthy we are, it 

is inevitable that at some point in our 

lives we will fall ill and need medical 

care. 

And when illness does strike it is to the 

NHS that most people will turn in 

seeking a diagnosis, treatment and 

recovery. 

But the NHS has for some years been 

showing signs that it, too, is not in the 

best of health. A growing and ageing 

population is putting an ever-increasing 

strain on staff and services, problems 

that have been exacerbated by the 

coronavirus pandemic. 

Reports of underfunding, a shortage of 

medical staff, noisy and overcrowded 

wards, cancelled operations and long 

waiting times will be familiar to everyone. 

In England, hospital waiting lists are 

longer than ever before, with a total 

waiting list of 7.21 million people.* This 

is the highest number since records 

began and illustrates the severe pressure 

that the NHS is under. 

Quick, private and convenient 

Understandably, these lengthy delays 

are causing additional stress for patients, 

undermining their health and quality of 

life even further. How many people do 

you know whose physical health and 

mental well-being has deteriorated from 

the anxiety of having to wait months for 

a hospital appointment? 

All this can be avoided by taking out 

private health insurance. Seeing a 

doctor in private practice used to be 

only for the wealthy, but not anymore as 

the cost of private medical cover is 

becoming more affordable. 

A private medical plan 

delivers prompt access to 

hospital consultants, thus 

avoiding lengthy waiting 

lists. Patients can choose 

from an extensive list of 

hospitals throughout the 

UK; if they need to be 

admitted, they will have 

their own private room equipped with TV 

and telephone, and visiting is arranged 

to suit patient and family. It’s a quick, 

private and convenient service that 

removes many of the anxieties 

associated with NHS hospital stays. 

Taking control of your healthcare 

However, those interested in taking out 

health insurance should not leave it too 

late. As we get older our healthcare 

needs increase. Therefore, as only some 

of the best health insurance companies 

provide cover for pre-existing conditions, 

the best time to invest in getting private 

treatment for illnesses you may suffer 

tomorrow – is today. 

By acting now you can ensure your 

future healthcare will not be dictated by 

NHS bureaucracy and, just as 

importantly, you will be able to benefit 

from the widest possible cover. 

Private health insurance cannot 

guarantee good health, but it 

can ensure that when you are 

feeling unwell you will 

quickly receive the best 

possible care, when and 

where you want it. The 

peace of mind that comes 

with that knowledge cannot 

be underestimated and is often 

the most important factor for people 

deciding to take control of their 

healthcare provision and “go private”. 

Special offer for MSA GB members 

A special offer to provide private 

medical plans for members of MSA GB 

has been arranged with HMCA, 

including a £50 gift card or £100 off 

your first-year subscription upon joining 

a private medical plan. 

For further information and a no 

obligation quotation contact HMCA by 

telephone on 01423 799949 or visit 

the exclusive HMCA Motor Schools 

Association website at: 

https://www.hmca.co.uk/msa 

© HMCA/S PLC (trading as Hospital and 

Medical Care Association, HMCA and 

HMCA Members) is authorised and 

regulated by the Financial Conduct 

Authority (FRN:307587). HMCA/s PLC is 

a company registered in England, 

company number: 01362094, registered 

office: Beech Hall, Knaresborough, North 

Yorkshire, HG5 0EA. 

*The Times 9 March 2023 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ 

nhs-waiting-list-hits-record-7-21- 

million-ktjgr5r9r 

08 NEWSLINK n APRIL 2023 


Towards your CPD 

Risk management is an essential part 

of the Standards Check, but it seems 

that it is still widely misunderstood, 

says ADI trainer Steve Garrod 

Planning ahead helps to take the 

risk out of your Standards Check 

Risk management is an essential part of the 

Standards Check, but following a number of 

conversations with ADIs who sadly only seek 

training after a failed Standards Check; it 

seems that risk management is still widely 

misunderstood, says ADI trainer Steve Garrod. 

Subsequent conversations with a former 

colleague of mine in the DVSA have confirmed 

that many ADIs still arrive for their Standards 

Check poorly prepared with no real 

understanding of risk management or client 

centred learning. 

When asked about CPD, those who are 

unsuccessful admit to not actively 

undertaking any; instead they become 

confused with their teaching methods. 

Many realise the need to ask questions, but 

they are rarely structured in a way that helps 

their learner. 

Asking ‘What would you like to do this 

week?’ may seem like client-centred learning, 

but in reality many learners don’t know the 

difference between what they want to do and 

what they need to do. 

We can look at this in more detail next 

month, but the focus of this month’s article is 

Risk Management, because if the lesson does 

not meet the needs of the learner it becomes 

difficult to manage the risk, due to lack of 

knowledge or skill required during the lesson. 

Managing risk is not simply explaining that 

you have dual controls and you will use them if 

necessary to prevent a crash, or keep asking 

the question, ‘What’s the risk here?’ 

When I sit in and observe lessons I find 

many trainers miss naturally occurring 

opportunities to cover risk management, for 

example, when introducing the DVSA official at 

the beginning of the lesson. Many talk about 

the additional weight in the back, but given so 

many of our learners are still teenagers, there 

could be a natural link to the risks involved 

with carrying passengers and the potential 

distractions such as additional noise, not 

wearing seatbelts, etc. 

Risk management should happen naturally 

and form part of each lesson. During the 

lesson you could ask your pupil which part of 

the MSM routing they feel confident to take 

responsibility for and which part they would 

like support. This is sharing the responsibility 

for risk, and client-centred learning. 

You could ask them how best you could 

support them (talk-through, prompting or 

allowing more independence). This means you 

are more likely to match your teaching style to 

their preferred learning style. 

You do need to be careful, however, that 

their preferred learning style is suitable for 

their ability. 

If you are waiting at a set of red traffic lights 

at a crossroads, you could make use of the 

time by discussing the potential hazards you 

could reasonably expect to see at the junction, 

such as pedestrians crossing the road or the 

activity in the new road, such as a large 

vehicles causing an obstruction and how to 

prioritise those hazards. While stationary you 

could discuss how to make a plan to help 

reduce the risk of making a situation worse, in 

other words, adapting their driving to manage 

the potential risks. 



If pupils are bombarded with questions on 

the move they will have little time to 

concentrate, but by discussing situations at 

the appropriate time pupils are often 

encouraged to ask questions for themselves. 

In assessment terms this method is often 

known as a Professional Discussion. It leads to 

questions being asked by both parties (the 

learner and the instructor/assessor). It helps 

identify any misunderstandings and allows 

you, as the instructor, to help fill any gaps in 

your pupil’s knowledge and enables you both 

to make the most of the training session. 

It could mean that you change a route to 

include a more suitable learning environment. 

As pupils gain more confidence these 

conversations can be replaced by questions, 

but questions should only be used when a 

pupil has time to think of an appropriate 

response and at the correct time. Just asking 

questions requiring a quick response only 

tests the power of recall, and not 

understanding. Questions requiring greater 

depth of thinking may need to be asked while 

stationary or when pupils are confident with 

driving in heavier traffic. 

Another example could be while waiting to 

emerge from a side road. If you can see parked 

vehicles in the new road to your left, you could 

use this as a risk management opportunity, 

for example, ‘Where will the traffic on the main 

road be positioned?” and “where will you have 

to be positioned once you emerge [on to main 

road]?” Chances are that you and oncoming 

traffic will be sharing the same space on the 

road. Using such examples can also help 

linking the theory to the practical to reinforce 

the risks associated with parking so close to 

junctions. 

A challenging question here could be to ask 

who has priority. Learners will often give the 

standard reply, “Traffic on the main road’. This 

is true but from experience I have found that 

they generally assume it is traffic approaching 

from the right. Traffic approaching from the 

left which may be on your side of the road also 

has priority, because it is on the main road, 

therefore to reduce the risk of causing an 

obstruction or something worse, it may be 

safer to wait in the side road, even if that 

means the occasional ‘beep’ from behind. This 

is similar to waiting to turn right at a controlled 

crossroads when you can see there is not 

enough room to wait in the middle of the 

junction, so instead of proceeding you wait 

behind the stop line to avoid blocking the 

pedestrian areas, and wait for the traffic to 

clear and risk the wrath of the following 

drivers who, given the chance, would do 

exactly what you are trying to avoid, eg, block 

the junction. 

Making the correct decision not to proceed 

requires as much confidence as knowing when 

to proceed. Learners also need to understand 

how they can reduce the risk that they may 

pose to other road users while driving, 

manoeuvring or parking. 

These are examples of risk management. 

How you phrase the term depends on your 

pupil – after all, using the same phrase can 

become tiresome, and if a pupil becomes 

bored they are in danger of switching off and 

losing concentration (also a risk!) 

How you phrase questions will determine 

the level of your pupil’s understanding of a 

subject, for example, asking a pupil to identify 

a hazard (or risk) means asking them what 

they have (or haven’t) seen, but asking them 

how they are going to deal with it means a 

higher level of thinking. Other questions 

relating to risk management could include: 

n What could be the danger/consequences 

of….?” 

n What could be the disadvantage of…?” 

n Where is the safest place to wait? 

n Why do you think it’s a 20mph speed limit? 

If you see other drivers causing an 

unnecessary obstruction you could ask “how 

could that driver have made that situation 

easier?” or “what would you have done?” You 

could then explain what they have witnessed 

is poor risk management. 

Teaching pupils to plan 10 or even 15 

seconds ahead encourages them to read the 

road well ahead and allows time to adapt to 

the road and traffic conditions. It allows time 

for options, adjustments to the driving plan 

and increases the chances of arriving at 

hazards in the correct position, at the correct 

speed and in the correct gear, and essentially 

with enough time to look. (Position, Speed and 

Look). 

As my old driving instructor told me many 

“The same questions could be 

applied to road signs ... if you can 

find some signs which you know you 

are likely to see during the lesson 

then you are preparing your pupil for 

what will be seen while driving.” 

years ago as he puffed away on his pipe, 

“Nobody’s ever crashed into fresh air!” 

A useful format for asking thoughtprovoking 

questions comes from the Police 

publication, Roadcraft. On approach to a 

hazard is asks the questions: 

n What can be seen? 

n What can’t be seen? 

n What may reasonably be expected to 

happen? 

Imagine you are approaching a side road; 

what can be seen could be a car waiting to 

emerge. What can’t be seen could be a second 

car waiting to emerge behind the first one, but 

not in view. 

Often the danger comes from what can’t be 

seen, rather than what can be seen, such as a 

car closely following a van coming towards you 

in a ‘meeting’ situation. 

If you have a few minutes to spare, have a 

think about how you could apply this scenario 

to another hazardous stretch of road, such as 

a sharp bend or a where there are parked cars 

narrowing the road. 

The same questions could be applied to road 

signs, for example, road narrows, school 

children or slippery surface. If you can find 

some signs which you know you are likely to 

see during the lesson then you are preparing 

your pupil for what will be seen while driving. 

You could repeat these questions while driving 

to assess if your pupil is able to put the theory 

into practice. Knowing what a road sign means 

is one thing, but knowing how act upon seeing 

it is another. 

It is important to remember that risk 

management should not be made too 

technical. It is just the process we take once 

we have identified a hazard to reduce that risk. 

Try and include it in each lesson and you’ll have 

nothing to fear once your Standards Check 

arrives. 


Towards your CPD: Teaching learners with autism 

Challenges, yes, but there is nothing to 

stop autistic people learning to drive 

The ability to drive is an essential skill for many individuals, providing them with independence 

and opportunities for social and professional development. However, teaching individuals with 

autism to drive requires a unique approach that takes into account their specific challenges and 

strengths. Here, Judy Hale, Lanark Driving Instructors Association chairperson and an MSA GB 

Scottish committee member, explores effective strategies for driving instructors when 

teaching people with autism, highlighting key considerations and recommended practices. 

Understanding autism 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a 

neurodevelopmental disorder characterised 

by challenges in social interaction, 

communication, and repetitive behaviours. 

People with autism often experience 

sensory sensitivities, difficulty with 

transitions, and a preference for routines. 

These factors can significantly impact their 

ability to learn and execute driving skills. 

Tailored instruction 

Driving instructors working with 

individuals with autism should adopt a 

personalised teaching approach that 

accommodates their unique needs and 

learning styles. Establishing a positive and 

supportive learning environment is crucial, as 

individuals with autism may face anxiety or 

difficulty with change. 

Visual supports 

Visual supports, such as visual schedules 

and diagrams, can enhance understanding 

and promote independence for individuals 

with autism. Instructors should incorporate 

visual aids into their teaching methods to 

assist with directions. 

Allowing sufficient processing time 

It is crucial for driving instructors to 

recognise that individuals with autism may 

require extra time to process instructions and 

respond to questions. 

Autism can affect processing speed and 

information assimilation. Instructors should 

practise patience and allow ample time for 

individuals with autism to understand and 

respond. Rushing or pressuring them can lead 

to increased anxiety and hinder the learning 

process. 

By allowing sufficient processing time, 

instructors create a supportive environment 

that fosters comprehension and reduces 

stress levels. 

Clear and concrete communication 

When providing instructions or 

explanations, driving instructors should use 

clear and concise language, avoiding abstract 

concepts or ambiguous terminology. 

Breaking down complex tasks into smaller, 

manageable steps can help individuals with 

autism better understand and follow 

instructions. 

Additionally, using visual aids, gestures, or 

demonstrations can enhance comprehension 

and facilitate effective communication. 

Visual modelling and practice 

As many individuals with autism are visual 

learners, incorporating visual modelling and 

practice can greatly enhance their 

understanding and skill development. 

Instructors can use videos, diagrams, or 

“ADIs should adopt a gradual 

and systematic approach when 

introducing new driving skills 

or challenging situations... 

incrementally exposing 

individuals with autism to 

various driving scenarios helps 

them develop the necessary skills 

and adapt to the changing 

environment...” 

role-playing exercises to demonstrate driving 

techniques, road scenarios, and traffic rules. 

Providing opportunities for repeated practice 

in a controlled and structured environment 

allows individuals with autism to gain 

confidence and improve their driving abilities. 

Gradual exposure and controlled progression 

Driving instructors should adopt a gradual 

and systematic approach when introducing 

new driving skills or challenging situations. 

Incrementally exposing individuals with 

autism to various driving scenarios helps 

them develop the necessary skills and adapt 

to changing environments. Breaking down 

complex skills into manageable components 

and gradually combining them fosters a sense 

of mastery and builds confidence over time. 

Conclusion 

Teaching individuals with autism to drive 

requires an understanding of their unique 

challenges and learning styles. By adopting a 

tailored approach that incorporates sensory 

considerations, visual supports, sufficient 

processing time, clear communication, 

gradual exposure, and individualised support, 

driving instructors can empower individuals 

with autism to develop the necessary skills 

and achieve driving independence. 

Creating an inclusive and supportive 

learning environment is crucial for ensuring 

their success on the road. 

TV presenter Chris 

Packham is an 

Ambassador for The 

National Autistic 

Society 



Anyone wishing to know more about teaching learners 

with autism to drive should check out the National 

Autistic Society website, at www.autism.org.uk. 

It has a section devoted to learning to drive, with some 

good advice for both pupils and ADIs. 

Another excellent source of information is a short film 

about Leicester-based ADI Julia Malkin, who many 

members will have come across during their careers. 

Julia has been diagnosed as having Asperger’s, one of 

the various conditions grouped under the autism 

banner. Her condition has not stopped her from 

becoming one of the country’s leading ADIs, and she 

has some excellent advice for her fellow instructors in 

a film that can be accessed through the National 

Autistic Society website, or via 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S93scNE94Ho 

Autism: some facts and helpful tips 

Social communication and 

social interaction challenges 

Autistic people have difficulties with 

interpreting both verbal and non-verbal 

language like gestures or tone of voice. Some 

autistic people are unable to speak or have 

limited speech while other autistic people 

have very good language skills but struggle 

to understand sarcasm or tone of voice. 

Other challenges include: 

n taking things literally and not 

understanding abstract concepts 

n needing extra time to process 

information or answer questions 

n repeating what others say to them (this 

is called echolalia) 

Autistic people also often have difficulty 

‘reading’ other people - recognising or 

understanding others’ feelings and intentions 

- and expressing their own emotions. This 

can make it very hard to navigate the social 

world. Autistic people may: 

n appear to be insensitive 

n seek out time alone when overloaded by 

other people 

n not seek comfort from other people 

n appear to behave ‘strangely’ or in a way 

thought to be socially inappropriate 

n find it hard to form friendships. 

Repetitive and restrictive behaviour 

With its unwritten rules, the world can 

seem a very unpredictable and confusing 

place to autistic people. This is why they 

often prefer to have routines so that they 

know what is going to happen. They may 

want to travel the same way to and from 

school or work, wear the same clothes or eat 

exactly the same food for breakfast. 

Autistic people may also repeat 

movements such as hand flapping, rocking or 

the repetitive use of an object such as 

twirling a pen or opening and closing a door. 

Autistic people often engage in these 

behaviours to help calm themselves when they 

are stressed or anxious, but many autistic 

people do it because they find it enjoyable. 

Change to routine can also be very 

distressing for autistic people and make them 

very anxious. It could be having to adjust to 

big events like Christmas or changing 

schools, facing uncertainty at work, or 

something simpler like a bus detour that can 

trigger their anxiety. 

Over- or under-sensitivity to light, sound, 

taste or touch 

Autistic people may experience over- or 

under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, 

smells, light, colours, temperatures or pain. For 

example, they may find certain background 

sounds like music in a restaurant, which other 

people ignore or block out, unbearably loud or 

distracting. This can cause anxiety or even 

physical pain. Many autistic people prefer not 

to hug due to discomfort, which can be 

misinterpreted as being cold and aloof. 

Many autistic people avoid everyday 

situations because of their sensitivity issues. 

Schools, workplaces and shopping centres 

can be particularly overwhelming and cause 

sensory overload. There are many simple 

adjustments that can be made to make 

environments more autism-friendly. 

Extreme anxiety 

It is important that ADIs are aware that 

anxiety is a real difficulty for many autistic 

people, particularly in social situations or 

when facing change. It can affect a person 

psychologically and physically and impact 

quality of life for autistic people and their 

families. 

It is very important that autistic people 

learn to recognise their triggers and find 

coping mechanisms to help reduce their 

anxiety. 

Meltdowns and shutdowns 

When everything becomes too much for 

an autistic person, they can go into meltdown 

or shutdown. These are very intense and 

exhausting experiences. 

A meltdown happens when someone 

becomes completely overwhelmed by their 

current situation and temporarily loses 

behavioural control. This loss of control can 

be verbal (eg, shouting, screaming, crying) or 

physical (eg, kicking, lashing out, biting), or 

both. 

Meltdowns in children are often mistaken 

for temper tantrums and parents and their 

autistic children often experience hurtful 

comments and judgmental stares from less 

understanding members of the public. 

A shutdown appears less intense to the 

outside world but can be equally debilitating. 

Shutdowns are also a response to being 

overwhelmed, but may appear more passive 

- eg, an autistic person going quiet or 

‘switching off’. One autistic woman described 

having a shutdown as: “Just as frustrating as 

a meltdown, because of not being able to 

figure out how to react how I want to, or not 

being able to react at all; there isn’t any 

‘figuring out’ because the mind feels like it is 

past a state of being able to interpret.” 


Comment 

In the debate over 

graduated licences, 

is it time to bring the 

parents in for a lesson? 

Janet 

Stewart 

London & the 

South East 

I listened to, and to a small extent took part in, 

an online debate recently on the possible 

introduction of Graduated Driving Licences. 

Just to be clear, we already have graduated 

licences in as much as for the first two years 

after passing the L-test, the new driver is on 

a kind-of probation and must avoid getting 

six penalty points. 

That said, it is, of course, a “passive” 

graduation. The new driver does not have to 

do anything positive but rather has to avoid 

doing anything negative. 

The Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995, 

introduced this probationary period and I 

make a point of telling my learners that 

passing their test does not mean that they 

are “a done deal”, but that they are now 

considered competent to continue their 

on-road learning unsupervised. 

However, for the vast majority of them this 

piece of information will pass them by 

because, as far as they are concerned, there 

is nothing beyond this licence. 

But there are now moves being made to 

amend this law so that changes can be made 

in the future, should any be required. 

It is very difficult to change the law on any 

matter and, except in cases of national 

emergency, takes a long time. Many of us 

will remember the changes that were 

brought in with regard to manoeuvres on 

test. Because DVSA wanted to bring in two 

new manoeuvres they had to drop two 

others because they could do that without a 

change in the law. 

So, if we are going to move towards GDLs 

with effective components, what would we 

as ADIs like to see? The usual suggestions are 

restrictions on the number of passengers, 

restrictions on driving at night, lower blood 

alcohol levels, etc. All of these would need to 

be monitored or policed and objections have 

always been raised in the past. 

One of the most frequent objections 

historically has been that restrictions on 

driving at night would penalise young people 

working shifts or working in hospitality while 

at college. 

Should we introduce a minimum learning 

period? Should the age for licence acquisition 

be raised to 18? This would undoubtedly 

“I always say that I welcome 

and encourage parents to sit in 

the back of the car on a lesson. 

This offer is hardly ever taken 

up. Indeed, I have had parents 

quite affronted and had the 

response that they already 

know how to drive...” 

cause uproar and, if it were to be introduced, 

it would need to be done over time, say from 

17 to 17 and 3 months, then 17 and six 

months, etc. However, it might help with the 

backlog on driving test availability. 

We have known for many years that the 

brain does not develop good risk awareness 

until the early 20s so raising the age to start 

driving might help in this regard. 

On more than one occasion, including at 

this seminar, I have raised the possibility of 

re-vamping Pass Plus. It is already in place, 

does not require a change in the law and 

could quite easily be enhanced. Two of the 

danger areas for new drivers – night driving 

and rural roads - are already part of the 

course. My suggestion is that Pass Plus be 

taken within six months of passing the 

L-test. For a driver who is reasonably 

competent a further six hours of training 

should not be unduly onerous. 

Very few pupils take Pass Plus now 

because all they are interested in is a 

reduction in their insurance costs and this is 

no longer the boon that it once was. They do 

not grasp that taking the modules would 

make them a safer driver. 

I used to do quite a lot of au pair 

assessments and was asked on one occasion 

if I could provide some actual tuition in 

addition to an assessment and familiarisation 

with the local area. The young woman in 

question was Swiss. She had passed her 

driving test but wanted me to prepare her for 

the extra hours required. 

In Switzerland, when the L test has been 

passed, the driver receives a probationary 

licence which is valid for three years. During 

this period the driver must attend two 

one-day training courses at an authorised 

private test centre, the first within the first 

six months and the second before the expiry 

of the three year period. 

At the end of three years, the full licence is 

issued. 

In Sweden parents of learner drivers have 

to attend a mandatory seminar. That got me 

thinking, should we be doing more to involve 

parents? In principle my view would be that 

we should involve parents as much as 

possible but most of them seem not to want 


Should we ask dad or mum to 

join us on a lesson, so they 

can see how their offspring 

are getting along? 

“We all know that, subliminally, parents have been ‘teaching’ 

their offspring to drive since the day they brought baby home 

from hospital. We need to make more of a big deal of learning 

to drive, and by doing so we might just reduce the numbers of 

young drivers being killed each year...” 

to be involved. I do not hand out copies of the 

National Standards when I start teaching: 

perhaps I should. 

However, I am fairly certain that the 

information and booklets that I do hand out in 

a little starter pack never come out of the 

folder even though I run through what is 

there and suggest to my pupils that they go 

through it with their parents. 

I always say that I welcome and encourage 

parents to sit in the back of the car on a 

lesson. This offer is hardly ever taken up. 

Indeed, I have had parents quite affronted and 

had the response that they already know 

how to drive and are too busy. 

We all know that, subliminally, parents 

have been ‘teaching’ their offspring to drive 

since the day they brought baby home from 

hospital. We need to make more of a big deal 

of learning to drive and by doing so we might 

just reduce the numbers of young drivers 

being killed each year. 

Over time, I suspect that my cynicism has 

increased and this online seminar made me 

decide to renew my efforts and change my 

approach. 

I am still told by the parents that they want 

their son/daughter to pass the test as 

quickly and as cheaply as possible. 

I have become weary of challenging this 

attitude so my ‘memo to self’ says ‘could do 

better’. 

The chances of any change in the law 

making it mandatory for parents or guardians 

to be involved in the process is pie in the sky, 

but we ADIs can at least try. 


Area News 

No sitting idle as Neil pens book to 

help ADIs handle standards checks 

Mike Yeomans 

Chairman, 

MSA GB 

I recently had chance to catch up with one of 

our MSA GB East Coast Area members after 

reading his newly published book, Untwisting 

the Road to Success. It was written by Neil 

Wightman, who comes from Hinckley, in 

Leicestershire. I thought it might be 

interesting to find out what a determined ADI 

did, starting with making the best out of 

lockdown. The interview was conducted over 

a Zoom meeting and Neil kindly produced 

some notes of the discussion. 

The Covid-19 pandemic undoubtedly had a 

significant impact on businesses, including 

on driving schools. With the inability to 

operate normally, revenue was drastically 

reduced, leading to widespread concern for 

everyone involved in the industry. 

This challenging situation prompted several 

important questions: 

n What should be our next steps? 

n How can we maintain demand for 

our services? 

n What are the implications for the 

driving school industry as a whole? 

n What does this mean for our students? 

n How can we keep them motivated? 

n What measures can we take to support 

them during this time? 

In response to these pressing concerns, 

our team at the driving school engaged in 

rigorous brainstorming sessions. Thanks to 

advancements in technology, we were able 

to hold online meetings using platforms like 

Zoom to collaborate efficiently with our 

fellow instructors. 

Through these discussions, we worked 

diligently to develop strategies that would 

help us navigate these unprecedented 

circumstances and ultimately ensure the 

continued success of our driving school. 

As a team of dedicated instructors, we 

collectively decided to offer complimentary 

online sessions to our students, focusing 

on theory practice and introductory 

presentations on various road scenarios. 

These sessions were designed to help 

students think critically about how they 

would handle different situations once they 

passed their driving test and began driving 

independently. 

To streamline communication and 

facilitate scheduling, we established a 

WhatsApp group for our students, where 

we shared information about upcoming 

presentation dates and times. Although 

the initial response to these sessions was 

modest, participation gradually increased, 

even as students continued to juggle their 

online school lessons. 

Some of our instructors, including 

myself, had connections with well-known 

professionals in the industry, such as 

James Evans. By sharing our innovative 

approach of conducting online sessions 

with James, we were able to obtain 

valuable feedback and further refine our 

offerings. 

Ultimately, our students expressed 

gratitude for our continued support and 

commitment to their education during 

Neil outside his home: ‘I realised 

during the lockdown that staying 

idle was not an option for me’ 

those uncertain times, which in turn, 

bolstered our reputation and standing 

within the industry. 

The next step for me 

During this challenging period, I realised 

that staying idle was not an option for me, 

as it could adversely affect my mental 

well-being. I felt compelled to take on a 

new project to remain productive and 

engaged. 

Thus, I decided to write a book focusing 

on the standards check, a topic of great 

importance to driving instructors and 

potential driving instructors. 

Although there were already books 

available on this subject, I sought to create 

something that would be seen as unique 

and more engaging. This led me to the idea 

of developing a comprehensive manual 

complemented by instructional videos, 

which would provide a multimedia learning 

experience for instructors and PDIs. 

By authoring this manual, I was able to 

leverage my own expertise and 

understanding of the standards check, 

presenting the information in a manner 

that resonated with my personal teaching 

style. 

This project not only helped me stay 

active and focused during a difficult time, 

but it also allowed me to contribute to the 

professional development of my fellow 

instructors and PDIs in a meaningful and 

innovative way. 

Embarking on the book project was 

indeed a formidable challenge. I had a clear 

vision of what I wanted to include, but 

determining where and how to begin was 

not as straightforward. My starting point 

was to focus on the 17 competencies, 

asking myself the crucial question: How do 

I understand and interpret each of these 

competencies? 

With this in mind, I devoted the first 17 

pages of the book to thoroughly exploring 

each competency, striving to provide a 



Neil Wightman with 

a copy of his book, 

Untwisting the Road 

to Success 

“I aimed to create a more 

interactive and engaging 

learning experience for ADIs 

and PDIs, allowing them to put 

theory into practice and 

further develop their skills.” 

clear and comprehensive understanding 

for the readers. 

Simultaneously, I had to conceptualise 

the accompanying videos, even though 

filming them was not yet feasible. This 

multi-faceted approach demanded a 

significant amount of time and effort, 

giving me a newfound appreciation for the 

dedication and perseverance required by 

authors to complete their work. 

As the project progressed, I realised that 

additional content was necessary to make 

the book more comprehensive. I decided to 

include practical exercises based on the 

National Standards for driving instructors, 

providing readers with an opportunity to 

apply the concepts and principles 

discussed in the book. 

By incorporating these exercises, I aimed 

to create a more interactive and engaging 

learning experience for driving instructors 

and PDIs, allowing them to put theory into 

practice and further develop their skills. 

The combination of written content, video 

resources, and practical exercises set my 

book apart from others in the field and 

offered a valuable, well-rounded resource 

for professionals in the driving instruction 

industry. 

The book’s creative process was not a 

linear progression from one chapter to 

another. Instead, I first developed the 

content in its entirety and then rearranged 

it into a cohesive and well-structured final 

edition, ready for general sale. 

Throughout the writing and editing 

process, I received invaluable assistance 

and guidance from an exceptional 

publisher. Their expertise helped me refine 

and polish the manuscript, ensuring that it 

met the highest standards of quality. 

The entire process took over a year to 

complete, reflecting the time and 

dedication required to bring this ambitious 

project to fruition. 

Once the lockdown restrictions eased, I 

was finally able to produce the 

accompanying videos, thanks to the 

generous collaboration of a student I was 

teaching at the time. This partnership 

allowed the filming process to feel 

authentic and unscripted, capturing the 

genuine interactions and learning 

experiences between instructor and 

student. 

The final product—a comprehensive, 

professionally published book supported 

by instructional videos and practical 

exercises—offers a unique and valuable 

resource for driving instructors and PDIs, 

enhancing their understanding and 

application of the 17 competencies and 

National Standards for driving instructors. 

Copies of Neil’s book, Untwisting the Road 

to Success, are available from Amazon. 


Area News 

When in France... find out how 

the French teach driving! 

West Coast & Wales Chairman 

Arthur Mynott takes a look at 

driving schools in France in 

the classic definition of a 

busman’s holiday... 

Hi everyone. Last month in my 

musings from my holiday over the 

Channel I touched on learning to 

drive in France and said I would find 

out about the differences between 

our two countries in this issue. 

Well, after a lot of searching I have 

found that there are a few such 

differences so I have described the process 

of learning to drive in France below. 

The early driver scheme is named 

Apprentissage anticipé de la conduit. 

You can actually begin the process of 

learning to drive in France from the age of 15 

if certain criteria are met. First, learners need 

to apply for a provisional driving permit and 

to do this they need a certificate to prove that 

they have passed the ASSR or ASR2 (a Road 

Safety Certificate taken during school time 

after a theoretical knowledge course). 

They then need to sign up with a registered 

driving school for an ‘evaluation of 

knowledge.’ If successful, then they must 

follow a course of a minimum of 20 hours 

driving practice with the school before taking 

a general theory test (ETG) which, if passed, 

they receive a certificate which is valid for 

five years. 

To start the early learning phase of driving 

they must meet the following criteria. They 

must: 

n Be at least 15 years of age. 

n Pass the theory test. 

n Obtain an AFFI, which is a certificate of 

completion of initial training (a minimum of 2 

“During the driving period the 

learner must participate in at 

least two educational events 

each lasting at least three hours, 

the second when they have 

driven at least 3,000 km 

(1,875 miles).” 

hours with a driving instructor and in the 

presence of at least one accompanying 

person). 

n Have car insurance in place. 

During the driving period the learner must 

participate in at least two educational events 

each lasting at least three hours, the first 

appointment taking place between 4 and 6 

months after the issue of the AFFI, the 

second when they have driven at least 3,000 

km (1875 miles). 

They must also drive for a minimum of one 

year, on all types of roads including 

motorways and observe reduced speed 

limits which are generally 10km/hour less 

than the norm, and carry a badge on the rear 

left of the vehicle as in the photo below. 

At 17 they can then take the practical test 

(Examen Du Permis De Conduite) and if 

successful will receive their CRC (driver 

licence examination certificate) by email. 

The driving test itself is very similar to ours 

but the candidate will also have to answer 

questions relating to first aid. 

The test result is available online 48 hours 

after the test and will either say ‘Favourable’ 

or ‘Insufficient’ with the reasons for failing. If 

‘Favourable’ then they have to apply online 

for their new licence. 

Importantly, the new driver must still have 

an accompanying driver in the car while 

driving until they reach 18 years of age and 

MUST also display an ‘A’ sticker on the rear of 

the vehicle for 3 years after passing, or two 

years if they had an accompanying driver 

while learning. 

One other difference is that in France 

driving instructors are only allowed to 

operate through state-recognised driving 

schools, unlike here where we are mainly 

independent businesses. This sector is one of 

the country’s protected professions, 

effectively making it closed to the free 

market and competitive pricing, meaning 

lessons are almost double the price of those 

here. 

The classic driving school offer starts at 20 

hours of driving tuition plus registration with 

the prefecture and test application. The 

average cost of this package and, assuming 

you pass first time, is around €1300 Euros; 

however, if you need the recommended 40 

hours of tuition the bill is significantly higher. 

As you can see there are quite a few 



differences in learning to drive between our 

two countries but does it make a difference? 

In the crucial KSI statistics for the 18-24 age 

group in 2021, it would seem not very much; 

the figures for UK and France are very similar. 

The graphs on 20-21 highlight this. 

I will have a look at some other countries’ 

differences regarding driving lessons at some 

point when I have an afternoon to relax! 

West Coast and Wales Training Event 

Finally, a reminder. You should have 

received details via email or on the MSA GB 

App about the West Coast and Wales Area 

Event taking place on November 9th at the 

Gloucester Robinswood Hotel, Gloucester. 

The speakers confirmed are: 

n John Sheridan, DVSA Driver Training 

Policy Manager, 

n Sue Robertson, ADI Examiner, 

n Haydn Jenkins, Disability Driving 

Instructors, 

n Amy Hartley from FBTC Accountants, 

n Mike Yeomans, Chairman MSA GB and 

n Peter Harvey MBE, MSA GB 

Vice-Chairman. 

Cycle groups issue plea for help 

over chronic pothole problems 

RoadSmart and Cycling UK have issued a 

‘pothole plea’ to central government to 

prioritise residents’ safety by providing 

funding to local councils to repair defective 

roads, ‘as a matter of urgency’. 

IAM RoadSmart claims to have ‘outed’ the 

‘pothole plagued regions where cyclists are 

most likely to encounter cavities in the road’ 

– with Surrey and Hampshire topping the 

list. 

Research suggests that there have been 

‘a staggering’ 196,762 cases of hazardous 

holes in the road reported by cyclists on 

Cycling UK’s ‘Fill That Hole’ feature, which 

allows cyclists to report potholes and other 

road defects to local councils. 

IAM RoadSmart says this equates to, on 

average, a defect every 110 metres of UK 

roads. Of this number, only one in five (22%) 

have been reported as repaired by local 

highway authorities. 

With 10,624 reports of potholes, Surrey is 

the highway authority where people cycling 

are most likely to report road defects, while 

Hampshire follows behind with 6,692. 

Respectively, only 14% and 15% of these 

holes have been reported as fixed. 

IAM RoadSmart says cyclists in Essex and 

Lancashire have also ‘fallen victim to 

Britain’s crumbling roads’, with 4,961 and 

4,741 holes in the road respectively being 

reported, and only 20% of these being fixed 

in both regions. 

By comparison, cyclists in Hartlepool have 

had a comparatively smooth ride, with just 

51 instances reported of holes in the road, all 

of which have been fixed by the local council. 

Similarly, in the Royal Borough of Kensington 

& Chelsea, there have been just 178 reports 

of potholes; 80% were dealt with. 

Neil Greig, director of policy and research 

at IAM RoadSmart, said: “The inconvenience 

and risks potholes pose to motorists is 

well-documented, but the threat to cyclists 

is often overlooked. Even when travelling at 

a relatively slow pace, a pothole can 

seriously unbalance a cyclist, leading them 

to veer out into oncoming traffic, or suffer a 

nasty fall. 

“These figures demonstrate just how 

prevalent the pothole problem is. There is 

clearly something of a postcode lottery, as 

some local councils do better than others. 

There are some who are risking the safety, 

and even lives, of cyclists.” 

Keir Gallagher, campaigns manager at 

Cycling UK, added: “However you travel on 

UK roads, your journey is likely to be blighted 

by potholes. When we’re cycling the danger 

is much more real than when we drive. 

“Cycling UK has tried to help councils 

locate the problem areas to fix them. 

However, the real problem is the continued 

lack of serious, long-term investment in 

local road maintenance by government. 

“We will not solve the pothole problem 

with occasional small fry announcements 

like we saw in the last budget.” 

There will also be stands from Driving 

Instructor Services and GoRoadie, as well as 

a couple of electric vehicles available for test 

drives courtesy of Cleevely Motors from 

Cheltenham. 

The cost of this event is £40 for members 

if paid before 20th September, £45 after this 

date and for non-members. 

The price includes a two-course buffet 

lunch and tea/coffee/snacks will be available 

throughout the day. 

Doors will open at 9.00 for a 9.30 start and 

the day should finish around 4.00. To book, 

please contact me on the details below. 

Until next time, Au Revoir. 

More on the conference from Arthur via 

Tel 07989852274 

Email arthur.mynott@msagb.com 


Area News 

Dumbing down the speeding laws: Are we 

as guilty – or is this just the French way? 

John Lomas 

MSA GB 

West Coast 

& Wales 

In the June issue of Newslink there was a 

short article on a change to the French 

motoring laws that had caused a spot of 

rancour. 

It appears that our Gallic friends are going 

to stop giving points (or, for accuracy, taking 

away points from drivers, as their system of 

licence endorsement is completely the 

opposite to ours ... feel free to say ‘well, who’d 

have thought it...!) to speeders if they are 

only a few km/h over the speed limit. 

It’s a move that has been heavily criticised 

by many within the country’s road safety 

community, suggesting that it downplays the 

significance of speeding. 

Two thoughts struck me. One is, could it be 

we do the same here? After all, we all know 

that speed cameras are triggered at 10 per 

cent over the speed limit, plus a mile extra, so 

that could in effect be a similar attitude to 

France’s new one. 

Or it could also be that France’s cameras 

are built to do the same as ours, and don’t 

trigger unless you are comfortably above the 

set limit. So in a 50km/h zone you get 10 per 

cent (5), plus 1-2 km/h (adding up to 6-7 

km/h), plus whatever the authorities now 

allow, so in effect, driving at 60+km/h in a 50 

zone could be fine. 

I’m not sure what the law says. What I do 

know is that France has form for this kind of 

thing when it comes to diluting road safety 

law, in the form of drink-driving bans. 

The French have a category of car that 

anyone aged 14 or over can drive without a 

licence. It’s known by a variety of names – 

voiturettes (little cars), light quadricycles and, 

even, pots de yaourt (yoghurt pots). Of 

course, some drivers get themselves a 

voiturette when their licence gets suspended 

– and this has raised eyebrows, with some 

wags dubbing it the voiture des alcoolos. 

I can remember that in Oswaldtwistle we 

had a dealer who sold these. 

Highway Code’s road user hierarchy 

I have commented previously about the 

The modern Aixam: An urban city 

car that is proud of its ‘sans 

permit’ (licence free) status 

frequency or rarity of drivers complying with 

this for me. I am now counting just how many 

times it’s ignored. 

As a pedestrian it would appear that on 

average three-four vehicles may pass by 

before someone complies with the new rules 

of giving way to the vulnerable road user. 

On the scooter I use, when on the road, I 

make full use of my mirrors, signals and 

observations and am quite willing to yield to 

oncoming or overtaking vehicles, which I feel 

is less likely to be frustrating for them. 

Most of my crossings from pavement to 

pavement is done at lights or crossings of 

various types, whenever possible. At plain 

dropped kerbs I find about two-three non 

compliers with the rules. 

May I suggest that you start checking how 

much it affects you when walking/crossing 

and perhaps also asking our pupils to take 

note as well. 

We could then present some average 

“Some drivers get themselves 

a voiturette when their licence 

gets suspended – and this has 

raised eyebrows, with some 

wags dubbing it the 

voiture des alcoolos...” 

figures to the Department for Transport. It 

may also reinforce the importance of the 

hierarchy to your pupils. 

Something else I have found are junctions 

where parts of the crossing arrangements 

include textured pavings and drop kerb 

access but they don’t have pelican crossings. 

There are some larger junction with a centre 

of the road island which is not large enough 

for my scooter to sit on in safety; it either 

protrudes to the front or back if you got 

caught out by the traffic starting to move. 

I decided to take up the cudgels on this 

case. Below is an email I have recently sent to 

the local council. As you can see, I haven’t 

forgotten how to wield the stirring stick. 

It reads: 

‘As a recentlty started mobility scooter 

user I have found there are junctions 

where parts of the crossing arrangements 

include textured pavings and drop kerb 

access, yet they don’t have buttons and 

red/green lights. I have attached links to a 

couple of examples. 

‘The Moonraker junction includes a centre 

of the road island which is not large enough 

for my scooter to be protected by it, as it 

would either protrude at front or back if I 

got caught out by the traffic starting to 

move. 

‘The Station Rd junction is actually a quite 

important pedestrian access to the town 

centre as the south side of Lowbridge is 

the only one with a direct and relatively 

quick access across Great Western Way at 

the former TK Max roundabout. 

‘Pedestrians can often speed up if they get 

caught out by traffic suddenly moving, but 

this is not really an option for a mobility 

scooter user because there will usually be 

a sharp L or R turn onto the pavement. 

‘For your information I spent 44 yrs as a 

driving instructor so am not someone 

without road safety knowledge, and I still 

have a regular column in a trade press 

publication in which I regularly feature 

articles about poor signage, etc. 

‘Experience tells me that if I have found 

these 2 examples in about 2-3 months 

then there will probably be many more 

around the borough. 

‘It is interesting that about 200yds from 

the Station Rd Junction there is a traffic 

light controlled Bus Gate which I am sure 



has very rarely had a bus from each 

direction at the same time.’ 

I’ll let you know if I get a response. 

Spotted on Facebook 

A former North West committee member, 

Robert Massey, has recently posted these 

comments. I knew this would happen at 

some point... 

He writes: “Travelling on Rope Lane 

towards Shavington, 28-30mph, and we get 

overtaken by a Hoodie on his electric scooter 

doing about 35mph. 

“About 3 weeks ago a guy on his electric 

bicycle trying to overtake me on Wellington 

Rd Nantwich but oncoming prevented him 

from doing so. This is getting ridiculous.” 

He then added... 

2) Follow up to Saturday’s post. Just seen 

the same guy on his electric scooter with 

three mates on electric bikes come flying off 

Waterlode Rd into Snow Hill car park which is 

packed with vehicles and pedestrians. 

Swearing and hurling abuse at anyone who 

got in their way.” 

A former pupil joined in the conversation, 

responding thus: “Same yesterday, I was 

stuck behind 2 teenagers on a scooter 

purposely swerving in and out so I couldn’t 

get past.” 

Perhaps as ADIs we need to add our voices 

to the campaigns to ban these idiots on these 

dangerous machines... but they would have to 

be licensed in order to do that (see right...) 

I’ll be careful how I put this, and it is purely 

speculation, but I wonder if the recent 

tragedies were caused by similar behaviour. 

Of course, youngsters are more likely to panic 

if being followed by a police vehicle, even if 

the sirens and lights aren’t going; whereas 

the more mature of us are just aware the 

police are there and watch out in case they 

change their status. 

Call for electric bikes to meet 

legal standards of other PTWs 

Electric bikes must have number plates and 

insurance in order for pedestrians to be safe, 

Conservative MPs and the industry have 

said. 

They want them to be regulated in the 

same way as other vehicles, given the 

damage they can do if they hit someone. 

E-bikes can weigh twice as much as a 

conventional bicycle and, while most cannot 

travel faster than 15.5mph by law, some have 

been modified to go much faster. 

Children are allowed to ride them from the 

age of 14. 

Ian Stewart, chairman of the Commons 

Transport Select Committee, told the Mail on 

Sunday: “There is a case for looking at 

insurance arrangements. 

“I don’t think the regulations are a good fit 

for new technologies. 

“It’s not just e-bikes, there are issues with 

e-scooters and driver-assist/self-driving 

technology increasingly embedded in cars.” 

Fellow committee member Greg Smith 

said: “With more types of vehicle competing 

for road space, it is only fair that all users are 

treated equally. 

“E-bikes and e-scooters can achieve 

considerable speeds and cause damage to 

other vehicles and injure people, so should 

have to carry the same insurance 

requirements and tax liabilities as users of 

motor cars.” 

Tony Campbell, chief executive of the 

Motor Cycle Industry Association, which 

represents the sector, called for new laws to 

include anti-tampering measures to outlaw 

e-bikes being modified for faster speeds, 

telling the paper: “We are in favour of 

reviewing regulation as it is clear it is 

outdated.” 

The calls come after Saul Cookson, 15, died 

when his e-bike crashed into an ambulance 

shortly after being followed by police in 

Salford, Greater Manchester, on Thursday. 

An elderly woman in Ireland has died following 

a collision with an e-scooter. 

The woman, aged in her 80s, was involved 

in the collision on Eccles Street in Dublin 7 

around 3pm on 27 June. She was taken to the 

Mater Misericordiae University Hospital 

where she has since died. 

A male was arrested and questioned 

One of 500 e-bikes that can be hired by the 

public in London 

Last month, Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey 

Evans, 15, were killed in Cardiff when riding a 

Sur-Ron electric bicycle through the Ely area 

of the city. 

Claims they were being pursued by police 

sparked a riot in the area. 

The potential danger of e-bikes were raised 

in a court case in 2020 following the death of 

56-year-old pedestrian Sakine Cihan in 

August 2018, after she was knocked down 

and killed by a rider in Dalston, east London. 

Thomas Hanlon was bought before the Old 

Bailey accused of causing her death by 

careless driving in what was believed to be 

the first case of its kind, but was cleared by a 

jury. 

A Department for Transport spokesperson 

said: “There are strict laws in place around 

dangerous cycling and police have the power 

to prosecute if these are broken. 

“While it is heavier vehicles that lead to 

increased maintenance costs by damaging 

roads, local highways are funded through 

general taxation which falls on all taxpayers, 

including those who cycle.” 

Woman dies after e-scooter crash 

before being released pending a file being 

sent to the DPP. 

Gardai have appealed to anyone who may 

have witnessed the collision to come forward. 

“Any road users who were travelling in the 

area with camera footage (including 

dashcam), is asked to make this available to 

the investigation team,” a spokesperson said. 


Area News 

For an ADI... A normal day out 

Potato harvester (approx. 16 

meters long, minus tractor) 

Brian 

Thomson 

MSA GB Scotland 

My day on June 10 started as normal: alarm 

goes off at 7.04am and I’m ready for my first 

lesson just before 9am. Only three students 

on the Saturday, two one-hour lessons and 

one two-hour, finishing at 1.30pm. 

It just so happens that the weekend of the 

9-11 June is the Angus show, which is held in 

a large field just outside Brechin, about eight 

miles from where I work. By 2pm I had the car 

parked and was making my way to the show 

ground. I did think it would be a good turnout 

as it was a roaster of a day bringing people 

from all walks of life out to enjoy. 

Like a lot of the shows all over the country 

at this time of year, it’s mainly agricultural 

related, with tractors of massive proportions 

and equally massive implements to fit to 

them, vintage tractors and the biggest local 

display of beautiful lorries seen in one place. 

I usually have an initial wander around 

seeing what’s bigger and more complicated 

looking than last year, before a nostalgic walk 

around the vintage tractor display and then 

rummaging through the stands that sell car 

cleaning products. 

As you can see from these photos, some of 

the implements used are getting really 

massive to attach behind, in front, and even 

round the side of a tractor. It makes for a 

really long or wide vehicle and means that 

when we meet one on a country road, there’s 

a good chance a student will go into meltdown! 

Away from the industrial machinery, 

another event that draws large crowds is the 

sheepshearing competition. Local shearers 

of various levels of experience compete 

against the clock but also on quality of work; 

the fastest shearer may be penalised due to 

poorly shorn sheep or flesh cuts losing them 

marks. 

They have different numbers of sheep to 

handle ranging from 4 to 6, and they can look 

quite a handful as some of the sheep can be 

pretty “sprightly”. 

So having mesmerised myself with the 

size and complexity of the stuff on show, 

trying hard not to have a burger and onions 

(failed miserably), I came across a stand that 

was allowing a ‘hands on’ trial of a virtual fork 

lift loader. You sit on the machine housed in 

the back of a van and using all the control you 

would require for the real thing, you offload 

bundles of timber and stack them on the 

ground. Now, as I was watching this being 

carried out, I noticed that the advertising 

boards around it had ‘car’ pictures on. 

A grain drill machine 

On speaking to Graham, one of the 

salesmen there, he said they use the system 

for ‘junior training’ of 15/16 year olds on the 

operation of loaders and forklifts or other 

types of machinery prior to them attending 

agricultural college and getting hands on, 

when any errors can be costly. 

I asked what features they had for car 

driving and the list was really extensive: 

moving off, steering, general road driving, (it 

can be on quiet roads or they can make it 

busy). 

“Would you like to try it?” he said. “Does a 

duck’s bill move on a Tuesday” says I, and was 

in the driving seat in a flash under the 

watchful eye of Andrew who tells me they 

have only just purchased the machine. Indeed 

it was so new that they have it in a hired van 

for the show but they were getting their own 

trailer during the week to house two units 

and take it round various shows and events 

promoting its use. 

Looking through the options, I went for 

‘Reversing round a corner’. It has to be in 

neutral before it will start. Setting reverse is 

like in a Volkswagen, push it down and over. 

There’s a camera mounted at the top of the 

middle screen that follows your head 

movements so where you think you’re 

looking is what you’ll see. You can even set 

the two mirrors to allow you to see along the 

side of the car as we would do normally. 

So off I set. Immediately a warning that 

‘You have stalled’ displays. How can I stall a 



Pacing this out to over 18 meters, (don’t know what it’s used for !!) 

Shearers are marked for speed 

– and quality of finished product! 

virtual car? In turns out you have to press the 

handbrake off before it moves. Attempt 

number two was better. You feel the system 

taking the “bite” and the steering is tight 

enough to prevent you oversteering. Looking 

over my shoulder and I see the road I’m 

reversing into, job done, so I move out to drive 

away and even after only a short time on the 

machine I’m looking right and left at the end 

of the road (no virtual headset) to ensure 

nothing is coming. 

This unit could be really useful in schools 

where students could have a feel for the 

driving before they set foot in a driving school 

car for the first lesson. 

Once the guys have their own trailer and 

the second unit fitted up, I will certainly be 

trying to get it to some of our local schools or 

at one of our association meetings, where I’m 

sure we will have loads of students trying it 

out. 

The simulator could offer a great insight into 

driving for younger drivers below the age of 

17... and local colleges, schools and ADI 

assocations would love to get a go in it 


Members’ benefits 

Members’ discounts and benefits 

MSA GB has organised a number of exclusive discounts and offers for members. More details can be found on our website at www.msagb.com 

and click on the Member Discounts logo. To access these benefits, simply log in and click on the Member discount logo, then click the link at the 

bottom of the page to allow you to obtain your special discounts. 

Please note, non-members will be required to join the association first. Terms and conditions apply 

Ford updates special offer 

for MSA GB members 

Some exciting news for members: Ford has partnered with MSA 

GB to offer exclusive discounts on all car and commercial Ford 

vehicles. 

Take a look at the Ford website www.ford.co.uk for vehicle and 

specification information. 

For further information, to view frequently asked questions, to 

request a quote and to access the member discount codes, please 

go to the Members’ Benefits page on the MSA GB website and 

follow the Ford link. 

Please note these discounts are only available to MSA GB 

members and their immediate family if they are members who 

pay annually. 

ACCOUNTANCY 

MSA GB’s Recommended 

Accountancy Service, FBTC 

offers a specialist service for 

driving instructors. 

It has been established over 20 

years ago and covers the whole of the 

UK. The team takes pride in providing unlimited 

advice and support to ensure the completion of 

your tax return is hassle free, giving you peace 

of mind. 

MSA GB OFFER:: FBTC will prepare you for 

Making Tax Digital and will be providing HMRC 

compliant software to all clients very soon. 

Join now to receive three months free. 

ADVANCE DRIVING 

AND RIDING 

As the UK’s largest 

road safety charity, IAM 

RoadSmart is proud to 

partner with the Motor Schools 

Association GB. Working together to 

promote and enhance motorists skills on our 

roads. 

MSA GB OFFER:: Get 10% off Advanced courses; 

visit www.iamroadsmart.com/course and 

use the code MSA10 at the checkout or call 

0300 303 1134 to book. 

CAR AIR FRESHENERS / CANDLES 

Mandles’ handmade scented 

collections use quality 

ingredients to ensure 

superior scent throw from 

all its candles and diffusers. 

Check our our website for 

further details. 

MSA GB OFFER:: Special discount 

of 20% on all car air fresheners and refills. 

CARD PAYMENTS 

MSA GB and SumUp believe 

in supporting motor vehicle 

trainers of all shapes and sizes. 

Together we are on a mission to 

ease the operational workload of 

our members by providing them 

with the ability to take card payments on-thego 

or in their respective training centres. SumUp 

readers are durable and user-friendly. Their 

paperless onboarding is quick and efficient. 

Moreover, their offer comes with no monthly 

subscription, no contractual agreement, no 

support fees, no hidden fees – just the one-off 

cost for the reader coupled with lowest on the 

market transaction fee. 

To get the full story of the 

discounts available, see 

www.msagb.com 

DISABILITY AIDS 

Driving shouldn’t just be a 

privilege for people without 

disabilities; it should be 

accessible for all and there’s 

never been an easier time to make 

this the case! MSA GB members can take 

advantage of BAS’s Driving Instructor Packages 

which include a range of adaptations at a 

discounted price, suitable for teaching disabled 

learner drivers. 

MSA GB OFFER:: Special Driving Instructor 

Packages for MSA GB members. 

HEALTH / FINANCE COVER 

The Motor Schools Association of 

Great Britain has agreed with 

HMCA to offer discounted rates 

for medical plans, dental plan, 

hospital cash plans, personal 

accident plan, travel plan, income 

protection and vehicle breakdown 

products. 

MSA GB OFFER:: HMCA only offer medical plans 

to membership groups and can offer up to a 

40% discount off the underwriter’s standard 

rates. This is a comprehensive plan which 

provides generous cash benefits for surgery 

and other charges. 



PUPIL INSURANCE 

Help your pupils private 

practice by signing them up to 

Collingwood’s instructor affiliate 

programme. 

MSA GB OFFER:: MSA GB OFFER:: referral and a 

chance to win £100 of High Street vouchers! 

PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING 

Confident Drivers has the only 

website created especially for 

drivers offering eight different 

psychological techniques 

commonly used to reduce stress 

and nerves. 

MSA GB OFFER:: One month free on a monthly 

subscription plan using coupon code. 

PUPIL SOURCING 

Go Roadie provides students 

when they need them, with all 

the details you need before 

you accept. Control your own 

pricing, discounts and set your 

availability to suit you. Full diary? 

No cost! 

MSA GB OFFER:: Introductory offer of 50% off 

the first three students they accept. 

QUICKBOOKS 

50% Discount on two 

packages for MSA GB 

members 

Quickbooks is offering an online 50% 

discount for MSA GB members on two of 

their premium accounting packages. 

Essentials Package For small businesses 

working with suppliers. Manage VAT and 

Income Tax with up to three users. 

Plus For businesses managing projects, 

stock, VAT, and Income Tax. Up to five users. 

The packages are contract-free throughout 

with no cancellation fee. This exclusive 

member offer can only be secured by 

contacting our MSA GB representative at 

Quickbooks - Ollie Nobes, on: 07723 507 026 

or email: Ollie_Nobes@intuit.com quoting: 

**MSAGB** 

To get the full story of the 

discounts available, see 

www.msagb.com 

Membership offer 

Welcome, new ADIs 

We’ve a special introductory offer for you! 

Congratulations on passing your 

Part 3 and becoming an ADI. 

There’s an exciting career 

open to you from today, 

one that’s alive with 

possibilities as you build 

your skills, your client base 

and your income. 

But for all the excitement, 

it can also be challenging; 

who can you turn to if you’re 

struggling to get over key driver 

training issues to a pupil? Where can you go 

to soak up advice from more experienced 

ADIs? Who will help you if you are caught 

up in a dispute with the DVSA? If the worst 

happens, who can you turn to for help, 

advice and to fight your corner? 

The answer is the Motor Schools 

Association of Great Britain – MSA GB for 

short. 

We are the most senior association 

representing driving instructors in Great 

Britain. Establised in 1935 when the first 

driving test was introduced, MSA GB has 

been working tirelessly ever since on 

behalf of ordinary rank and file ADIs. 

We represent your interests and your 

views in the corridors of power, holding 

regular meetings with senior officials 

from the DVSA and the Department for 

Transport to make sure the ADIs’ voice is 

heard. 

SPECIAL OFFER 

Join MSA GB today! 

SPECIAL OFFER: Join for just £60 with your 

PI & PL insurance included immediately! 

No joining fee - saving you £25 

Call 01787 221020 quoting discount code 

Newslink, or join online at www.msagb.com 

We’d like you to join us 

We’re there to support you 

every step of the way. Our 

office-based staff are 

there, five days a week, 

from 9am-5pm, ready to 

answer your call and help 

you in any way. 

In addition our network of 

experienced office holders 

and regional officers can offer 

advice over the phone or by email. 

But membership of the MSA GB doesn’t 

just mean we’re there for you if you’re 

in trouble. We also offer a nationwide 

network of regular meetings, seminars and 

training events, an Annual Conference, and 

a chance to participate in MSA GB affairs 

through our democratic structure 

In addition, you’ll get a free link to our 

membership magazine Newslink every 

month, with all the latest news, views, 

comment and advice you’ll need to become 

a successful driving instructor. 

You’ll also automatically receive 

professional indemnity insurance worth up 

to £5m and £10m public liability insurance 

free of charge. 

This is essential legal protection covering 

you against legal claims ariving from your 

tuition.

Newslink July 01-40

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