As IAM RoadSmart’s well-regarded Mature Driver Assessment undergoes its own mid-life makeover, the charity is offering the chance to win an exclusive lunch at Silverstone Circuit with its Mature Driver Ambassador, renowned rally and racing driver Paddy Hopkirk MBE.

As of now, IAM RoadSmart’s Mature Driver Assessment will become the Mature Driver Review. The content and price (£49) of the 60 minute session will remain the same.

Sarah Sillars, IAM RoadSmart Chief Executive Officer, said: “We didn’t want mature drivers to be scared off by the word ‘assessment,’ as there is no pass or fail with the Mature Driver Review. It is all about giving the driver a reassurance that their driving is still up to standard and to offer an extra confidence boost as our roads get more congested."

IAM RoadSmart has long said that older drivers are sometimes pressured into giving up driving long before they need to – leading to isolation and in some cases depression as the individual loses a key part of their freedom. As we have a steadily aging population, with 10,000 people reaching their 70th birthday each month in the UK (reference 1), maintaining safe mobility is a an issue that can no longer be ignored.

IAM RoadSmart’s commissioned its own survey Keeping Older Drivers Safe and Mobile, which showed older drivers themselves are keen to drive as long as they are safely able to do so (reference 2).

Sarah said: “Older drivers are some of the safest on our roads – we are very keen that they don’t hang up their car keys before they need to. Isolating older people by taking their cars away from them will impact heavily on society and increase demands on our health services.”

IAM RoadSmart has long advocated that independent assessments to allow mature drivers to get a ‘seal of approval’ for their driving ability should be more widely available and they should be offered incentives to take them up in greater numbers (reference 3)

The Mature Driver Review involves an IAM RoadSmart expert going out with the driver in their own car on familiar local roads, to assess their driving style and to watch out for any areas where skills could do with some sharpening.

The review is informal – candidates can bring a friend to ride along if they like. Ninety per cent of older drivers reviewed by IAM RoadSmart need only some minor guidance to set them back on the right road.

After the review, drivers not only get a verbal report on their skills but also a written account of the session, which includes pointers to improvement.

To find out more about the Mature Driver Review click here: https://www.iamroadsmart.com/courses/mature-driver-review

To mark the name change, we are offering a chance for two people and a guest each to enjoy a three-course lunch with Paddy Hopkirk himself at the BRDC Clubhouse at Silverstone Circuit on 15 June as a competition prize, open to everyone.

The BRDC Clubhouse is not open to the public, so this is a unique opportunity to meet the great man himself and hear some of the amazing stories that have made Paddy a legend in the world rallying scene.

Although he is famous for winning the 1964 Monte Carlo and 1967 Acropolis Rallies, he also raced at the fearsome Le Mans 24 Hours as well as many other circuits around the world. Paddy was also greatly admired for giving up a sure win in the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon to rescue with his co-driver a fellow competitor from his burning car.

For a chance of winning this unique prize, just answer the following three easy questions and email your answers to [email protected] by noon on 1 June.

1. What car did Paddy Hopkirk drive when he won the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally?

2. Who was Paddy’s co-driver in the 1964 Monte Carlo rally?

3. And what was that car’s registration number?

APRILIA IS READY FOR THE JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA CHALLENGE

THE RS-GP HAS SHOWN GREAT PROGRESS THAT MUST BE CONFIRMED IN THE FIRST EUROPEAN 2017 MOTOGP ROUND


MotoGP heads to Europe for the first continental race on the 2017 calendar, scheduled to be held on the Spanish Jerez de la Frontera circuit. It is one of the most classic rounds and an important one in the evolution of the Aprilia RS-GP. The Italian V4, making constant progress from the pre-season tests, will be called on to confirm the encouraging signs shown in the first three races as well.

Both of the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders, who are taking a test day in Le Mans, have good reasons to be optimistic about the Spanish race. Aleix Espargaró will be on his home pitch on a track that he knows well and that seems to be a good fit for the characteristics of the RS-GP.
Sam Lowes is looking for his first MotoGP championship points, a feasible goal on the track where he took pole position and won the race last year.


ALEIX ESPARGARO'
“I can't wait to ride again in Europe and especially in Jerez, one of my home Grand Prix races. I like the atmosphere of the Spanish crowd, as well as the track. After the crash in Argentina and the problems in Austin I want to have a normal GP again and we will try to find the best setting to do another good race.”

SAM LOWES
“I have very fond memories of the race in Jerez last year, when I took both pole position and the win. I like the circuit and I will be aiming to take another step forward this weekend. The goal is definitely to earn my first MotoGP championship points.”

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“Jerez is a different track than the ones we have raced on thus far. The RS-GP does well on this track historically. The engine does not play a crucial role, whereas the bike's braking and wheelie characteristics are important. The level of grip varies a lot with relation to the temperature, so things could change rather quickly from this point of view. In Austin, we figured out a few interesting things about our bike's settings on the rear - information that we will put to use straight away.”

FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
“The first European round always has a special flavour. Jerez is a nice track, a home track for Aleix, where we have built up a fair amount of experience. This could help us to be more competitive straight away and in this period we have worked hard between races and tests to be ready. After the setback in America, I expect to have a good weekend. We have the potential to stay easily in the top 10 and that is our goal.”

• Joe Collier takes the Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup championship lead
• Pole, fastest lap and race win for Collier in Race 1 and Race 2
• Moto Rapido win their 2nd dealer award

Thunder Thursday @ The Leadburn Inn 
Bike Night @ Jacks Hill Cafe
You've Been Nabbed 26
Touratech Travel Event 2017 
International Female Ride Day
Jeff Mountjoys Big Ride Out
Motorcycle Sprint - Hoghton Tower
Haynes Breakfast Club
Despatch Rally
North West 200

See more details on the main WHAT'S ON section for May here

Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart and Auto Express, the UK’s biggest-selling car magazine, teamed up to find out which are the deadliest behind-the-wheel distractions with programming a sat-nav found to be the worst.

Auto Express consumer editor Joe Finnerty was put to the test alongside British Formula 3 hopeful Jamie Chadwick in a professional racing simulator at Base Performance Simulators in Banbury. They were both assessed to see how they coped with the most common distracting tasks on UK roads, while completing timed laps and braking at a specific point. On hand was IAM RoadSmart’s head of technical policy, Tim Shallcross, to monitor the findings.

The results proved shocking, with a massive difference in performance between distractions. Entering a postcode into a sat-nav app proved to be the worst, followed by sending a text message. Other tasks carried out included eating, drinking, making a phone call and talking to a passenger.

Tim Shallcross said: “There was still a significant speed reduction for Joe when using a sat-nav, and even the ultra-focused Jamie completely missed the stop line. The moral? Those warning screens about not entering details on the move are there for a reason – don’t ignore them.”

On texting Tim said: “Joe would have been a menace to other road users; the car was more or less out of control. Jamie’s caution reduced the distraction in critical zones, but a sudden incident would have left her unable to take avoiding action.”

The least distracting task for lap time was talking to a passenger, but it still ranked very poorly for the braking test. Tim said: “It was the least distracting of all in terms of lap times, but interestingly, both drivers failed to brake accurately at the target line. Their ability to drive normally confirms the difference between the extra distraction of a phone conversation and the natural act of talking to a passenger, but still shows that any distraction reduces attention, and in an emergency, it might be critical.”

Steve Fowler, Auto Express editor-in-chief, said: “These results highlight just how important it is that drivers give their full attention to the road ahead. We’ve seen the staggering numbers of people who are still using phones at the wheel and these tests show how dangerous they can be – whether it’s texting, calling or programming the sat-nav. More work needs to be done to target those who still think it’s acceptable to use a phone while driving.”