Aims of the IAM
The aims and objectives of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (the IAM) are as follows:-
We try to match those aims and objectives by working in the following ways:-
We are a totally independent organisation (as a
registered Charity).
We are therefore not "owned" or financially dependent on any commercial
organisations who might have a vested interest in a narrow aspect of road
safety. Our financial support comes from our >112,000 Members throughout the
UK (and beyond) who pay a small annual Membership fee to retain their
membership of the IAM (having already passed the IAM's Advanced Driving or
Riding Test) and support what we do. Because of that support from people who
have taken an interest in their own driving standard, we have a tremendous
depth of practical knowledge available.
We can offer a "rounded" approach to Road Safety
because we are not a "single issue" body.
Our staff have a wide background in Road Safety and the background of the
Trustees of the IAM cover many of the areas and emergency services vital to
Road Safety. As a body, we are widely respected throughout the Road Safety
industry because of our background, expertise, and experience. We are
consulted (and advise) all the major players, including the Government, on all
aspects of Road Safety because of our genuine interest and involvement in Road
Safety.
The IAM's Advanced Driving Test is recognised and
accredited by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).
The Advanced Driving Test has been in existence since 1956 (and the Advanced
Riding Test since 1976). Due to the existence of over 200 local
IAM Affiliated Groups throughout the UK to date, all charitable organisations
in their own right, the support for people wanting to prepare for and pass the IAM's Advanced Test is unparalleled throughout the UK. While no attempt has
been made to try and quantify that support but with that many local IAM Groups
and an average of 100 people in each .... well, you can do the maths as easily
as I can but it is a LOT of people. The support of those Groups mean that the
Advanced Test is available and probably achievable for ANYBODY who has an
interest in improving their driving skills.
By "improving their driving skills" we are not talking about those who
want to enter motorsport but anybody who feels the way that drivers are left
to their own devices once they have passed their "L" test is not good enough,
or even that the nature of driving has changed since they passed their "L"
Test, especially in todays unforgiving traffic and roads.
Those aims were set in the late 1950s and are still relevant today. Too many people are being killed or seriously injured on our roads each and every year and it is well known that the majority of accidents are caused by Driver Error. Educate the driver into a better way of driving and the accident rate will fall - it's drivers that cause accidents, not cars. While educating drivers is not explicity one of the IAMs objectives, that is what we try to do (and do the best) because that meets all the other objectives.