Institute of Advanced Motorists rebrands as IAM Roadsmart

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has rebranded as IAM RoadSmart. The rebranding coincides with the 60^th anniversary of the charity, which has 200 local groups and 92,000 members who are committed to developing driving and riding standards.

The name change unifies the charity with its subsidiaries IAM Drive & Survive, Professional Driver Services and Driver Retraining Academy. 

The rebrand follows research that highlighted drivers’ biggest concern is actually other drivers. Safety and fuel efficiency came out as the biggest motivators for younger drivers to take further training while insurance continues to be the most effective incentive

For 40% of mothers and grandmothers, becoming more confident driving to unfamiliar places was described as a way they would like to improve and while on-road training continues to be important for professional drivers, online courses are preferred by consumers.

Time is also of the essence – the majority of consumers would rather training takes less than two hours.

Over the course of 2016 and 2017, IAM RoadSmart will be launching new modular products, with proposed topics including: eco-driving, motorways, risk management, driving in unfamiliar places and built-in vehicle technology.

“We’ve helped create nearly half-a-million better drivers and riders already and as we become recognised as IAM RoadSmart we hope to be able to help many more,” said IAM RoadSmart’s chief executive officer, Sarah Sillars.

“The most important thing for the majority of drivers and riders is getting from A to B with as little hassle as possible. The daily commute, travelling to a business meeting, or the drive to the shops, can be made so much more enjoyable with just a bit more awareness of the challenges on the road ahead. This is where IAM RoadSmart comes in.

“We will be launching a suite of new products to support the needs of all road users. The advanced driving and riding tests will remain core to what we do and will continue to be seen as the ultimate achievement, but if you just want to get more confident driving in bad weather for instance, we can help with that too.

Nigel Mansell, IAM president and Formula 1 World Champion, said: “To appeal to a new generation of drivers and riders it’s essential to understand and reflect their needs and priorities. In becoming IAM RoadSmart the IAM is taking an essential step into an exciting future, with an approach that is more relevant than ever before.

“Everyone can enjoy their driving and riding more, whether they’re a world champion or simply cover five miles a day commuting to the office. And the skills that help you with an easier journey are the same that will help to reduce the numbers of casualties on our roads. We’ve had a great 60 years; what an exciting future we all have.”