THE PASS PLUS SCHEME

Now that you have ripped up those plates think about completing

Pass Plus is a project run by the Driving Standards Agency in association with many U.K. insurance companies.

You can take the Pass Plus course at any time but it is mainly aimed at new drivers in the first 12 months after passing their test.

On completion of the course you will be issued with a certificate (no test), which can be used to gain substantial discounts on your first years insurance with many insurance companies.

Pass Plus consists of six lessons covering areas you wouldn't normally encounter during the usual driving test. You have to do a minimum of one hour on each of the following topics:-

TOWN DRIVING

• Observation, judgment and awareness
• Multi lane junctions
• Unusual roundabouts
• Bus and cycle lanes

• Rain
• Sleet, snow and ice
• Mist and fog
• Bright sunshine

• Importance of headlights
• Adjusting to the dark
• Driving at dusk and dawn
• Judging speed and distance
• Correct use of lights
• Dazzle
• Parking
• Anticipation and awareness of pedestrians, cyclists, etc

• Bends, hills, uneven roads
• Safe overtaking
• Observing the road ahead
• Consideration for pedestrians on roads with no pavement
• Horse riders, livestock and wild animals
• Use of horn
• Use of passing places
• Mud on road

• Overtaking and lane discipline
• Signs, signals and markings
• Motorway fatigue
• Breakdown procedure
• Safe speeds
• Joining and leaving the motorway
• Courtesy to other road users

Dual Carriageways

• Effective observation - use of mirrors, blind spots, scanning lanes
• Joining and leaving dual carriageways – use of slip roads
• Safe distances
• Overtaking
• Correct use of speed