THE human cost of road accidents in East Lancashire has been painfully illustrated in recent weeks with horrific crashes resulting in injury and loss of life. Councils in Lancashire are increasing the number of traffic-calming schemes in an effort to cut the carnage, while motoring campaigners claim better driver education is needed. Courses based on police driving methods claim to cut the risk of accidents by two-thirds for motorists who complete their advanced driving tests. Reporter PAUL BARRY wrote about his own attitude to driving before putting his skills to the test with a qualified instructor.

MANY drivers believe they're the best on the road, and I have to admit I'm one of them.

In the eight years since I passed my test I've driven lorries on motorways, diced with tourist buses on narrow Greek clifftop roads, and ridden mopeds down dirt tracks.

Since I passed my test (first time) I've driven at least 120,000 miles, taking in everywhere from Workington to Worthing and Scarborough to Swindon. By the time my next test is due in 2041, I'll have clocked up more than enough miles to take me on a return trip to the moon.

I consider myself pretty alert - you have to be with all the other idiots out there on the roads!

I don't speed too much, I'm gentle to my car when I'm not in a hurry and I've only had one crash. That wasn't my fault, either - I maintain there was something oily on the road which put me into a 270 degree spin, demolishing a wall and knocking one corner off my car.

I think I'm a near-perfect driver, and when I took the advanced driving examiner out for a spin round Hyndburn, I thought he'd be pretty impressed. I cruised through Clayton-le-Moors to Accrington, made light work of overtaking some slowcoach through Hapton, carefully drove through Rosegrove and brought him back to Altham via the M65 at a reasonable pace. When we parked up, I was rather surprised when he underlined how dangerous some of my driving had been.

Instructor Jack Howorth, from the East Lancashire branch of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), watched me on an observation drive around Accrington and Burnley.

Jack's report: "Everyone has faults with their driving, and there was plenty of room for improvement in Paul's case.

"He's a fairly confident driver who obviously has some experience, but his driving could be a lot safer than it is now.

"Paul used the gears too much, and would do well to remember the motto 'brakes to slow, gears to go.' He didn't brake early enough, and consequently his braking was a little too harsh. That could cause problems in slippery conditions.

"He broke the speed limits quite a bit during the drive, and at one point going through Clayton-le-Moors on quite a dangerous road, he was well above the limit. Doing 40mph in a 30mph zone can mean the difference between injuring a pedestrian and killing them. "As we drove through Hapton, he overtook a slower car with confidence, but he suddenly swung out into the other side of the road instead of driving smoothly past and giving himself a better look at the road ahead.

"The car should be in balance at all times, and Paul threw the car about too much. He also needs to pay more attention to potential hazards by looking further up the road.

"He drove too close to parked vehicles and did not give enough room to cyclists that we passed.

"Paul used his indicators out of habit, even when it wasn't necessary. It is better to look around and see whether there is anyone to indicate to, because that increases your awareness of what other road users are doing. He would do well to brush up on his highway code too."

So I'm not all right, Jack, but thanks for the advice. I'll not forget it.

Courses that save lives and money

THE COST of accidents each year in Britain could be cut by £200million if more motorists were persuaded to take advanced driving courses, claims the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

The IAM was set up in 1956 to cut accidents by teaching motorists the skills used by police drivers.

Drivers come forward voluntarily for a test run to find out if their driving is up to scratch. Their examiner will then discuss their abilities and faults.

The East Lancashire branch of the IAM runs ten-week long courses for drivers to help them prepare for their advanced test. The learning process often involves drivers having to get out of their previous habits, and during the course drivers often find their driving gets worse before it gets better as they learn a new system of car control.

Motorists who pass the IAM's advanced driving test can get reduced cost insurance from some brokers. And instructors say that learning the police style of driving not only cuts the risk of accidents by two-thirds, it can also save fuel because it results in a smoother drive.

The advanced driving test lasts an hour and a half and involves driving about 35 miles through many different road conditions.

More than 400 companies in Britain have opted to put their drivers through the advanced driving programme.

IAM chiefs claim that if better incentives were put in place to get people on to advanced driving courses, then some £200million in road accident costs could be saved each year.

The IAM is also pushing the authorities to introduce "R" plates for newly-qualified drivers, to make advisory speed limits on motorways legally binding, and to increase driver education.

For details of IAM courses in East Lancashire, call Jack Howorth on 01282 434631.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.