On the eve of Bonfire Night, I went along to the first meeting of the November Advanced Driving Course being run by the Bolton Advanced Motorists’ Group. There was a good turnout, with people from all over the Borough who wanted to become better drivers.

We were introduced to senior members of the Group and they explained about the duration of the course and what it entailed. As we listened, we all began to grasp the advantages that we could gain from becoming advanced motorists. We would be more observant drivers, planning ahead and predicting what other road users will be doing before we reach them. This would make us much safer drivers. We also heard that we would save money on fuel by driving more smoothly and benefit from reduced car insurance.

An important aspect of the course is that all training is free. The members of the Group are volunteers and do not receive any payment for helping people to train. They give us their valuable time and knowledge and there is plenty of opportunity to ask questions about anything you are not sure of.

The cost of the course is £99 if you are 26 or over and there is a cashback of £20 when you pass the advanced test. If you are under 26 the course costs £79 with a £35 cashback.

I am looking forward to the next session when an instructor from the police driving school will be explaining what advanced driving is all about. After this we will all be given a chance to sit beside an advanced driver to see how it’s done.

Incidentally this year, the Bolton Group was rated the third best group out of 200 in the country. If you’d like to find out more you can check its website, www.boltoniam.org.uk or telephone Annette Gamble on 0161 797 1084.