Getting young people into the IAM
Discussion
I've been asked to go to an IAM conference on Saturday in Wakefield as a representative of my local group. The reason for this is that at 28 I am probably our group's youngest qualified observer and one of the aspects of the meeting is how to get more young people interested in the IAM and advanced driving.
My main suggestions will be based around making a discernible difference to insurance premiums like PassPlus does (even at 28 my insurance has only just come under a grand a year, for those starting off it is even more expensive). I reckon this would have a big impact on the uptake of the scheme.
I was just wondering if anyone had any other suggestions I should put to them?
My main suggestions will be based around making a discernible difference to insurance premiums like PassPlus does (even at 28 my insurance has only just come under a grand a year, for those starting off it is even more expensive). I reckon this would have a big impact on the uptake of the scheme.
I was just wondering if anyone had any other suggestions I should put to them?
A friend of mine did his IAM course with the Huddersfield group. I used to go down with him but never got round to doing it my self, it's somthing I really want to do but with current work commitments I just don't have the time.
He did it when he was 21 (about 5 years ago) and it did a lot for him. You should definatley look at insurance side of things, any thing that can bring it down for young people is a bonus. We also noticed when we used to go that we were indeed the youngest there.
Maybe if they did some more younger person orientated activities (instead of slide shows of birds and a bloke talking about walking sticks) that could be more of an incentive to go and get involved.
He did it when he was 21 (about 5 years ago) and it did a lot for him. You should definatley look at insurance side of things, any thing that can bring it down for young people is a bonus. We also noticed when we used to go that we were indeed the youngest there.
Maybe if they did some more younger person orientated activities (instead of slide shows of birds and a bloke talking about walking sticks) that could be more of an incentive to go and get involved.
Having spoken to younger people who have attended 'my' group's meetings they are disappointed that the group meetings aren't more focused on further improving members' driving, or at least on subjects associated with cars/driving. The last meeting had the police instructor who acts as the group's examiner as the speaker - now that should be interesting and relevant. His talk was on archery! Interesting but if I want to learn about archery I will go to the local archery club. Another local group had a talk on enamalling - FFS!
I have found that the younger people expect more than 6 or 7 meetings a year and expect the opportunity to learn as much as possible about driving. I have noticed that the few young members attend very few meetings before they gain their certificate and never appear again afterwards.
I have found that the younger people expect more than 6 or 7 meetings a year and expect the opportunity to learn as much as possible about driving. I have noticed that the few young members attend very few meetings before they gain their certificate and never appear again afterwards.
Edited by Philbes on Monday 30th April 16:52
Edited by Philbes on Monday 30th April 16:53
Edited by Philbes on Monday 30th April 16:54
I've no experience of the inside working of IAM, but how about doing a bit more about advertising the fact you exist, and why people should do a supervised drive?
I can imagine a conversation with half the countries population:
Why don't you join IAM?
Whats IAM?
It'll make you a better driver:
But I drive to work and back every day and I've never crashed. Therefore I must be a good driver.
etc.
Folk assume they've passed their driving test, therefore they are a good driver and have no need for further training, especially when it would be at their expense and would cost them time and money (despite how relatively little it is).
I can imagine a conversation with half the countries population:
Why don't you join IAM?
Whats IAM?
It'll make you a better driver:
But I drive to work and back every day and I've never crashed. Therefore I must be a good driver.
etc.
Folk assume they've passed their driving test, therefore they are a good driver and have no need for further training, especially when it would be at their expense and would cost them time and money (despite how relatively little it is).
Philbes said:
Having spoken to younger people who have attended 'my' group's meetings they are disappointed that the group meetings isn't more focused on further improving members' driving, or at least on subjects associated with cars/driving. The last meeting had the poice instructor who acts as the group's examiner as the speaker - now that should be interesting and relevant. His talk was on archery! Interesting but if I want to learn aboyt archery I will go to the local archery club. Another local group had a talk on enamalling - FFS!
I'm 21 and I'm starting my local IAM course in a couple of weeks time 
The 2 big things for me are firstly that I could find enough clear information about it online, fairly quickly, and secondly that I was offered a free place* - £75 or £85 is an absolutely huge amount if you're a student, benefits recepient or living at or near the minimum wage - I'd have scraped the money together eventually but it would have massively delayed my being able to join and start learning, and I can easily see that it'd be a huge off-putter for young folk not as keen as me on cars and driving and driving well and safely.
*thankyou VERY MUCH, IAM and BOF in particular
The 2 big things for me are firstly that I could find enough clear information about it online, fairly quickly, and secondly that I was offered a free place* - £75 or £85 is an absolutely huge amount if you're a student, benefits recepient or living at or near the minimum wage - I'd have scraped the money together eventually but it would have massively delayed my being able to join and start learning, and I can easily see that it'd be a huge off-putter for young folk not as keen as me on cars and driving and driving well and safely.
*thankyou VERY MUCH, IAM and BOF in particular
It's only one in my case - but at least I can do nearly 900 miles before I have to do it again. 
I passed my IAM when I was 19. I was the youngest person in my area I think.
Only did it because my parents made me after I had a minor accident, but I wanted to do it after going to the initial meeting.
Was thinking about doing that other one thats supposed to be to a police level of driving but don't have the time at the moment.
Only did it because my parents made me after I had a minor accident, but I wanted to do it after going to the initial meeting.
Was thinking about doing that other one thats supposed to be to a police level of driving but don't have the time at the moment.
markmullen said:
I've been asked to go to an IAM conference on Saturday in Wakefield as a representative of my local group. The reason for this is that at 28 I am probably our group's youngest qualified observer and one of the aspects of the meeting is how to get more young people interested in the IAM and advanced driving.
My main suggestions will be based around making a discernible difference to insurance premiums like PassPlus does (even at 28 my insurance has only just come under a grand a year, for those starting off it is even more expensive). I reckon this would have a big impact on the uptake of the scheme.
I was just wondering if anyone had any other suggestions I should put to them?
My main suggestions will be based around making a discernible difference to insurance premiums like PassPlus does (even at 28 my insurance has only just come under a grand a year, for those starting off it is even more expensive). I reckon this would have a big impact on the uptake of the scheme.
I was just wondering if anyone had any other suggestions I should put to them?
Don't want to pour cold water, but Passplus does not seem to make a discernable difference. The companies that recognise it are not necc low cost anyway, so a discount they give will not make it competetive. The main problem with IAM and insurance is that there are not enough IAM drivers to make it statistically significant for underwriters to determine a lower risk. FOr those that do, the same problem as passplus arises.
You are right about the attractiveness of lowe premiums, but it'll be very hard to get them.
Bert
I personally quite liked my PassPlus and did learn a lot from it. It was useful from that PoV. But from the PoV of reducing my premiums it was useless. I paid about £150 for it, which is about the size of the discount that I got from the insurers. This year, when I renewed my insurance as I did it online, there was no where for me to even mention my PassPlus. Obviously my NCB was more important...
I feel from a reducing insurance policy level, you'd get pretty much the same reaction from most insurers. I'm going to give IAM a try, mainly to try and improve my driving, not to reduce my insurance. I get the feeling most insurance companies don't care about such things.
I'm a 'young' person (24), and I'd say that getting half decent info up on the web would be a big start. Most local groups when they do have websites they are generally out of date both in looks and in information. The main IAM site is ok tho. It seems rather daft to me that the IAM website doesn't host all the group websites and they should maybe consider a template for this to give a bit more consistent look. For example why not have say:
http://bath.iam.org.uk for the Bath IAM group? Makes sense to me (caveat, I do IT professionally and I'm a bit of a web geek in general).
I feel from a reducing insurance policy level, you'd get pretty much the same reaction from most insurers. I'm going to give IAM a try, mainly to try and improve my driving, not to reduce my insurance. I get the feeling most insurance companies don't care about such things.
I'm a 'young' person (24), and I'd say that getting half decent info up on the web would be a big start. Most local groups when they do have websites they are generally out of date both in looks and in information. The main IAM site is ok tho. It seems rather daft to me that the IAM website doesn't host all the group websites and they should maybe consider a template for this to give a bit more consistent look. For example why not have say:
http://bath.iam.org.uk for the Bath IAM group? Makes sense to me (caveat, I do IT professionally and I'm a bit of a web geek in general).
firstmk1 said:
If you can afford to run a car then £75 is only a couple of tanks of fuel so very reasonable really.
Aye, it's a couple of tanks of fuel and I'm budgetting for them pretty tightly and all - there's no 'only' about it. For clarity, I drive only because the Motability scheme enables me to - I couldn't possibly afford to otherwise, not that it'd be much different finances-wise if I was a student who'd scraped pennies together to buy, tax and insure a banger myself.
becca_viola said:
firstmk1 said:
Don't forget to budget for the extra fuel to practice then.
Very very carefully. Indeed. Would be a bit embarrassing to run out of juice on an IAM run...
And don't forget to budget for the unexpected e.g. when your battery, alternator or other bits pack up, exhaust blows, screw through tyre etc.
All of which will mean that your car won't be moving much at all until fixed.
This is our groups web site
www.advancedmotorists.co.uk/
I have found that the majority of young drivers only come to us because they have been forced to by their parents and often have little experience since passing the L-test.
No answers to the OPs question though.
There is the old chestnut of "what is your excess ?". If the IAM save you one minor prang and thus the excess cost it will have more than paid for itself, before you factor in higher premiums for thenext three years due to lost NCB.
www.advancedmotorists.co.uk/
I have found that the majority of young drivers only come to us because they have been forced to by their parents and often have little experience since passing the L-test.
No answers to the OPs question though.
There is the old chestnut of "what is your excess ?". If the IAM save you one minor prang and thus the excess cost it will have more than paid for itself, before you factor in higher premiums for thenext three years due to lost NCB.
over_the_hill said:
becca_viola said:
firstmk1 said:
Don't forget to budget for the extra fuel to practice then.
Very very carefully. Indeed. Would be a bit embarrassing to run out of juice on an IAM run...
And don't forget to budget for the unexpected e.g. when your battery, alternator or other bits pack up, exhaust blows, screw through tyre etc.
All of which will mean that your car won't be moving much at all until fixed.
Fortunately, I'm a Motability customer so that's one financial worry I don't have.
I think it's difficult to get Young People in, because, as stated before, the image is of older people there.
I passed my IAM test before I was 18. I attended just two IAM meetings, and a theory session, but had approximately 10 observed drives before my actual test.
I've not been back since (nearly a year later) because I don't have the time to commit to it, but if I did, I would be training as an observer as I learnt a lot about progressing my driving ability that I hadn't picked up elsewhere.
I passed my IAM test before I was 18. I attended just two IAM meetings, and a theory session, but had approximately 10 observed drives before my actual test.
I've not been back since (nearly a year later) because I don't have the time to commit to it, but if I did, I would be training as an observer as I learnt a lot about progressing my driving ability that I hadn't picked up elsewhere.
As mentioned previously, IAM isn't seen as 'cool' from what I can tell, and until you can sell it as a 'must have' skill (in the same way as an ipod is the 'must have' mp3 player) you won't get buy in from the chavs and newly-passed kids who see themselves as perfect and therefore don't need to learn anymore. (I know I did, and probably still do, over-estimate my driving ability.)
Open days with some exotic machinery running and giving rides could be a good start to get potential members in to see how they *could* drive, especially if tied in with some local free advertising through a local paper article. Or offer some form of assessment with recommendations at the end.
And to capture the chav culture, IAM needs to have a presence at the Car Shows each year, like Max Power Live etc.
I'm gonna email these suggestions to the new Young Drivers email address when I get a chance! lol
Open days with some exotic machinery running and giving rides could be a good start to get potential members in to see how they *could* drive, especially if tied in with some local free advertising through a local paper article. Or offer some form of assessment with recommendations at the end.
And to capture the chav culture, IAM needs to have a presence at the Car Shows each year, like Max Power Live etc.
I'm gonna email these suggestions to the new Young Drivers email address when I get a chance! lol
I'm 18 and have been promising myself before I passed my test (1 and a half years ago) that I would join IAM! But as mentioned finding £75 spare is not easy (especially when you own a french car)!
I don't really want to do it for insurance purposes, I'm quite comfortably paying mine, although its still expensive (£850 for a Peugeot 306 TD with 1yrs NCB) I want to do it to further improve my driving skill.
But IAM needs to advertise more. None of my friends have ever heard of it, I don't know anyone my age that has, I only heard of it through Britains Worst Driver on TV years ago.
As mentioned above about advertising in Max Power, that would attract the attention of younger drivers, but unfortunately they all think they can drive like gods anyway!
You need to find a way to get hold of young car enthusiasts, who care about there cars and have a keen interest in driving. You could do this by going through car forums and advertise there or maybe work with a few main driving schools and get them to advertise.
Just a few ideas from a young drivers POV.
I don't really want to do it for insurance purposes, I'm quite comfortably paying mine, although its still expensive (£850 for a Peugeot 306 TD with 1yrs NCB) I want to do it to further improve my driving skill.
But IAM needs to advertise more. None of my friends have ever heard of it, I don't know anyone my age that has, I only heard of it through Britains Worst Driver on TV years ago.
As mentioned above about advertising in Max Power, that would attract the attention of younger drivers, but unfortunately they all think they can drive like gods anyway!
You need to find a way to get hold of young car enthusiasts, who care about there cars and have a keen interest in driving. You could do this by going through car forums and advertise there or maybe work with a few main driving schools and get them to advertise.
Just a few ideas from a young drivers POV.
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