Mercury News
'Speed course improved my driving'
4:35pm Friday 10th February 2012
A MOTORIST has told how getting caught speeding improved his driving.
Chartered accountant Mike Baldock opted to go on an Avon and Somerset Police speed awareness course after a ticket arrived through his letterbox.
Mike, a driver for 33 years, was clocked doing 38mph in a 30mph zone.
He said: “I learned a lot on the course and I've now changed the way I drive. I believe I’m better and safer for it.
“I've actively changed my driving using COAST - Concentration, Observation, Anticipation, Space and Time.
"I now concentrate much more on driving. It enables you to switch off from the problems of the day and focus completely on driving, which is much safer than being on auto pilot."
Alan Prosser, manager of the driving training schemes, said the course had helped many drivers mend their ways behind the wheel.
He said: “We get hundreds of e-mails from motorists saying how much they enjoyed the course and had improved their driving as a result.
“The aim is to educate motorists who have perhaps forgotten some of the rules of the road and reduce road accidents as a result.
"Many motorists who attend our courses go on to take an advanced driving course to further improve their driver safety."
Ch Insp Yannis Georgious, of Avon and Somerset Road Policing Unit, said the force had six mobile camera vans top enforce speed limits, targeting speeding blackspots.
He added: “While we’ll be robust with speeders, education over prosecution will assist in keeping our communities safe.
“Research has shown that when faced with the full impact and possible consequences of speeding, individuals are less likely to speed again.”