Highland landmark route NC500 teams up road safety charity IAM RoadSmart to promote safer visits
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A HIGHLAND tourist attraction is teaming up with a road safety charity in a bid to make the journey safer for visitors and locals.
NC500 have announced a new partnership with IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s largest independent road safety charity, which aims to encourage visitors to enhance their driving and riding skills before setting off on their North Coast 500 journey.
Visitors on the official North Coast 500 route, which takes in a diverse and sometimes challenging rural road network stretching across Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross, the Black Isle and Inverness-shire, will now receive a discount on IAM RoadSmart’s Advanced courses for country roads when becoming an NC500 member.
Craig Mills, Director of Operations for NC500 said: “While the journey is nearly always beautiful, drivers and riders on the NC500 face a wide range of road grades, from the busy A9 to narrow single-track B-roads where the careful use of passing places is a must. The experience can be challenging year-round, but particularly in winter when weather conditions can catch even the most experienced drivers out.
“Yet drivers and riders can have a safe and enjoyable time if they come prepared with the right road-use skills and attitudes. Not only should they prioritise safety; they should always be mindful of and courteous toward other road users, whether in cars, campervans, bikes or on foot, and take particular care to respect those who live and work locally.
“Our collaboration with IAM RoadSmart is about making sure every NC500 visitor knows about the support it can provide through a superb range of advanced driving and road safety courses, many of which are ideal preparation for Highland road use.”
IAM RoadSmart aims to give drivers the skills and confidence needed to be safe, responsible road users, whatever the driving conditions they face.
They do this by improving the skills of drivers and riders through coaching and education, thanks to thousands of volunteers and hundreds of local groups.
The organisation’s advanced courses generally last around 6-12 sessions followed by a IAM RoadSmart observer. Once ready, drivers and riders are put forward for an advanced test. Upon completion, they’ll gain ‘Advanced Driver’ or ‘Advanced Rider’ and ‘IAM RoadSmart Member’ status.
The charity was founded more than 60 years ago to make Britain’s roads safer also offer short, 75-minute sessions which focus on specific areas of ‘NC500-friendly’ driving.
Drivers are encouraged to take modules such as ‘Parking and Manoeuvring’ and ‘Country Roads’ before tackling the NC500’s diverse and often challenging road conditions.
Antony Kildare, CEO at IAM RoadSmart, commented: “As well as being committed to helping make Britain’s roads as safe as they can be for all road users, we at IAM RoadSmart also believe that driving and riding is so much more than a means of transport, but also a thoroughly enjoyable pastime.
“This is why our partnership with NC500 is such a special one, as we are able to align with one of the most popular and iconic road-trip routes in Europe, all while communicating the important message of road safety. NC500 adventurers will benefit from our Advanced training on their journey, developing skills which they can draw upon for years to come.”
