Driving Instructors and Vision Zero

The full team is back as Terry is joined by Olly Tayler, Kate Monk, Tom Stenson and Dr Liz Box for another wide-ranging discussion on driver training and road safety.

The panel explores the HOT CAR model and how instructors can develop thinking drivers with stronger decision-making, risk awareness and self-regulation.

They also look at new young-driver casualty data, the role and responsibility of instructors beyond the driving test, and what good driver education should really look like.

Finally, the conversation turns to social media: from its potential as a useful learning tool to the risks of poor driving being normalised for views, likes and engagement.

Plus, the team discusses new IAM RoadSmart findings, post-test training, rural roads, parents, credible sources and how instructors can use their influence more effectively.

Hazard prediction takes centre stage in this lively discussion among Terry Cook, Tom Stenson, Kate Monk, and Olly Tayler, as they explore the vital role of anticipating potential dangers on the road.

They delve into the importance of training both new and experienced drivers to recognise hazards before they escalate, emphasising that proactive awareness can significantly reduce the risk of accidents.

The quartet highlight the necessity for instructors to foster a culture of vigilance, ensuring that learners build an "experience bank" to draw from. Through engaging commentary, driving demonstrations, and candid conversations, they aim to shift the focus from merely passing the driving test to mastering safe driving habits. Tune in for a fun yet informative journey that underscores the vital connection between hazard awareness and road safety!

What can the UK learn from Norway about learning to drive?

Norwegian-born driving instructor Emma Fonnaland joins Terry to compare the two countries’ approaches to instructor training, road safety and preparing new drivers. They explore Norway’s two-year qualification process, mandatory theory education, private practice and practical safety experiences—including loss-of-traction training and a surprisingly painful 7mph crash demonstration.

Emma also explains why her social media focuses on the reasons behind safe driving, how learners and instructors respond differently to her content, and why passing the test should never become more important than protecting people.

A conversation about raising standards, challenging established thinking and helping learners understand not only what to do, but why it matters.

Follow Emma on Facebook here

If you had a magic wand and could change one thing to improve road safety, what would you change?

That's the challenge Terry Cook, Olly Tayler, Kate Monk, Tom Stenson, and Dr Liz Box tackle in this latest edition of Driving Instructors and Vision Zero.

Check out the IAM Roadsmart resources

Olly takes the reins as the temporary host, filling in for Terry, who is busy completing his 5k runs for charity. As they dive into the episode, the discussion quickly shifts to a pressing concern: the alarming rise in drug driving incidents, particularly among younger drivers. The speakers explore the societal shifts that have led to a decrease in alcohol consumption among youth, yet a simultaneous increase in drug use, raising questions about the perception of danger associated with drug driving versus drink driving. With insights from regular guests; Tom Stenson and Dr Liz Box, as well as special guest, Neale Kinnear, the conversation flows into the nuances of how driving instructors can engage with their students to address these issues effectively. They emphasise the importance of understanding the cultural context and the need for open dialogues surrounding these topics, as driving instructors stand at a unique intersection where they can impact young people's attitudes toward road safety.

The Honest Truth

ANDNJC

Liz Box

Neale Kinnear

The full team is back together for this one, as Terry is joined by Olly Tayler, Kate Monk, Tom Stenson, and Dr Liz Box to dive into one key theme: collaboration.

Bringing together perspectives from driver training, research, and road safety campaigning, the panel explores why no single group has all the answers, and how real progress comes from working together. From coaching learners and involving parents to influencing wider road safety strategy, collaboration sits at the heart of it all.

The conversation also tackles the barriers: fear, cost, competition, and mindset. But the message is clear: small steps, curiosity, and a willingness to try can open doors.

If the goal is safer drivers, collaboration isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Donate to Terry's 5K a Day challenge for Brake

Brake's Young Driver Safety Report

Dr Box's Podcast recommendation

In this episode, Terry Cook (creator of The Instructor Podcast) convenes the team - driving instructor, Kate Monk and former police officer Olly Tayler - to confront the lack of consequences for road harm.

The panel analyses a harrowing case where an 18-year-old driver received only 14 months for the deaths of two passengers. Together, they dissect the legal gap between 'due care' and 'dangerous driving' and the 'exceptional hardship' loophole that keeps high-risk drivers on the road.

The team moves beyond the legalities to discuss the necessary cultural shift in parenting and education required to end the 'lost generation' of drivers. This is a vital discussion for instructors and the wider community on restoring accountability to our roads.

The Honest Truth

My Learner Driver

Instructor Performance & Psychology

In this full-panel conversation, Terry Cook, Olly Tayler, Kate Monk, Tom Stenson and Dr. Liz Box come together to tackle a big question:

If driving standards are poor, what part are we playing in changing them?

The discussion explores whether standards are genuinely declining, why so many drivers believe they’re “above average,” and how a test-focused culture may be setting learners up with a low starting benchmark. The group challenges the idea that passing the driving test equals competence, arguing instead for a long-term growth mindset built on reflection, emotional regulation and responsibility.

Parental influence becomes a major theme. From assessing parents’ driving to using resources that educate whole households, the panel explores how instructors can create ripple effects far beyond the learner in the driver’s seat.

Dr. Liz Box reflects on 20 years in road safety, highlighting progress in behavioural science and Vision Zero thinking, while also acknowledging structural challenges, political turnover, and the unfinished conversation around graduated driver licensing.

This episode blends frontline experience, research insight and practical ideas, all centred on one challenge:

What part are you playing in supporting safer roads?

After a long hiatus, Driving Instructors and Vision Zero returns, re-framed, re-focused, and rebuilt as a collaboration.

In this relaunch episode, The Instructor Podcast's Terry Cook is joined by road safety professional and former police advanced driver Olly Tayler to explain why the podcast has evolved from Driving Instructors to Vision Zero into Driving Instructors and Vision Zero, and why that word change matters.

This is an honest, wide-ranging conversation about:

1. Why driving instructors are still the most underused road safety professionals
2. how habits, complacency, and “I’ll get away with it” thinking really form
3. the limits of enforcement and the power of education and coaching
4. reading the road, seeing risk early, and planning for “what if?”
5. what the new Road Safety Strategy gets right — and what it misses
6. graduated licensing, minimum learning periods, and post-test risk
7. why drug driving is now the bigger blind spot than drink driving
8. and why real culture change takes years, not press releases

The episode also introduces the idea of a wider monthly panel, a group of road safety professionals and instructor voices coming together to bridge the gap between policy, practice, and the real world.

This podcast isn’t about blame.

It’s about responsibility.

We’re doing our bit for road safety.

What are you doing?

The podcast episode focuses on the role of driving instructors in fostering safer driving practices. Terry engages in a conversation with Olly Tayler, a former traffic officer, to explore the challenges of motorway driving and the misconceptions surrounding it.

They discuss the importance of proper observation and maintaining a safe distance between vehicles to prevent accidents. Additionally, they highlight the Honest Truth initiative, which aims to equip new drivers with essential life skills alongside their driving training. Throughout the episode, Ollie shares insights from his extensive experience in traffic policing, stressing the need for heightened awareness and responsibility among all road users.

Access more from Driving Instructors to Vision Zero

Find out more about The Honest Truth

Takeaways:

• Driving instructors can play a crucial role in shaping safer driving behaviours among new drivers.
• The podcast emphasizes the importance of understanding motorway driving beyond the misconception it's easy.
• Olly Tayler shares insights from his extensive experience as a traffic officer on motorways.
• Effective observation techniques, including scanning far ahead, are vital for motorway safety.
• The Honest Truth initiative aims to instil essential life skills in new drivers beyond just passing the test.