The new IAM RoadSmart Toolkit: Passengers CAN be the BEST Future Drivers!
- Roadster! Editorial Team
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
Learning to drive doesn’t HAVE to start the day you turn 17 - it can start RIGHT NOW… from the passenger seat!
Thanks to a new set of resources from IAM RoadSmart, the RAC Foundation, RAC, and ECM Research Solutions, young people can begin building real driving awareness LONG before they touch a steering wheel!
These tools were designed for parents and new drivers — but at Roadster! we think they’re just as valuable for young future drivers, because it is NEVER too early to start thinking like a driver!
Passengers see everything…
Think about where a Driving Instructor sits when someone is learning to drive. They are in the passenger seat watching…
• How early a driver spots hazards
• How they judge gaps at roundabouts
• How they manage speed on country roads
• How they stay calm when something unexpected happens
When you’re not steering, shifting, or checking mirrors, your brain is free to notice things drivers sometimes miss, and that is exactly the kind of awareness that makes safe drivers — the new IAM RoadSmart toolkit helps you practise it!
Over on the IAM RoadSmart website you can download these EXCELLENT free resources:
• Parent–Young Driver Agreement
• Progress‑to‑Pass Scorecards
• Parent’s Guide to Supporting New Drivers
Use the scorecards… as a passenger
The Progress‑to‑Pass Scorecards were designed for private practice sessions — but they’re brilliant for passengers too. You can use them to:
• Spot hazards before the driver does
• Predict what’s coming up next
• Notice how different roads “feel”
• Learn how speed, space and timing work together
You can turn every passenger car journey into a mini driving lesson — without the pressure of actually driving!
Build your own “driver brain” early
The research behind these tools shows that young drivers who learn gradually, and who think about driving before they start learning practically, become safer, more confident and more skilled.
So as a passenger, you can:
• Practise hazard perception
• Learn road signs and lane markings
• Watch how your driver handles tricky situations
• Ask questions about decisions (“Why did you slow down there?”)
• Build confidence long before your first lesson
This is how you become the kind of driver who feels ready - rather than cramming all of your learning into driving lessons!
We LOVE initiatives like this!
Talk about driving with your adults
The Parent–Young Driver Agreement is meant for families with new drivers — but it’s also a great conversation starter for youths who are almost at driving age and are starting to think about the journey. You can use it to talk about:
• Night driving
• Passenger rules
• Car access
• Building independence safely
It’s a way to show your adults that you’re already thinking responsibly, and that you’re preparing for the real thing - it can help you persuade them to help you when YOU are old enough for driving lessons!
Driving isn’t just a skill - it’s a mindset. And the best time to start building that mindset is right now, in the passenger seat.
With IAM RoadSmart’s new resources, young people can practise the safe thinking, awareness and decision‑making that make great drivers - long before they get behind the wheel!
Download the Toolkit from here!
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