Costs and Benefits
The Costs
The Skill for Life package includes:
- All I.A.M. literature
- "Advanced Driving" the I.A.M. tri-annual Members magazine
- An initial assessment
- All Test preparation work (using S.A.M.s own Observers and Senior Observers)
- Fee for the Advanced Driving Test
- IAM Associate status (with an automatic upgrade to full Membership of the IAM upon passing the Advanced Driving Test within 12 months)
- Access to the "Members" area of the IAM website with details of Members' Events, Membership Services and Special Offers
All this is available for £99 (motorcycle test is £109), however this is discounted to £79 for those under 26 when joining.
S.A.M group members pay an annual group membership fee, currently £10.
The Benefits
Perhaps the most significant benefit is increased road safety, both for yourself and others.
Driving to 'The System' may mean better fuel economy, and less wear and tear both on the driver and passengers’ nerves as well as the engine. In time, the costs involved may be recouped.
There may also be special insurance deals available; many companies provide a discount for people who become advanced drivers. Those under 25 may benefit the most, as this age group can find insurance a lot more costly, and may find that having attained 'advanced' status helps them to find a greatly reduced premium. Looking to the long term, using the skills the system provides means a greatly reduced chance of being involved in a collision that may affect no claims discount, saving more money every year.