Driving Appraisal
You may be concerned that you have noticed some recent changes, such as losing confidence while driving, feeling more anxious when it’s hectic, driving at night being more challenging, or avoiding longer journeys. If you know that this is not related to a medical concern, where you would need medical fitness to drive, then a mature driver’s appraisal would be a suitable assessment.
What is a driving appraisal?
A driving appraisal is an assessment of your driving skills that could help you adapt and extend your driving ability and be safer on the road. There may be updates to road awareness, the Highway Code, or car adaptations that you are not aware of.
Appraisals can help drivers identify risks and make changes to their driving habits. The appraisal is aimed at individuals seeking to demonstrate a satisfactory level of driving or those who have experienced changes in their circumstances, such as nervous drivers, those who have been out of driving for extended periods, those who have changed jobs, retired, or have driven less frequently due to a recent near miss.
If you want a simple, honest evaluation of your skills, an idea of how you could improve to feel more confident and drive safer than a mature driver's appraisal could be helpful for you.
What happens in an appraisal?
The appraisal will be conducted by an Approved Driving Instructor, who will typically start from an RDAC centre, but if agreed upon by the ADI, can take place at your home address. The appraisal can take place in an RDAC vehicle or your vehicle.
Before heading out on the road, the ADI will discuss your needs and concerns and conduct a safety check of the vehicle. The ADI will check that you have a current, valid driving licence, as well as perform a 20-metre number plate eyesight check.
The appraisal will take between 40 and 60 minutes, with breaks during the drive if required. It will be tailored to your needs and will include a variety of roads, ranging from urban to rural and dual carriageway routes. If you wish and the ADI agrees, motorways can be included. You're welcome to bring along a friend or family member to make you feel more comfortable.
The appraisal is not the driving test and is a supportive process. After the assessment, the assessor will give honest and objective verbal feedback and complete a report on your driving ability. The assessor may signpost you to additional support and advice or a different type of assessment more appropriate to your needs and requirements, where this is identified.
How to book with RDAC?
RDAC is a charity, and unfortunately, our grant funding does not cover the cost of an appraisal; to be sustainable, we do need to charge a fee.
A self-referral incurs a fee of £100, which will be charged when we contact you to arrange an assessment following the submission of this form. If you cancel your booking within two working days, we cannot offer a refund. If you cancel more than two working days before your booking date, we charge an administration fee of £20.
Get Involved With RDAC
As a charity, RDAC relies on grants and donations to fund the critical service it provides. We are always grateful for the support of the public, and if you would like to donate, we ensure that contributions go directly to front-line services.
If you are interested in talking to us about commercial partnerships, becoming a Trustee or volunteering with us, please contact us at info@rdac.co.uk. Thank you.
