Scotland and its range of roads make it an excellent location for advanced driver training. Due to its huge network of challenging rural roads, which typically are much more dangerous than motorways and urban routes, we see a lot of people, both companies and private individuals alike, investing in advanced driver training to help them become safer drivers on these roads.
In Scotland, we mainly provide driver training in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth, and Aberdeen.
Remember – Each driving course is totally bespoke to your own specific needs and requirements. This applies to both our business and private client courses.
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For motorway training, we can use the network of motorways in and around Glasgow and Edinburgh, such as the M9, M80, M73 and M74. For more rural road training, we often head north if the training starts from Glasgow or Edinburgh, often using the A9 if you’re far enough up north. Read our road safety report on the A9 here.
We provide a wide range of driving courses, including:
* General advanced training
* Van driver training
* Confidence training
* Motorway courses
* Post RTC confidence
Why are rural roads so dangerous?
The twisty, turning nature of rural roads instantly makes them riskier than a motorway or urban route. Combine this with the relatively high speeds, close proximity of oncoming traffic, varying road surfaces, farm machinery, mud on the road, and obscure entrances, all add up to more danger.
You are around 11 times more likely to be killed on a rural road than on a motorway. Furthermore, during the winter, Scotland typically gets more severe weather than other parts of the UK, which further adds to the risks.
During our driver training in Scotland, we cover a wide range of elements, including:
- Creating improved powers of observation and anticipation
- Being more aware of speed limits and controlling speed
- Looking at ways to change negative attitudes to driving
- Create a safer way of driving on motorways, town and rural roads
- Identifying and educating drivers about various rules of the road
- How to identify and defuse road rage
- Manoeuvres, parking and driving in tight spaces
- Driving in challenging weather such as rain, snow and ice
- Understanding the dangers of urban driving and being aware of vulnerable road users
- Learning the difference between under and oversteer, and how to reduce the chances of a skid occurring
- Learning to drive in a more environmentally friendly way
- How to anticipate the actions and potential actions of another motorist
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If you are looking at advanced/defensive driver training as part of a fleet driver training plan, the advantages include:
- Increase safety in your fleet
- Demonstrate your Duty of Care
- Potentially lower your fleet insurance costs
- Boost morale among your drivers
- Provide added skill and confidence for your employees
- Lower your fleet fuel costs
Why take training with us? (Personal advantages)
- Boost your levels of driving confidence
- Single out and remove any bad habits
- Face up to issues that may be impacting your driving
- Improve all elements of car and van control
- Reduce wear on your vehicle
- Learn how to get more miles from your tank
Talk with us:
You can book a course online at www.advanced-driving.co.uk/book/ or please call us or send us an email. We aim to reply to all emails within 1 hour during working hours. Whether you are looking for a quote based on a large number of drivers or simply have a few questions (private and business customers), our team are here to help you.
Dangerous Roads in Scotland – One reason why driver training in Scotland is so popular is that it has some very dangerous roads; here is a brief overview of just a few of them, some of which we will provide driver training on depending on your location.
A82 (Glasgow to Inverness via Loch Lomond & Glencoe)
Challenges: The A82 is one of the most scenic routes in Scotland, running from Glasgow through Loch Lomond, Glencoe, and the Highlands to Inverness. While stunning, the A82 is infamous for its winding bends, narrow sections, and steep gradients. The road is often crowded with tourists and motorhomes, making overtaking dangerous. In winter, snow and ice can make the road treacherous, and the high cliffs near Glencoe add to the risk of accidents.
Notable Hazards:
Tight turns, especially around Loch Lomond and Glencoe.
Slippery conditions in winter and spring.
High volume of tourist traffic, including campervans and cyclists.
A9 (Perth to Inverness)
Challenges: The A9 is a major north-south route connecting Perth and Inverness, cutting through the Highlands. It has long, straight stretches but also sharp bends, particularly as it passes through The Cairngorms and Grampian regions. Despite being a dual carriageway for much of its length, it has significant hazards due to frequent bends, high speeds, and animal crossings, such as deer and livestock. Winter weather can make driving hazardous, particularly with snow or ice on the road, as well as heavy rainfall leading to floods.
Notable Hazards:
Wildlife, especially deer, crossing the road.
Poor visibility and fog in mountainous areas.
Sudden weather changes, such as snow and rain.
High-speed traffic, especially during rush hours and tourist seasons.
A890 (Lochcarron to Stromeferry)
Challenges: The A890 is a scenic coastal road in the Western Highlands that links Lochcarron to Stromeferry. It’s a very narrow and winding road, often used by heavy trucks transporting goods. One of the main hazards of the A890 is the Stromeferry Bypass, where the road passes through steep cliffs and rocky terrain. It has been notorious for rockfalls and landslides, making it particularly dangerous during wet weather or after heavy rainfall.
Notable Hazards:
Rockfalls and landslides, especially during storms or after rain.
Narrow sections that make it difficult for two large vehicles to pass.
Tight bends with limited visibility.
Potential for floods or dangerous conditions in winter.
Additional Road Safety Risks and Information – Scotland
Scotland is a vast area of land covered by numerous fast routes but only a few dedicated motorways to the south of the country from the border of England, the main one being the A74 into Glasgow. It then joins the M77, the M73 and the M8 into Edinburgh. The M9 splits from the M8 to Stirling, ending the motorway systems in Scotland; the fast A9 road then travels north to Thurso with some smaller A roads branching off along the route serving the rest of Scotland.
The M74 starts at Gretna Green and continues into Glasgow, where it meets the M8. There are numerous severe and often fatal accidents between junctions 21 and 19, so caution should be taken along this stretch of motorway. It is exceptionally busy as it is the main highway in and out of Scotland, and many drivers may not be familiar with the route. The statistics continue to be severe along the entire route, but the challenging intersection at junction 6 at the meeting of the A723 is especially hazardous with numerous collisions; many of these could be down to lane positioning and drivers unsure of their directions. The M74 meets the M8 to go north and merges with the M77 to reach Ayrshire. This configuration of motorways is very challenging to navigate and has its fair share of collisions, the most being around junction 22. The M8 is not only a fast motorway but also links to the urban network of Glasgow and has multiple lanes and connections; this makes the stretch of the motorway between junctions 19 and 13 very difficult.
When the M9 merges with the A9 at Dunblane, it becomes the main artery to the top of Scotland and links directly to Inverness, with many routes leading to Dundee and Aberdeen to the East of the country. The A9 stretches over some extremely rural areas, and much care should be taken with both speed and observations. In the winter, this route can be especially hazardous and sometimes impassable with snow and ice, so a good understanding of driving in adverse weather is beneficial if you use such roads in winter. It is especially perilous between the villages of Bankfoot and Pitlochry, with numerous fatal collisions noted. Further up, the stretch of road between Lynchat, Aviemore and Kinveachey is also an area of concern, with multiple severe accidents recorded. The A90 from Perth to Dundee is a bustling and fast route with a high volume of collisions noted on the dual carriageway patches, showing that too much speed may have been a consideration. Many accidents are found on the outskirts of Dundee and the meeting of the A85. As it leaves Dundee toward Aberdeen, the area between New Bigging and Gateside is hazardous, very similar to the stretch of road between Laurencekirk and Stonehaven.
These are only a minimal outline of collision sites across Scotland. If you have any specific roads you travel on in the area and you’re keen to discover what parts are at higher risk in terms of collisions, please contact us. We offer a free-of-charge service to anyone who is interested.