About Us
Ayrshire Advanced Drivers is a RoSPA accredited Advanced Driving Group currently based in Auchincruive, near Ayr. Our Aim, to promote safer and better driving - and it is hoped that members will eventually progress to taking the RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders Advanced Test. Our dedicated volunteers provide a range of advanced driver tuition. We also arrange a number of annual visits, including visits to the Police Training Colleges at Jackton or Tulliallan where demonstration drives are organised by the Road Policing Unit instructors. Other events include our annual club competition, dinner & awards presentation and bowling night.
In 1987, the Kyle & Carrick Accident Prevention Trophy was awarded to the group for its contribution to accident prevention. A similar award was received from Prestwick Community Council. During the half-century of the group's existence, it has also taken part in various events such as the Marie Curie Cancer Fund Raising Day at Turnberry, in Ayrshire, where members of the public were able to test their manoeuvrability skills for a small donation to the charity.
Over the years the group has developed it's own manual to complement 'Roadcraft' and, in 1985, initiated an internal test which has now become an essential step along the road to sitting the RoSPA Advanced Drivers and Riders Test. In recent years, a modular training scheme has also been created, which has been invaluable in ensuring consistency among tutors and to allow new members to see how they are progressing.
The Ayr and District Safe Drivers' Association, as it was called at the time, had a spell at the Ayrshire Road Training Group facilities at East Road in Ayr. Here, there was space for an obstacle course to test members' ability to manoeuvre their vehicles. In those early days, the local police were much more involved than is now possible, due to significant cutbacks in the number of traffic officers, and allowed the club to hold lectures for the general public at the start of each season, as well as providing training for the tutors.
In 1972, a small group of enthusiastic drivers, supported by police officers and others interested in promoting safer driving, attended an inaugural meeting in Ayr's Loudon Hall. The result was the formation of "Ayr Safe Drivers". The aim was simple, and, 50 gears later, remains constant today — the promotion of safer and better driving, helping and advising less experienced or less confident drivers towards whatever standard they wish to achieve.
