A FEW days ago, my husband and I left home before 9am and drove up the hill towards the local primary school. The road was narrowed by parked cars on both sides as people were dropping children off at the school.

As we drove near, we saw a driver walk behind a car, open the rear passenger door and let a young child jump out on to the road.

My husband has had the extra training provided by an advanced driving course. So he has become much more observant than before. He also looks much further ahead and anticipates what could happen as he scans the road at all times. Consequently, he moved our car as far out of the way as was possible in the narrow road and so avoided hitting the open car door and possibly injuring the young family.

Yet how many of us find we have driven somewhere on automatic pilot and then say to ourselves “I don’t remember driving along this road.” In this frame of mind would we have seen the car door opening in time to do something about it – or find ourselves saying “Suddenly the child jumped into the road and I had no time to stop”?

If you think you might like to consider an advanced driving course to make sure you are always on the alert for hazardous situations – and so be sure you will be safe and keep others safe – why not go along, without obligation, to the introductory session of the next advanced driving course run by the charity, Bolton & District Advanced Motorists, to see if it is for you. This will take place at Lostock Parish Centre on Thursday, August 3 at 7pm. Alternatively, you could ring Lynn Jordan on 07766 651418 for a chat or visit the website, www.iamroadsmart.com/groups/boltonam.

Katherine Whittle

Heaton