1 Entitlement to drive or ride
Drivers should be legally entitled to drive or ride
- The driver should have a valid driving license
- The driver should meet legal eyesight requirements to drive or ride
2 Driving Knowledge
Drivers and Riders should be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the following:
- Local driving-related laws and regulations
- Required driving documentation
- Speed limits
- Road Signs
- Road junctions and priorities
- Driving hazards
- Impact of weather conditions
- Road types
- Distractions
- Fitness to drive or ride
- Fatigue
- Alcohol
- Illegal drugs
- Medication
- Eyesight
- Health
- Journey Management
- Route planning
- Taking breaks
- Vehicle safety features
- Seatbelts
- Head restraints
- Air bags
- ABS
- Autonomous vehicle features, where applicable
- Electric vehicles, where applicable
- 2-Wheelers, where applicable
- Vehicle Checks
- Daily vehicle checks
- Adjusting driving position
3 Attitude to Driving and Riding
Drivers or Riders should demonstrate self-awareness of their capability as a driver/rider and display a cooperative attitude to other road users.
- Self-awareness of capability
- Positive attitude to other road users
- Positive attitude to learning
- Considered attitude to risk
4 Vehicle Control and Defensive Driving Competence
Drivers or Riders should be able to demonstrate the following skills and competence when driving:
- Use of controls
- Safe hand positioning and steering control
- Accelerating in an appropriate manner
- Appropriate use of gears
- Clutch control
- Appropriate use of brakes
- Correct use of parking brake
- Driving Performance
- Moving off safely
- Forward distance observation
- Effective use of mirrors
- Correct signalling
- Maintaining safe braking distance
- Safe braking
- Safe use of speed
- Safe Cornering
- Vehicle positioning
- Safe overtaking
- Safe reversing under control
- Safe reverse parking
- Driving Performance
- Moving off safely
- Forward distance observation
- Effective use of mirrors
- Correct signalling
- Maintaining safe braking distance
- Safe braking
- Safe use of speed
- Safe Cornering
- Vehicle positioning
- Safe overtaking
- Safe reversing under control
- Safe reverse parking
- Driving behaviour
- Pre-drive preparation
- Scanning, clear and peripheral vision
- Awareness of blind spots
- Line of sight and limit point
- Hazard recognition, forward planning and avoidance
- Judging speed
- Concentration
- Consideration for other vulnerable road users
- Temperament
- Vehicle sympathy
Certification
Certification will be carried out by an organisation that has been approved by GDC who will assess the driver or rider against this standard using an approved evaluation assessment sheet. The Certificate will be awarded by GDC on completion of a successful assessment.