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East of England Ambulance ServiceEssex County CouncilEssex County Fire & Rescue SeviceEssex PoliceHighways AgencySouthend-on-Sea Borough CouncilThurrock Council

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Frequently Asked Questions


What is this course?

As part of The National Driver Intervention Scheme the course is offered to some drivers as an alternative to prosecution for certain traffic offences. It gives the opportunity for drivers to improve not only their driving skills but also their general attitude to driving and other road users. The courses, provided by Essex County Council on behalf of Essex Police, adhere to a nationally agreed programme and require participants to attend at their own expense. Satisfactory completion of the course will avoid the driver getting penalty points on their licence.
 
Why should I attend?
The course has been developed, researched and tested by professionals. It is designed to improve driver safety through theory and on-road training using modern defensive driving techniques. This is more constructive than costly court proceedings and drivers benefit from the experience in a positive way. Offenders are offered an alternative to prosecution and retrained drivers should be less likely to be involved in crashes in the future.
 
How long have I got to take the course?
You will be required to have booked AND completed your course by the expiry date that will be notified to you in your letter from the Police. This is a date set by the Police and cannot be varied by Essex County Council.
 
What if I ride a moped or motorcycle?
Riders of Powered Two Wheelers will have the opportunity to participate in a 'RIDE' course. This is a National Driver Intervention Scheme Course especially designed for riders as opposed to drivers.
 
Where and when is the course held?
Essex County Council holds courses for drivers in Chelmsford. They are currently held at the Springfield Parish Centre in North Springfield. 'RIDE' courses (motorcycles only) are held in Colchester and you should refer to the appropriate section for more information. Driver (and Rider) Intervention is a national scheme and you can attend a course in another county should you prefer. A map will be sent with course confirmation correspondence. A map can also be viewed by following the link on this page. Courses are a day and a half in duration and are held weekly throughout the year. All clients should arrive by 8.45am for registration. The finishing time is 4.45pm. There is ample free car parking at the Parish Centre.
 
What if I turn up late?
You should allow enough time to arrive at the centre taking into account the travelling conditions you are likely to encounter at that time of day. You should also ensure you know where you are going exactly before setting off. Latecomers can cause disruption to the classroom session and will not be admitted to the course after 9.00 am. However, if there is a genuine reason and every effort has been made to advise the centre that you may be late, the Senior Instructor may allow entrance only up to 9.15 am at his/her discretion. The phone number of the centre is on the map accompanying joining instructions.
 
What is the format of the course?
The course was originally a day and a half but this has recently changed. It is now a one day course and consists of a classroom based theory session for the first morning. Here there are group exercises looking at attitudes to driving and improving anticipation of traffic dangers.
There is a working lunch with your instructors and practical, on road, training sessions conducted by highly qualified instructors. All tutors are civilian Driving Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructors who hold advanced qualifications.
At the end of the day you will have a de-briefing session. There will be two course members and an Instructor in a car. During the course you will spend approximately 4 hours in the car although actual driving time may vary and some of the time will be spent observing others.
 
Do I need my car?
Only to get you to the course on time. Fully insured manual or automatic cars are provided by the driving instructors. However, if you are disabled and drive a specially adapted vehicle, you can take the course in your own car. Motorcyclists participating in the practical aspect of a 'RIDE' course will generally be trained with an instructor using a radio link and if your bike is not available for the course one may be provided under certain conditions.
 
What do I need to bring?
Your spectacles or contact lenses if you need them to drive, and most importantly your Driving Licence. You must produce your Driving Licence to the Instructor on registration on the day you attend the course. If it is a new photo card licence you must bring both parts. Instructors need to see drivers’ licences under conditions of their insurance before they are allowed to drive. If you turn up on the day without your licence you will not be allowed to drive and therefore you will not be able to complete your course. If you have to come back on another date and it is still within your expiry date you will have to pay the course fee again. If it is outside your expiry date you cannot be re-coursed and your case is referred back to the police. If you are unlikely to be in possession of your licence for any reason you should contact the course administrator.
 
How much will I have to pay for a course?
The current cost of the course, which must be paid for at the time of booking, is £195. With effect from 4th January 2012 fees will increase to £202.50 (£200 if booked online) and will apply to all courses booked and payments made after that date.
Payment can be made by credit or debit card. We do not accept cheque or cash payments but in special circumstances payment may be made by Postal Order. However, if the Postal Order payment is not received within 7 days of the provisional booking the course place will be forfeited and the matter referred back to Essex Police.  For those that have payment difficulties an arrangement can be made for payment in installments. However payment is made and if not paid for at the time of booking the course must be paid for in full within 14 days of booking or the course place will be re-allocated. Please ensure you have sufficient funds to cover any course fee payment. If a payment is subsequently rejected as a result of an unpaid cheque or declined card payment and the matter cannot be resolved this will lead to further action being taken. This could involve your details being passed to a debt collecting agency that will be tasked to recover the debt which could mean you may have to pay additional charges.
 
When should I reply?
Your letter from the Police will contain information on how to book and pay for the course. This can be done online or by phone. Courses become booked very quickly so you should not delay. Your response is required within 14 days of the initial offer letter sent to you so you should not delay as time limits are strictly adhered to by the Police. No reminders will be sent. The course places are strictly limited so if you do not act quickly you may not be able to comply with your expiry date and will be referred back to the police.
 
Is it a test? Can I fail?
There is no test, but satisfactory completion of the course is essential. This means attending and taking a full and active part in all sessions and showing an improvement in your driving. However, if at any time during the driving aspect of the course it is considered by the instructor that your driving is in any way dangerous then the practical session will be terminated and you will be required to observe as a passenger only. If this is the case your case will be referred back to the police for further consideration. Having successfully completed the course you will be advised by your instructor on completion that the police will take no further action. Once you have attended a course the fact will be recorded on a national database and you will not be permitted to attend another until 3 years have passed. You will not receive any further communication from the police unless you specifically request a letter of completion.
 
Should you require more information you can e-mail us on driver.improvement@essex.gov.uk (This is for enquiry only and cannot be used for booking courses)