Tag Archives: news

GEM Festive Webinar

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Webinar December 2024

Valerie Singleton OBE to host festive GEM webinar on Thursday 12 December

  • Registration for the FREE event is open now
  • Expert advice on changes to vehicle tax rules, plus top tips for festive trips
  • A line-up of Val’s guests will contribute to the conversation
  • One lucky participant will with a fabulous hamper in time for Christmas

Registration is now open for GEM Motoring Assist’s forthcoming webinar, hosted by Valerie Singleton OBE. The event takes place on Thursday 12 December at 2pm, and will include the opportunity to one lucky participant win a luxury hamper in time for Christmas.

Val’s guests include motoring journalist David Motton (road test editor for GEM’s member magazine Good Motoring), who will answer questions on the big changes in car tax coming in April 2025. He will also offer advice for anyone looking to change their car in 2025, and will point to where some of the best automotive bargains might be found.

Lee Puffett, GEM’s managing director, will review the many highlights for the organisation in 2024, and will outline exciting new member benefits scheduled for the coming year.

Heidi Duffy and her colleagues from the National Young Rider Forum have made good use of a recent grant from the GEM Road Safety Charity. They have produced a suite of short videos promoting better knowledge of road safety among young working motorbike and scooter riders – and Heidi will be on hand to share one or two of them.

Alan Hiscox from the British Horse Society will reveal an exciting new awareness-raising initiative for 2025… and transport historian Alan Wakely will be sharing a raft of fascinating facts and figures relating to Christmas on the road.

Anyone interested in winning the luxury Christmas hamper will have the chance to answer a prize question posed by Val, who will announce the name of the lucky winner before the end of the webinar. Details of how to take part will be explained during the webinar.

GEM managing director Lee Puffett said: “We are excited about this webinar, and particularly happy to be working with Valerie Singleton once again. She has a long and successful relationship with GEM, and I know and she remains passionate in supporting safe mobility and independence for all road users.”

As well as presenting the organisation’s long-running ‘Still Safe to Drive’ web resource for senior drivers and their families, Val has also completed two GEM driver assessments in recent years.

Register now for the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OI2GHJJFQSycI4BqwsvWbw

 

Voluntary Mature Driver Assessments

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There is a lot in the press at the moment about Older Drivers and Mature Driver Assessments.

We know that older motorists have a wealth of experience, confidence and tolerance. However, sight, hearing, reaction time and judgement of speed and distance may not be as sharp as it once was. Fragility increases with age, so injuries tend to be more serious and recovery takes much longer. Casualty rates do increase for car drivers aged over about 65, and the fatality rate increases significantly. Our biggest issue as we age is often complacency, especially with our driving. We are therefore encouraging all to make sure you are still safe to drive. We MOT and Service our vehicles as they age, how about checking ourselves?

Statistics released by the Department for Transport  https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-older-and-younger-driver-factsheets-2022/reported-road-casualties-in-great-britain-older-driver-factsheet-2022 do show fatalities involving young drivers is steadily decreasing, unfortunately older drivers are increasing, probably due to the older driver licence numbers increasing on average around ¼ million every year. We have an ageing population so expect huge increases in licences held by older drivers, so older driver deaths will increase, but there is plenty we can do to reduce this risk, which is why we are raising awareness of this and trying to make sure we are all fit and healthy to drive.

The article below by the BBC shows what we are doing to help and support mature motorists to carry on driving safely for longer and encourage us all to consider a mature driver assessment.

Click here to read article from the BBC 

 

‘DRIVING SAFELY IN WINTER. TIME FOR CHANGE’

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Saturday 26 October 10:00am Community Webinar
‘DRIVING SAFELY IN WINTER. TIME FOR CHANGE.’  

With the clocks going back on 27 October and temperatures dropping drivers need to prepare for the challenges of winter driving.

A 2018 RAC report of five years of collision data identified a 5% increase in collisions in the two-week period after the clocks go back. Surveys of car rentals and insurance companies suggested this is because more people are driving  in poor light conditions.

This webinar provides advice for mature driver on how to sharpen driving skills, prepare their car and plan journeys to reflect winter driving conditions.

At this event we will be making an important announcement about a national trial of standardised mature driver assessment for which we need the support of mature drivers in Gloucestershire.

To register for this event, click on this link https://tinyurl.com/4auhy6wv

This information is of value to any driver so why not ask your family to join you!

Also please share this information with anyone you think it would be of value.     

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All our work is voluntary. To donate email odfglos@gmail.com and we will provide bank details of Gloucestershire Older Persons Association (charity number: 1124977) under whose charitable status we operate. 

In Other News 

Future events include:

  •       17 November  Road Victim Remembrance Day https://tinyurl.com/3t42ex2m
  •       21 November  WI Kemble & Ewen
  •       30 November  Community webinar ‘Driving Safely in Winter. Highways Special.’                               https://tinyurl.com/364nkx8s
  •   3 December    Probus Tewkesbury & Bredon
  •      14 December    Community webinar ‘Concerned about a mature driver?                                We can help’. https://tinyurl.com/2atvxuzd

FREE Webinar – Concerned about a mature driver? We can help.

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May 2024

‘CONCERNED ABOUT A MATURE DRIVER? WE CAN HELP.’   

This popular series of zoom webinars returns at 10am on Saturday 25 May    

Starting conversations with a family member about retiring from driving can be challenging, especially if they are unaware or complacent about their declining driving skills.

This webinar is intended for families, friends, and carers concerned about a mature driver. Advice includes how to:

  • Start meaningful conversations with the person of concern
  • Keep them driving safely for longer, including information on the impact of medications and dementia on fitness to drive
  • Plan for when it is time for them to retire from driving

We are delighted that Bobby Oliver from Driving Mobility will be a guest contributor. Driving Mobility provide DVLA approved assessments for drivers with mobility and cognitive issues. They also provide a subsidised, mobility, advice service for drivers planning to retire from driving. www.drivingmobility.org.uk

To register e-mail odfglos@gmail.com with your name and the email address you would like joining instructions sent to.

 The webinars are free to join, use zoom, but a zoom account is not required.

Places are limited so if you register and then are unable to attend. Please let us know.

Whilst we have your attention all our work in Gloucestershire is voluntary and relies on public donations.

If you can donate, please email odfglos@gmail.com and we will provide bank details of Gloucestershire Older Persons Association (Charity No: 1124977) under whose charitable status we operate. Thank you.