Chapter 1 — The System of Car Control, in plain English

The System of Car Control is the spine of advanced driving in the UK. It is not new — it has been taught in some form by police driving schools since the 1930s, and is set out in Roadcraft, the police driver's manual. The version below is the everyday-driver translation.

01Why a system at all

Driving is a sequence of small decisions made under time pressure. A system gives the brain a default order to make them in, so that when traffic gets busier you do not have to invent a new plan from scratch at every junction. Drivers who use it tend to make fewer late, harsh inputs — which means lower fuel use, fewer near misses, and less wear on the car.

02The five phases

• Information. Take, use and give. Take it from your mirrors, the road ahead, signs, road surface and other road users. Use it to plan. Give it with indicators, position and brake lights so other drivers know what you intend.
• Position. Move the car to the part of the lane that gives you the best view and the safest path through the next hazard. On a left-hand bend that often means moving slightly right within your lane to extend your sightline.
• Speed. Adjust speed using the brakes (and the accelerator, by easing off) so that you arrive at the hazard at the right speed. Speed is set before, not in, the corner.
• Gear. Select the gear that matches the new speed and what comes next. With a manual you change gear once, smoothly, after the braking is done. With an automatic the box does it for you, but the principle is the same — be in the right gear before you need the power.
• Acceleration. Apply progressive, smooth acceleration as the hazard clears. Smooth means the passenger in the back does not notice it happening.

03A worked example: a normal T-junction, turning right

You are approaching a T-junction half a mile ahead. You will turn right onto a wider road.

Information first. Mirrors — interior, then right door. What is behind you, and is it close? Look ahead at the junction: is the give-way line clear? Are there pedestrians at the corner? Indicate right, early enough that the car behind has time to react but not so early that someone behind a side road thinks you are turning into that.

Position. Move toward the centre of your lane, keeping clear of the centre line. This signals your intention and gives a left-turning driver coming the other way room to pass.

Speed. Brake progressively to walking pace, finishing the braking before you reach the give-way line. Brake firmly and early rather than gently and late — it gives following drivers a clearer signal.

Gear. Select second once braking is done. If you need to stop completely, select first as you come to rest.

Acceleration. Look right, look left, look right again. Look for cyclists in the gutter line — they are easy to miss against parked cars. When the gap is clear, ease the clutch up and feed in throttle smoothly. Straighten the wheel as the car settles into the new lane.

04The two mistakes the system fixes

Most uncomfortable junctions are caused by one of two errors: arriving too fast and braking into the corner, or arriving in the wrong gear and having to change mid-turn. The system fixes both because Speed and Gear are explicit steps that finish before the turn begins.

05How to practise without annoying anyone

Pick one junction on your normal route — ideally one you find a bit awkward. For the next week, run the five steps in your head as you approach it. You do not need to narrate them out loud. The point is to make the order automatic, so that when a more demanding situation comes along — a tight roundabout, a school run in the rain — your brain already knows what to do first.

06What this is not

The System is not about driving slowly. It is not about being precious. Police pursuit drivers use the same five phases at three times the legal limit on closed roads. It is a way of making decisions in a sensible order; the speed those decisions produce is whatever the conditions allow.

07A short reading list

• Roadcraft: The Police Driver's Handbook (current edition, The Stationery Office).
• Driving — The Essential Skills (DVSA official guide).
• IAM RoadSmart Advanced Driver course materials.