Driving ambition
He may be just 22, but if Young Driver of the Year semi-finalist Ben Laing wins the competition he plans to use the top prize to teach another generation of young drivers, writes Caroline Brodie
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JUST after he passed his driving test, Ben Laing had a slight bump on the notorious A9 Perth-Inverness road.
Luckily, he was not hurt when the other motorist shunted into the back of him, but it was enough to persuade his father, a member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), that his son should get some more training under his belt.
A short time later, he passed his IAM test and now the car-mad storeman has applied to the Driving Standards Agency to become an instructor so that he can take other young drivers through their paces.
Ben, who works for Elgin Land Rover dealership Frank Ogg, decided to enter the Young Driver of the Year competition after his boss flagged it up to him.
“I just thought it would be good fun, but the car is also an appeal,” he said.
“What I would like to do if I win is to use it as an instructor car, if I pass the DSA test.”
Ben has already done his theory test and is now preparing to take the next step – his practical driving test.
His teaching skills will also be put to the test before he qualifies.
Ben, who has always wanted to follow this career path, had originally planned to apply as soon as he turned 21, the minimum required age, but his plans were put on the back-burner when he got engaged to fiancee Julie Cameron last year and the couple bought a house.
Now, under the tutelage of Tony’s Driver Training Centre in Elgin, he says he is ready to follow his dream.
Ben, who used to live on a farm and learned to drive when he was about 14, currently drives a 2.2-litre Vauxhall Vectra SRi.
He said: “I have always been into cars and I’ve had quite a few in my time. My dad had a 4x4 and I had a few old cars from the scrap yard.
“I also worked in Halfords part-time when I was at school and used to spend a lot of money on accessories.”
Speaking about his experiences with the IAM, he said: “It makes you more observant. You are constantly checking every five seconds.”
Asked what should be done to cut road accidents among new drivers, Ben said they should be limited to carrying just one passenger for the first six months and to driving at 50mph on minor roads.
He also said vehicles should have GPS so that when the speed limit is broken, it mutes the stereo and gives an audible warning until speed is reduced.
