Message from IAM new CEO

Dear Member,

Since joining the IAM on February 5th I have met many of the IAM employed team and we had some excellent things to share with the Council of Management at the Trustees meeting last week. I am keen to share this information with you.

IAM Membership numbers are increasing

Firstly and very importantly, membership numbers have increased in seven out of the last 10 months.  Part of that is because we have improved the way that we communicate renewals reminders to you, our members - letter, email and telephone.

We also now offer more for members - more events, more benefits, more courses to take and the opportunity to gain the IMI accredited observer standards. Our groups are also helping to maintain membership by getting our associate members to test standard, being present at numerous events, by undertaking assessments and free taster sessions and by welcoming members old and new locally.

A noticeable number of long-lapsed members are returning due to two main factors - the members' only insurance offered by IAM Surety and also our increased media presence. This is very good news and a tribute to all who want to see safer riding and driving standards.

Record levels of media coverage for the IAM

Secondly, for an example of what our policy and communications team are achieving for the IAM, we need look no further than last month.  February was an outstanding month in the media. We led the debate on no less than four national stories.  In print we had stories in every national newspaper, including two in The Times and the front page of the Daily Mail. In total we achieved 2,600 print and online media. We led the debate on no less than four national stories.  In print we had stories in every national newspaper, including two in The Times and the front page of the Daily Mail. In total we achieved 2,600 print and online media clips.

The month saw our media interviews broadcast 745 times, which included BBC Breakfast, BBC TV news, BBC Radio 4's Today programme and BBC Radio Five Live.

The government's quarterly road safety figures on 5 February showed an increase in numbers of people killed and seriously injured.  Our comments were used in the Daily Mail, Daily Express, The Times, Guardian, Daily Mirror and Daily Star in 250 media clips that day.

On Sunday 8 February the news broke about a decline in traffic police numbers. Our comments featured on bbc.co.uk, the Sunday Times, Independent and the Express.

On Thursday 12 February the IAM broke a story on the worst speeders caught by speed cameras.  We featured on BBC Breakfast, The Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Metro, Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and a large number of regional outlets. The story ran again the following week as the press tracked down 'Britain' s Worst Speeder', caught doing 128mph in a 30mph zone. That story ran in the Metro, The Times, Daily Star and Daily Express.

We continue to champion driving and riding skills development

Our key message of "The IAM's fundamental belief is that an improvement in driving skills and attitude is the key to reducing the numbers of people killed and injured on UK roads. It has long advocated advanced driving and riding tuition and continuous development in skills to help achieve this." was included in the Press Association story and made hundreds of outlets including the Daily Mail.

Members got in touch with us by email and on Facebook about a line in the story that referred to it being 'impossible to react' at very high speeds. Of course it is possible. Thank you to everyone who pointed this out, we'll bear it in mind in the future.

Chief examiner Peter Rodger's story in The Times about older drivers caused a flurry of enquiries from the BBC with himself, Tim Shallcross and Neil Greig giving dozens of radio interviews. Tim also featured on BBC Breakfast in front of millions of peak-time morning viewers.

The result of this was more than 50 sales of our mature drivers' assessments.

Other notable results included our interview with The Times – I was pleased to have two appearances in The Times in successive days, along with a young driver feature in the Mail on Sunday 22nd.

As you will see above we have provided links to many of the articles above, so you can see them for yourselves.

Together we are making the IAM stronger

So why am I telling you all of this in an all member email? The reason is that your work out in the field is enhancing our reputation, leading to arrest the previous decline in membership numbers, increasing our credibility and causing the media to have a greater interest in us.

In short – our success is your success.

So please feel good about your association with the IAM, as we certainly feel good about you being on board with us.

Yours faithfully,

Sarah

Sarah Sillars OBE
IAM Chief Executive
IAM House
510 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 5RG

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