Learn With Cal

19/05/2026

📣 New to driving? Or supporting someone who is? Our road safety seminar at this weekend's Open Day could be the most important session you attend this year📣

With our North Wales Fire and Rescue Service / Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Gogledd Cymru collegues, we will host powerful and thought-provoking seminars as part of this year’s event, highlighting the devastating consequences of road traffic collisions and the importance of safe driving.

"Olivia’s Story" shares the story of 17-year-old Olivia Alkir, who tragically lost her life in a road traffic collision on the outskirts of Ruthin in June 2019. Olivia was a rear seat passenger in a car being driven recklessly by a newly licenced driver who was racing another driver, when he lost control on a bend hitting an oncoming car head-on.

The road safety film – which is usually shown in schools and colleges, aims to educate teenagers and parents about road safety, emphazising the consequences of reckless behaviour and the importance of responsible driving to prevent similar tragedies.

The seminar - held at 10:30am and 3pm in our main Conference Room, is aimed at those who are learning to drive or who have just passed their test, including parents and carers of teenagers. The presentation is suitable to those aged 16+

Sergeant Nicholas Choak, who is facilitating the seminars said: “Olivia’s Story is truly heart breaking and this powerful film aims to help educate young people about the importance of staying safe on the road.

“Sadly, young drivers are much more likely to be involved in road traffic collisions, often due to inexperience and a lack of knowledge on the risks. The film targets new or pre-drivers and aims to help them be aware of their responsibilities and of the devastating consequences that can occur.”

Olivia’s Mum, Jo Alkir, who is campaigning for GPS black boxes to be fitted to every young person’s car will also be in attendance on the day.

The Open Day, which will be held at Police Headquarters in Colwyn Bay on Saturday, 23rd May, will provide a unique opportunity for members of the public to engage directly with specialist policing teams including the Roads Crime Unit, Police Dogs and Drone Team as well as external road safety professionals.

Further details are available via: https://orlo.uk/MHaWq

Learn more about Olivia via: https://orlo.uk/y3jP3

18/05/2026

16/05/2026

Huge congratulations to Emily Helen Oakley — you did it! 🚗💨

I'm so proud of you for passing your driving test first time. All your hard work has paid off.

Here’s to your new freedom and many adventures ahead. Drive safe and enjoy every mile! 🚗🚦

13/05/2026

Few of my followers from my road safety page attended a speed awareness course and shared their experiences.
“It was a real eye opener.”

Not because everyone there were hardened speeders flying around like racing drivers.
Quite the opposite.
What shocked them most was how many everyday drivers genuinely did not understand some of the most basic parts of driving.

Very few people could correctly identify common road signs.

Nobody in the room knew the speed limit for an unrestricted dual carriageway.

Several automatic drivers had no idea they could manually select or hold a lower gear.
Then came the moment that apparently silenced the room.

An elderly lady confidently explained that she did not really need to be that observant anymore because her Volvo had collision avoidance systems.

We are slowly reaching a point where some people believe technology replaces responsibility.

A car can assist you.
A car can warn you.
A car might even save you from one mistake.

What it cannot do is replace judgement, awareness, anticipation, patience, observation, reading the road, understanding danger, predicting behaviour, or basic common sense.

Driving is still a human task.

One of the other attendees had been reported after an aggressive incident involving a cyclist. Fortunately for the cyclist, there was a GoPro mounted on the helmet which captured the entire interaction.
The driver clearly believed nobody would challenge his behaviour.

That is another major change happening on our roads now.

Dashcams.
Helmet cameras.
Doorbell cameras.
Rear cameras.
Phone footage.

People are being held accountable far more often than they used to be.

Many drivers still behave as though the road is private territory where frustration excuses intimidation.

Some drivers speak to cyclists aggressively because they see them as an inconvenience rather than a vulnerable road user. Then they are shocked when footage appears showing exactly how close they passed, how they shouted abuse, or how they used the car itself as intimidation.

The scary part about these courses is not the speeding offence itself.
Often it is the conversations.

My follower openly admitted why he was there.

He accelerated slightly before the national speed limit sign on a dual carriageway and was caught at 56mph in a 50 zone less than 50 metres before it changed to 70.
Illegal? Yes.
Probably not in the grand scheme of what we actually see daily.

Yet while attending, they realised something much bigger.

There are drivers on the roads operating vehicles every single day with huge gaps in their knowledge, awareness, and attitude.

People relying entirely on lane assist.
People who cannot read signs.
People who do not understand stopping distances.
People convinced modern safety technology means they no longer need to concentrate properly.

This is exactly why I always say the biggest danger on the roads is not lack of steering ability.

It is lack of awareness.

Some people pass a driving test and never update their knowledge again for decades. No reflection. No self criticism. No improvement. No interest in learning.
Just confidence.
Sometimes completely unjustified confidence.

The best drivers I know are usually the ones still willing to learn.
The roads change.
Vehicles change.
Rules change.
Technology changes.

Human behaviour unfortunately often does not.

✍️ Sheena Ahmed
Motorvation School of Motoring

12/05/2026

From today, there will be more changes for learner drivers.

Only you can book or manage your car driving test. This means your driving instructor won’t be allowed to book it for you.

12/05/2026

Putting learners in control 🚗

From today, only learners will be able to book driving tests.

We’ve made this change to:

Clampdown on test reselling and exploitation by third parties ⛔

Make sure tests are accessible only to learners 🔐

Provide a fairer booking system ✅

Read more on GOV.UK 👇
https://ow.ly/viIc50YWwOA