17/07/2026
How many seconds are worth risking a life?
Today, whilst on a driving lesson with the pupil driving along the A429 from Wellesbourne towards Warwick, I experienced one of the closest calls I've ever had on the road. I had to intervene with the dual controls to prevent a serious collision.
A driver chose to overtake when it simply wasn't safe to do so. Within seconds they were on my side of the road with nowhere to go, leaving me to take evasive action to avoid what could have been a devastating head-on collision.
As a driving instructor, I spend every day teaching pupils that an overtake should only ever be attempted when you have:
✅ A clear view ahead.
✅ Plenty of time.
✅ Enough space.
✅ A safe route back into your lane.
If any one of those is missing, don't overtake.
The few seconds you might save are never worth gambling with someone else's life.
This wasn't just another driving mistake—it was a decision that could have changed several families forever.
I'm sharing the dashcam footage not to shame anyone, but to remind every driver that patience saves lives. If you find yourself behind a slower vehicle, take a breath and wait for a genuinely safe opportunity. You'll almost certainly arrive only moments later, but everyone gets there safely.
Please watch the video and ask yourself one question:
"Would arriving a few seconds earlier be worth risking a head-on collision?"
Stay safe, look after one another, and remember that every decision we make behind the wheel affects someone else's family as well as our own.
