Meet the people behind the Academy

About The Safe Road User Academy

Founded by J. Brian Smith and Chris Barker, The Safe Road User Academy brings together decades of experience in policing, emergency services, driver training, coaching, behavioural change and education.

Meet the Founders ↓
Who we are

A new approach to road-user education

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about The Safe Road User Academy.

We are an accredited Qualifications Scotland Centre, formerly SQA, and our qualifications are recognised throughout the UK and are designed for international recognition.

Between us, we have spent decades working in professions where people’s safety, decision-making and behaviour have real-life consequences. We created the Academy to move driver education beyond simply preparing someone to pass a driving test.

Our background

Meet our co-founders

Brian and Chris bring together extensive professional experience, practical knowledge and a shared commitment to raising the standard of road-user education.

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J. Brian Smith

Co-founder, driver educator, trainer and behavioural-change coach

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Brian is a former Strathclyde Police Officer with 20 years of policing experience, including advanced and emergency-response driving and training.

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Following his policing career, he became a full-time driving instructor and trainer, building more than 24 years of experience.

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As a DVSA Grade A Approved Driving Instructor, ORDIT Registered Driving Instructor Trainer, Fleet Driver Trainer, NLP Master Trainer and qualified coach, Brian has trained and mentored well over 150 driving instructors.

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Brian has continually invested in coaching, behavioural change, safeguarding, resilience, instructor training and education.

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In 2005, Brian was critically injured in a serious road traffic collision and was successfully resuscitated twice. The experience deepened his understanding of how much every decision on the road matters.

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Today, Brian is known for his calm, grounded approach and his commitment to raising standards and creating safer roads.

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Chris Barker

Co-founder, emergency-services professional, driver trainer and educator

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Chris brings extensive practical experience from both the emergency services and the driver-training profession.

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As a former Emergency Medical Technician, Chris has witnessed first-hand the devastating consequences of road collisions, supporting casualties and families during extremely difficult moments.

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Chris is an experienced Approved Driving Instructor, Fleet Driver Trainer, IAM Advanced Driver, coach and educator.

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He has completed advanced instructor training, coaching qualifications and educational programmes designed to improve learning outcomes.

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His combined experience connects real-world road-safety consequences with modern coaching, education and professional development.

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Chris’s calm, supportive coaching style and genuine passion for helping people develop confidence and competence make him an invaluable part of the Academy.

Why we created the Academy

Passing the test should be the beginning, not the end of someone’s education

For many years, we have shared the same frustration. Too much driver training is focused only on passing the test, while too little is focused on developing safe, responsible road users for life.

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The current focus is too narrow

Many lessons focus on passing the driving test rather than lifelong knowledge, attitude and judgement.

2

Education should continue beyond the test

Passing a driving test represents meeting a minimum standard, not completing someone’s road-safety education.

3

Human behaviour matters

Attitude, distraction, risk perception, decision-making and poor judgement all influence collision risk.

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We believe education can change that

Our aim is to develop knowledge, responsibility, behaviour and safer decision-making through recognised education.

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Built around recognised approaches

Our programmes draw on modern coaching, behavioural science, the Safe System approach and Vision Zero.

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A lifelong approach

Road-safety education should develop with the individual throughout their life.

That belief led us to establish The Safe Road User Academy

Our vision is to create a recognised educational pathway that supports learners, parents, instructors, schools, employers and road-safety organisations in developing safer road users and safer communities.

Our vision

Building safer road users through education and responsibility

Our goal is to help create a future where road-safety education is recognised as an essential part of personal development.

01Road-safety education begins before learners start driving.
02Learners follow a clear, progressive educational pathway.
03Driving instructors are recognised as educational professionals.
04Lifelong learning becomes central to driver development.
05The UK becomes a leader in modern road-user education.