Part 3 · Topic 25 of 37
Driving instruction acronyms
A quick reference to the common acronyms used in UK driving instruction — routines like MSPSL and IPSGA, hazard drills like LADA, and teaching aids — with where each fits in a lesson.
Key facts
- MSM is Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre — and the Manoeuvre is expanded into Position, Speed, Look (MSM-PSL)
- IPSGA (the system of car control) stands for Information, Position, Speed, Gear, Acceleration
Routines and systems
These give a learner a repeatable order to work through, so decisions don't get missed under pressure.
- MSM / MSM-PSL — Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre, where the Manoeuvre is itself broken down into Position, Speed, Look. That is the whole relationship: PSL is not a second routine bolted on, it is what the final M actually consists of. You will see it written MSM-PSL, MSMPSL or MSPSL — same routine either way. The core drill for hazards, junctions and manoeuvres.
- IPSGA — Information, Position, Speed, Gear, Acceleration. The system of car control from Roadcraft. Position, speed, gear and acceleration run in that order, but Information is not a one-off first step — you take, use and give information continuously, throughout every phase. Useful for smoother, more planned driving at the higher end.
- LADA — Look, Assess, Decide, Act. A simple hazard-management loop for helping a learner build a scanning-and-planning habit.
Observation and planning
- COAST — Concentration, Observation, Anticipation, Space, Time. IDEA's framework for advanced, planned driving — covered in depth across the Part 2 COAST topics.
- TUG — Take, Use, Give (information). The TUG method for reading and responding to the road, also in Part 2. It is the same idea as the I in IPSGA, spelled out.
Vehicle and safety checks
- POWDERY — the vehicle and personal safety checks (fuel, oil, water, damage, electrics, rubber, and yourself). Taught with the Part 2 vehicle checks and Show Me / Tell Me work.
Coaching and teaching
- SMART — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound: how to set a goal with a learner (coaching frameworks).
- GROW — Goal, Reality, Options, Will: the coaching-conversation model (GDE and GROW).
- GDE — Goals for Driver Education: the matrix that reminds us driving is more than car control — risk awareness and self-evaluation matter as much.
Acronyms are memory aids, not scripts. Use them to give a learner structure, then coach the understanding underneath — the why behind each step, not just the order of the letters.