Review: Colourfile Professional 3 (Coil Bound)

A practical, informative and highly visual training resource for professional Driver Trainers.

The Colourfile Professional 3 (Coil Bound) is an informative and practical training guide covering a wide range of subjects essential to developing safe, competent drivers. With clear explanations, engaging visuals and thought-provoking questions, it provides professional Driver Trainers with a valuable resource suitable for learners of all abilities.

The guide opens with a detailed foreword from Steve Garrod of Equip Training Ltd, setting out what readers can expect to discover throughout the book. It also includes an interesting introduction from the authors, providing insight into their backgrounds and experience within the industry.

Clear structure and easy-to-follow content

From the outset, the Colourfile Professional clearly explains how the book should be used, outlining the topics covered and the intended learning outcomes. The layout is clean and uncluttered, with concise bullet points making information easy to digest. Supporting illustrations help reinforce key concepts, making the content accessible and engaging.

• Foot and hand controls
• Use of the clutch
• Mirrors and blind spots
• Junctions and observations
• Vehicle positioning
• Hazard awareness

A useful notes section is also included, providing space for additional questions, observations and personalised learning.

Strong focus on safety

Safety is naturally a major theme throughout the book. One particularly useful section covers precautions and cockpit drills, including learning outcomes and a practical road checklist.

The checklist covers:

• Vehicle visual checks
• Other road users
• Entering safely
• Door security
• Parking brake checks

While this section provides a solid foundation, I would personally welcome even more detail. Initial cockpit checks set the tone for the entire driving experience, and taking time to establish good habits from the beginning helps ensure everything that follows runs smoothly.

This clear format is maintained throughout the book, with further sections covering subjects such as foot and hand controls, clutch control, mirrors and blind spots.

Excellent emergency stop guidance

One of the standout sections focuses on emergency stops and skidding. The guide presents a number of key questions designed to encourage understanding and develop safe decision-making.

• In what circumstances would it be necessary to make an emergency stop?
• Why isn't it necessary to check mirrors before making an emergency stop?
• How should you apply the brakes during an emergency stop and why is it important not to depress the clutch too soon?

These questions encourage learners to think beyond simply following instructions and help them understand the reasoning behind safe driving practices.

Personally, I would have liked to see more discussion around progressive braking techniques, as this is an area that greatly interests me and one where additional guidance could further enhance driver development.

Real-world visual examples

The illustrations throughout the Colourfile Professional effectively demonstrate a variety of driving scenarios. Junction approaches, vehicle positioning and hazard management are all supported by clear diagrams, helping learners visualise situations and understand the safest way to respond.

Practical and user-friendly design

The coil-bound format makes the Colourfile Professional 3 compact, practical and easy to use. Pages turn smoothly, and the book itself is lightweight and comfortable to handle.

In addition to the coil-bound Colourfile Professional 3, a larger ring-bound edition with movable pages is also available for those who prefer greater flexibility.

Final thoughts

The Colourfile Professional 3 successfully addresses many of the questions and situations faced by today's drivers. Combining clear explanations, engaging visuals and structured learning outcomes, it is a valuable addition to any Driver Trainer's toolkit.