Category Driving Tips

Advanced Driving Tips for New Drivers

So, you’ve passed your driving test, the party has been enjoyed by all and the hangovers are a thing of the past (if you’re over 18 of course)! In the cold light of day, you suddenly realise that you can get into a car without a qualified instructor next to you. Yes! You’re on your own!

Many say that learning to drive and taking the test at the end can be one of the most stressful things a young adult can do. However, your journey has only just begun. You will now be armed with enough knowledge of the roads so you’re deemed safe to handle a car as set out by the rules according to the UK Government.

I remember when I passed my test and a colleague at work (who was a good deal older than me) commented that now was when I actually learn to drive. He wasn’t far wrong. You see, it doesn’t matter if you passed your test first time with flying colours or, it took you a few times to get it right. Those first time jitters will still surface.

For that reason we’ve decided to give you a few tips on what to look out for that you may not have picked up while you were learning:

The Basics

When you were still learning, you will have had to go through a theory test and, this will have involved recognising certain hazards that can appear on the road. Unfortunately, this cannot prepare you for every eventuality and neither can this article but, there are few hazards below to watch out for that you might come across:

  • People parked in stupid places that obscure your vision for oncoming traffic – in this instance SLOW DOWN, stop if you have to. What you will learn are that other road users are more than happy to help. If someone is coming the other way, they might stop with a gap large enough for you to pass through.
  • Lines of parked cars along a road can be a potential hazard. Again, speed is the main thing to watch out for here. Children especially don’t always have good road sense so; keep your eyes peeled for anyone jumping out in front of you.
  • Cyclists are something-else you should think about and that’s why you have both rear view and side mirrors. USE THEM; they could save someone’s life (as well as yours). Cyclists are not always easy to spot so make sure you’re fully aware of what’s around you before you use a junction or roundabout.

How to Handle Other Road Users

It’s a sad but true fact that we all pick up bad habits once we grow more confident about our driving skills. This is why you should always treat everyone-else on the road as if they were new at the whole “driving game”. All sorts of things can happen. People may stall their car at traffic lights which could cause a small prang if you’re too close. People don’t always indicate when they’re about to turn off so, again keeping your distance is the safest thing to do.

This is just a small portion of the things you should look out for – keep your eyes peeled for more information on advanced driving tips.

Speeding Myths for New Drivers

When you first start to learn how to drive, the biggest telling off you’ll more than likely get from your instructor is NOT to speed. When you’ve passed your test and you’re deemed fit to drive a car on your own, what’s the first lesson you forget? Yes! Sticking to the speed limit, even if you’re shaking your head as you read these words, just think about it for a moment? There are times when you will have broken the limit even if you’re not being reckless.

Today, as a new driver, you’re going to learn about some of the things you think might get you off the hook when in fact they definitely won’t!

1. There Were No Signs Indicating a 30 MPH Speed Limit

The only time 30mph speed limit signs are required is when it may change along a particular road. For example, if you’re allowed to drive at 50mph but then it’s reduced to 30mph you will know this by a sign. However, this lower limit is in place when there are street lights at the side of the road and they’re at least 200 yards apart so don’t think you’ll get away with this excuse if you’re stopped!

2.The Police Officer Was Not Wearing a High-Viz Jacket

This really is pushing it a bit far. If you receive a fine through the post telling you that you were caught speeding when a police officer was using detection equipment and he/she was not wearing a high-viz jacket, this will not go down well with the court. There are recommendations in place about this but it won’t stop you being fined.

3. The Picture Taken by a Speed Camera Wasn’t Me

This is probably one of the most common excuses the courts receive when drivers are contesting a speeding fine. It might be true, you could have leant your car to someone-else and they were photographed speeding. However, this system is in place purely to measure the speed at which a vehicle is travelling and not to identify who it was.

No matter who was behind the wheel, the registered keeper will be responsible for paying the fine. So, for all you youngsters out there, watch out when Dad says you can take his car for a “spin”!

4. There Should be Two Police Officers Present

This is NOT the case (except when you’re on the motorway). You may think that it’s your word against theirs but, the law is there for a reason and becoming a police officer takes a lot of training and hard work. Once they are qualified, the law is on their side. This means a speeding offence can be handed out by just one officer by simply corroborating what he/she has to say by looking at their speedometer.

So, there you have it….

There are loads of other reasons that people think they can’t be “done” for speeding and nearly all of them will not hold any weight in court. The fact is, if you know you’ve broken the law by speeding, you should accept your punishment and be more careful in future.

Beating Road Rage

Our website is full of information on how you can successfully learn to drive (among other things). However, today we want to give you some information on what seems to be an ever increasing buzz word on the roads and that’s “road rage”.

There are all sorts of reasons why this has suddenly become an accepted phrase. Perhaps it’s the increased number of drivers on the road? General traffic congestion or, it could be that we’re all just too stressed out by the time we hit the road.

Whatever the reason, there are things you can do to stop it from happening. We have one question first though. Have you ever lost your temper? If the answer is no, think about it again! Even the most placid of personalities can be stretched at times, and losing your temper at some stage is inevitable.

What Should I Do If I Start to Lose My Temper?

It’s not difficult these days for your blood pressure to start to rise, especially when you’re in heavy traffic. Hot weather doesn’t seem to help either. Many drivers have their windows open and you’re also surrounded by hot metal cars that emanate heat, all adding to the whole “hot and bothered” feeling.

What you have to remember is you’re not perfect, no-one is! Everyone makes mistakes on the road and, even if you’re not in the wrong (on this particular occasion), you should think about implementing a couple of the points below:

  • If you do happen to make a mistake, be gracious. Hold your hand up in an apologetic gesture. This often calms a situation before it starts. As hard as it may seem even if you think you haven’t done anything wrong, you’ll be the bigger person for making the first polite move.
  • Don’t give someone filthy looks because you think they’re being an idiot; just concentrate on your own safety.

What Should I Do If I Think Someone-Else Is About to Lose It?

It’s all too easy to react when someone starts to gesticulate at you. Again, this may seem incredibly unfair because you don’t think you’ve done anything wrong. What you have to remember is this person is probably only going to be part of your life for a few seconds even if it is an unpleasant experience.

The best piece of advice we can give you here is to try and diffuse the situation. Hold a hand up allowing the other driver to think they were in the right to throw that nasty hand gesture your way. Below are a couple of other tips:

  • If you think someone has lost it and they’re weaving in and out of lanes in front or behind you, DO NOT do the same thing, they’ll soon get bored and leave you alone.
  • If you think you’re being followed, go to the nearest and most public place you can find (a police station is always good if you can find one) and park-up.

Above all, don’t rise to the challenge your safety on the road could count on it.

Driving Long Distance

Have you ever looked at a lorry driver as you’ve overtaken them on the motorway and wondered just how they manage to drive all day long? Well, if you have then you’d be wrong to think they spend every waking hour behind the wheel, that would just be dangerous and against the law!

Lorry drivers are subject to very strict rules not just in the UK but in Europe as well so, if you’re about to embark on a long journey don’t think it’s as easy as the average “trucker” makes it look. Following are some very important tips on what you should do prior to and during your journey.

Check Your Vehicle

Now, this doesn’t matter if your trip is just a few hours up the motorway or, you’re going abroad. The same applies for everyone:

  • Check the tyre pressure and don’t be afraid to get the manual out for accurate readings.
  • Check the oil levels.
  • Make sure things like your lights and wipers are all working correctly.
  • Your car should be clean – this is important, if you happen to come across the police on the road and they can’t read your number plate, you could be stopped and given a good telling off!
  • For longer journeys, consider putting your car in for a full service.
  • If you’re going abroad, it’s wise to ensure you have the correct insurance paperwork and any other credentials required of you in other countries.

Planning Your Route

OK, so you might be thinking “I have a Sat-Nav, what’s the problem?” Sure, these gadgets are great (most of the time) but, we’ve all heard  the odd horror story so, if you are going to use a device like this take a map with you as well. If you’re going abroad, make sure you have the latest software and it really is wise not to depend solely on your Sat-Nav system.

If there is more than one driver, make a plan of who will drive at what intervals and, for how long. One very important piece of advice here is not to over estimate how long you can safely stay behind the wheel.

For excessively long distances, budget for an overnight stay somewhere. This isn’t a race! Safety is hugely important and driving on the roads abroad will seem very different to the UK. This means more concentration and probably shorter driving times for each of you.

During Your Trip

Keep plenty of water and various snacks in the car with you. It’s not a foregone conclusion that you won’t breakdown so having some essentials close to hand will come in useful. You should also ensure you make plenty of stops and that doesn’t mean just when you need to re-fuel.

Motorway service areas are not just there for petrol, food and toilet stops. They’re called “rest areas” in various parts of the world for a reason! When you do make a stop, stretch your legs and take a little walk. This will stop your muscles from becoming stiff which can affect your ability to drive.

Above all, remember that taking a long distance drive should be fun for everyone but, safety is something you really cannot forget.

Tips on Preventing Drinking and Driving

The tips you’re about to read in the following words come two fold. First of all, you will learn how to become a responsible person when dealing with alcohol when YOU are driving. Secondly, you will learn how to prevent people who are drunk or suspected to be over the limit from driving.

The fact is that we’re all responsible at the end of the day. Tragically, there have been times when people have known someone shouldn’t have got into a car after they’ve had a couple of drinks and there is an accident as a result. Distressing as it is for the person that was behind the wheel, it doesn’t stop the person who knew they should have been stopped from feeling guilty as well.

So, let’s start with what you should do if you’re likely to be tempted by alcohol:

If Going Out in a Group

Before any of you get into the “party mood” you should always make sure you have a designated driver. Who you choose can depend on a few things. Do you know this person won’t throw caution to the wind and sneak a couple of drinks? Is this person known for being able to hold back when it comes to alcohol? Most importantly, can you trust them!

If these questions cannot be answered emphatically, GET A TAXI! This may add extra on to the cost of your night out but what would be worse – killing some poor unsuspecting other driver and or someone travelling with you or, spending a few extra pounds to make sure everyone is safe?

If You’re Not Driving But Someone-Else Is

You should keep your eyes peeled with this one. There are various ways you can make sure someone stays safe without having to hold vigil all night long. If you’re holding a party try a few of the points below:

  • Make sure there is plenty of food for people to eat.
  • Lay on plenty of tasty soft drinks. Try a non-alcoholic fruit punch so people don’t feel like they’re drinking something “boring”.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for car keys when people come through the door. Sure, you might get a few comments about the reasoning behind this but, by the next morning you’ll more than likely receive a phone call or two thanking you for making sure guests didn’t drive.
  • If you’re at a party and you know someone is over the legal limit and have their car keys on them, don’t be afraid to hide them away (they’ll thank you for it the next day).

How to Detect a Drunk Driver

When you’ve had a few drinks yourself and climb into a car, you may not have all of your faculties about you but, there are still some obvious signs that you should stop the person behind the wheel from driving:

  • Driving way below the speed limit.
  • Taking corners far too wide.
  • Swerving.
  • Unresponsive reactions to things like traffic light changes or stop signs.

These are just a selection of the things to look out for. The main point of this piece is to “drive” home how important it is that no-one drinks and drives. Laws are there for a reason and we all know the devastation an accident can cause.

Dealing With Panic Attacks While Driving

This is actually quite a serious issue and, many people who suffer from panic attacks when driving have ended up giving up using their car altogether because it’s just too stressful an ordeal. This is why we have decided to bring you some information that might help. There are all sorts of reasons why you will suffer a panic attack when you’re driving but, first you should understand how and why this happens.

How to Recognise a Panic Attack

This is possibly one of the strangest things your body and mind will go through. First of all, there are the physical symptoms. You may notice that you start to feel hot and begin to sweat. As the attack worsens your heart rate will go up which also causes your blood pressure to rise. Other physical symptoms you may suffer include shaking and a general feeling of weakness.

Mentally, it’s a pretty frightening experience and we ask you to remember the word “mental” here. You may feel like everything is closing in around you and you have no control over what’s happening. This brings on the “fight or flee” feeling which every human being is programmed with. Once you reach this stage in your mind, it can be pretty difficult to stop the whole chain of events.

What You Can Do

If you think you’re about to suffer a panic attack (and once you’ve had this happen once, you will know when it’s going to happen again) there are a number of things you can do:

  • Don’t forget to breathe slowly and deeply. At this point you may start to experience the onset of your panic and your senses will be heightened which means you’re probably more aware of potential dangers on the road than most people. So, try not to worry too much and (as hard as it may seem), stay calm.
  • If you’ve had this happen to you before try a distraction when you’re driving. This doesn’t mean hang loads of weird looking toys on your rear view mirror (that will just take your eyes off the road). Instead, try putting some soothing music on or, one of the best things to do is get an audio book. These are things that will take your mind off the stress that can start an attack.
  • Stay safe! If you drive recklessly, this will raise your blood pressure and that’s not a good sign as we have explained. Stick to the speed limit, and don’t get upset about what others are doing on the road.

If All Else Fails

If you’re already at that point where you feel you can’t get into your car again, you have to understand that panic attacks occur as a state of mind. This takes us back to the word “mental”. It’s not all in your head, the symptoms you experience are very real but, panic attacks are brought on by association.

For example, if you experienced your first attack because someone suddenly pulled out of a side road, this sort of thing can trigger the same experience again. If you’re truly at the end of your tether, try talking to a professional.

The one thing to remember is all is not lost and you CAN get over this!

How to Deal with Minor Health Issues Whilst Driving

Sometimes, we have no control over our health, it just suddenly changes. One minute we are fine, the next we have a blinding headache with no medication to hand and we are miles away from home. For many of us this can happen whilst we are driving. Whilst some of us have the ability to deal with it calmly, others experience anxiety and even panic attacks.

Not only do the health issues we have whilst driving have a profound effect on our own driving ability as we tend to lose a certain percentage of our concentration but also those using the roads alongside us. Our ability to react to incidents around us is lessened when we are not feeling 100% fit and healthy when behind the wheel of a car.

So how should you deal will health issues whilst driving?

Plan Your Journey

I suffer from both headaches and the need to stop every five minutes to use the toilet! My mother is the same and we drive my father and partner mad!  We always come out the services discussing the state of them and it has often been suggested we write a book entitled “The Toilets of the Great British Motorways”! Before we set out on a long journey, we plan exactly where the services are and allow extra time.

During the Journey

I like to have background music in the car, but I never listen to it full blast and despite my love for Jon Bon Jovi, I always choose to listen to music that is more calming whilst driving. Limiting the amount of unnecessary distractions whilst driving, not only helps prevent unwanted issues from occurring but greatly improves a person’s concentration and therefore their ability to deal with emergency situations as and when they arise.

I also always have a bottle of water in the car with which to take headache tablets.  No matter if I am alone or not I ensure, that I have my mobile phone fully charged so I can contact anyone I need. Ensuring that you have everything you want for ailments you know could crop up during your journey and having the knowledge you can get in touch with the necessary people for those that are unexpected will help toward your peace of mind if an unexpected situation should occur.

Dealing with Extreme Circumstances

On the odd occasion I have suffered a headache that has developed into a full blown migraine and I am literally unable to drive. I therefore ensure that I always have enough emergency money (or else my credit card to hand!) if I am no-where near friends or family so that I can spend an extended amount of time in comfort at the services or even book a room in a motel.

Your journey may only be local, however; each time you get behind the wheel of car it is vital that you are prepared for every eventuality especially when it comes to your health, how it affects your ability to drive and the knock on effect of those using the roads alongside you.

Driving in the Countryside

You may think that no matter where you chose to drive be it in town, in the countryside, or on the motorway that driving is just driving. You would be wrong. Each of these areas has hazards which if you are not used to could potentially cause accidents if you are not prepared. So, for those who spend most of their time driving around built up areas like the centre of town, here are a few things to consider when driving in the countryside.

Country Roads are a lot different from those you find in a town centre. Yes they are made of the same asphalt, but that is probably where the similarities end. Many of them do not have a curb and their markings may just consist of the middle white line. The dirt they attract is also very different often making the surface more slippery.

Another thing to remember is that country roads tend to have more plants bordering them. Many of them will be lined with the likes of tall hedgerows and conifers, which mean that you will experience many more blind corners. Along with this comes their width. A lot of country roads are narrower than those in built up town areas so be aware that your may need to reduce your speed considerably in order for other vehicles to pass by.

Country Vehicles can be very varied. Whilst most people who live in the country will own a car, there will be many vehicles used by companies and industries which tend to be located in the country. Take for example farm vehicles like tractors. They are extremely slow and their use means that they don’t just use the roads. You will find them entering and exiting fields whose entrances may not be obvious to you.

Remember also the type of work the likes of tractors are used for and the fact many of them do not carry their load enclosed and it is these loads that often spill over slightly onto the road and the fact that they get used in farmland, the road surfaces in the country are often much more “muddier” than those found round town. This can make for quite a precarious road surface in adverse weather conditions.

Other Road Users in the country do not just consist of vehicles and pedestrians. Bearing in mind most country settings will house various farming communities, you will often find that not only are you sharing the road with horses but also many of the farm yard animals like cows, pigs and sheep when they are being moved from one location to another. You should also be prepared for those that have decided to venture out on their own!

Driving in the country is very much a different experience altogether than driving around town. Whilst the surroundings may be more picturesque and charming, don’t be fooled that the driving conditions are just as laid back. If anything there is more dangers you could fall fowl of. Wherever you drive you need to have respect for the communities around you and all the road users these communities have to offer.

 

 

 

 

 

Importance of a Driving License

provisional licenseBefore you can even think about getting behind the wheel of a car you will need a driving license. If you are a learner driver then you will need to apply for a provisional license. This can be done online or through the post office.  At the current time you will be required to send in with your application a payment of £50 and relevant forms of identification.

As long as all this is okay you will be forwarded your provisional license. This will now allow you to organise driving lessons. Whilst you are also able to drive with someone who is 21 years of age or over, who has been in possession of a full driving license for 3 years or over, it is advisable that you arrange your lessons with a competent professional driving instructor from a reputable driving school.

Your driving school of choice will also need to see that you are in receipt of a provisional driving license before they will be allowed to take you out on the road. Your license will show your name, date and place of birth, duration for which it is valid, your unique driver reference number, your signature, your address, the categories of vehicle you are allowed to drive and of course your photograph.

Once you have passed your driving test you will be able to apply to have your provisional license changed for a full one which will show all the same information and of course the fact that you are licensed to drive on your own. Once this information has been updated with the DVLA the information they hold will also be accessible by other companies.

Anything you do in respect of your driving such as parking tickets, speeding fines and/or other offences you receive will be recorded against your name and driver number. If the police stop you in your car for any reason not only will they check your license, but they will also be able to check if you have the appropriate insurance.

Your license will also become useful for many other instances where a company will require a form of identification. Throughout your life from banks to stores to almost anyone asking for proof of who you are, you’re driving license will almost certainly become your primary form of identification.

Your license currently needs updating every ten years with a new photograph and you should advise the DVLA every time you change address or of any other changes that may affect what you can and can’t drive. I hate my driving license and it stays firmly put in my purse and only comes out when absolutely necessary. Why? Because the photograph is awful! I think it is a pre-requisite of driving licenses that we all dislike our photo but as it is one of the most important documents I own I guess I will just have to wait until the next change and remember to put some lippy on!

For more useful information visit our website.

 

Driving Distractions

Driving Distractions

How often have you driven home from work or gone on a journey to see friends and family only to be stuck on the motorway at a standstill. When the traffic finally gets moving again, nine times out of ten you will eventually pass a vehicle or two being lifted onto a tow truck with the remnants of an accident still strewn across the lanes of the motorway.

I don’t know about you but when this occurs on a bright day with clear visibility I often wonder how the accident could have occurred in the first place.

For many years drink driving was regarded as the top danger for putting our road users at risk, causing accidents with the potential to inflict horrific injuries and worse, leading to the loss of life. Present day has seen distracted driving fast becoming the number one cause of accidents on our roads. What with mobile phones, iPods and Satellite Navigation Systems being readily available with many new cars having the options to use them built in, whilst they a convenience we don’t want to live without, they have the potential, thanks to the distractions they cause, to cause serious and often deadly car accidents thanks to the distractions they cause.

Studies were carried out as far back as 2003 in America, which showed that those drivers, who engaged in a long telephone conversation whilst driving, were actually worse whilst behind the wheel of their car than those who were driving above the legal limit of alcohol consumption. Whilst we allow drivers to have cordless or Bluetooth telephones in their car, some studies have shown that there is no significant difference when comparing stopping distances between people using these types of phones and those that use a handheld.

Although the use of handheld telephones is prohibited whilst driving, many people choose to ignore this and their use is still causing many accidents. Scarier than this is the fact that text messaging is probably causing even more accidents than telephone use. A study in America in 2009 showed that a huge 81% of their accidents were caused by distracted driving with text messaging being the single largest distraction.

Text messaging makes us over 73 times more likely to be involved in an accident, than if we were driving undistracted.

There are many other distractions other than just mobile phones. How our passengers behave, how we interact with them, how loud we have our music, ill health and much more can provide a distraction. The result however is the same. A driver who is not capable of giving their full attention to their driving is more likely to be involved in an accident.

Driving skills are taught right from the moment we first get behind the wheel of a car with our driving instructor, and a reputable company will ensure that all new drivers are aware of all the dangers they may be exposed to whilst driving including those they can cause themselves. Everyone who gets behind the wheel of a car owes it to themselves and other users of the road to be a responsible driver.