Driver training tailored to you

For more information visit -  www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk

PHOTOCARD DRIVING LICENCE EXPIRY: (22/08/2008)

Did you know all photocard driving licences need to be updated every 10 years? The photograph on the licence is only valid for this period and the licence holder must update their licence before their current photo expires. Failure to do so may result in a fine of up to £1000.

Full details on renewal can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/motoring

The proposed changes include:

• Improvements in the driving test

• Improvements within the learning process

• Better information about instructors and improvement in instructor training.

• More options for learning and gaining qualifications.

The DSA are inviting members of the public to share their views on the proposed changes until 8 September 2008 at www.dsa.gov.uk/consultation.

In addition, the DSA will be holding a series of public events where you can discuss the proposed changes in person. For more information visit www.dsa.gov.uk/learningtodrive/publicevents

Most Drivers only clear their car of clutter once a year, thereby putting themselves and the safety of other road users at risk, according to a new study by the AA.  A number of risks were highlighted including: bottles and cans rolling under pedals, obscured vision due to dirt on the inside of windows and loose items such as toys becoming dangerous when travelling at speed.  

One in ten car owners regularly leave sensitive documents such as bills and bank statements in their car leaving them exposed to identity fraud, and a fifth of car owners display more than £150 of valuables in their car, according to new research by direct line insurance.  The advise is hide all valuables, lock your car and park in busy well lit areas or a secure car park.

Thousands of parents are unwittingly committing fraud by insuring their child's car in their own name.  A YouGov survey for Zurich insurance showed that 1 in 10 parents and Grandparents who have helped youngsters buy a car have insured in their name with the youngster a named driver.  

Zurich said that anybody who did this was guilty of 'fronting' - the insurance fraud of a named driver being the main driver.  They also say this is a false economy as in the event of an accident, an insurer could decline a claim or recover any third-party costs from the child or the parents.  Worse still if the insurer declines the claim, the police could then treat the young driver as uninsured, meaning six penalty points and an automatic ban for a new driver.   

On the 1st December 2003 a new law made it a specific offence to hold and use your mobile phone whilst driving.  Since the 27th February 2007 the penalty for this offence is a £60 fine and 3 points on your driving license.

If you need to make a call with a hands free kit, try to keep it to a minimum and warn the other person that you are driving and may need to break off the conversation at any time.

If you're in any doubt, you should find a safe place to pull over, stop and switch off your engine before using a mobile.

ROAD SAFETY BILL IN PARLIAMENT: (12/12/06)

The Government is proposing to change the current penalty points structure with a new Road Safety Bill which is currently going through Parliament and expected to become law in 2007.

The current system results in a minimum of three points and £60 fine for each speeding offence and 12 points in a year resulting in a ban.

The new Road Safety Bill wants to introduce three tiers of speeding penalties, with points and fines rising according to the gravity of the offence. 

THINK DRUG DRIVING - NOT A SAFE TRIP: (18/10/2005)

Driving under the influence of drugs - whether prescribed medication or illegal substances - is just as dangerous as driving when drunk. It's also against the law.

Drugs can affect your mind and body in a variety of ways that mean you aren't able to drive safely. Not only that, the effects can last for hours or even days.

The police can carry out roadside tests of impairment to help them decide whether to arrest you if they think you are unfit to drive through drugs. Their code of practice for testing for impairment is at  www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/orders.html.

The penalties are the same as for drink driving. You face a minimum one year driving ban, a fine of up to £5,000, and six months jail.

The THINK! campaign 'Drug driving. Not a safe trip' is the first government campaign to raise awareness of the effects of drugs on people's driving

A website - www.drugdrive.com - has been set up to give 17-30 year olds information on how different drugs can impair their driving.

Research carried out by the British Rubber Manufacturers' Association indicates that tyres lose their ability to grip well before they have worn down to the 1.6mm legal minimum tread depth.  It found that even with 3mm of tyre tread remaining, stopping distances on wet roads increase by 30 per cent.

New research has highlighted that not all parents are using appropriate child seats in their cars.  

Key findings:

• 60% of parents stopped using child seats when their children were six or under.
• 1 in 10 parents had stopped using car seats by the time their child was three.
• Only 41% of parents of children aged seven to nine and just 26% of those with children between ten and eleven said their child travels in a child seat.
• in 2002 35 children died and 480 were injured while traveling in cars.

Department of transport advise is that children need to be in a purpose built car seat or booster until they are either eleven years old or 150cm tall. Adult seatbelts will not fit them properly and will put them at higher risk of injury. 

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