Learner Drivers will have a chance to gain a qualification at school that will count towards the driving test. This new qualification will be rolled out around the UK over the next two years.

As part of the new qualification, which is open to 14 to 17 year olds, pupils will be taught about how to behave on the roads.

The new qualification is part of a government shake – up to make young people safer drivers.

The lessons will cover everything from the dangers of drink – driving to how to check your tyre pressure.

The three – month, pre – drive qualification course is optional, but if you pass you’ll only have to do a short version of the current theory test.

On top of the pre – qualification course, other changes include a new section in the practical driving test where candidates will choose their own route without being directed by the driving examiner.

There are also recommendations to lower the speed limits in areas where there’s a greater risk of accidents, like around schools.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “More than a thousand young people are killed or seriously injured on the road every year and many of those have accidents within the first six months of passing their driving test. Anything that the Driving Standards Agency does to reduce this carnage is welcome.”

What are your thoughts on the pre – drive qualification course? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

More than a million drivers hoping to take up the Labour Governments £2000 new car discount by trading in old vehicles could find that the cash has run out.

The Chancellor, Alistair Darling announced the trade-in scheme for cars more than ten years old in last week’s Budget, but capped the subsidy at £300 million – a figure to be matched by car manufacturers.

Experts suggest the Chancellor has massively underestimated the demand that will be unleashed by its plan, especially as car makers intend to add the £2,000 to existing marketing deals. In some cases owners could get £4000 off the price of a new car worth about £16,000

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “Driving Instructors wanting to take advantage of trade-in scheme should act quickly, because the scheme is capped at £300 million-it’s going to be first come, first served.”

What are your thoughts on the trade-in scheme? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

The majority of Britannia pupils prefer to receive extra driving practice from their mother instead of their dad, according to a straw poll conducted by Britannia Driving School.

Mother may panic, but dad gets annoyed much quicker according to respondents.

Those who pass their driving test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training, combined with 22 hours of extra practice with mum or dad.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “It’s a good idea for teenagers to have extra driving practice with their mum or dad (preferably with mum). But we would recommend about 20 hours of driving lessons with a driving instructor before training with parents. Pupils who combine professional driving instruction with private practice are more successful on the driving test.”

What are your thoughts on taking extra driving practice with a parent or a spouse? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

Britannia Driving School is alarmed at the at the above, inflation increase to driving test fees which came into effect on the 1st April 2009.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has a perverse business philosophy – when applications for driving tests are forecasted to decline they increase the price. Any sane business (apart from banks) would try to improve customer numbers by reducing the price. Other Business have competition – unfortunately, the DSA does not.
  
Shadow roads minister Robert Goodwill said it “beggared belief” that minsters could even think about putting up costs when so many families were struggling during the recession.

As from 30th march 2009, the cost of the car driving theory test has gone up from £30 to £31 while the car practical driving test has increased from £56.50 to £62.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has increased the cost of replacing a lost licence, updating a photograph every 10 years as required, and having endorsements removed from £17.50 to £20.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “The increases in driving test fees have come at a bad time for learner drivers; the DSA is kicking consumers while they are down.”

What are your thoughts on the above inflation increase to driving test fees? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

An innovative company has launched a cutting edge electronic aid to passing the driving theory test.

ABEL Learning’s Theory Test question bank has been produced as an Apple “App” which can be used on an iPhone or iPod Touch.

Those learning to drive will be able to store the entire question bank on their mobile to study whenever they get a spare moment, although not while driving.

The application costs just £4.99 and can be used with any Apple iPhone or IPod Touch.

The company plans to introduce further driving test products and updates throughout 2009.
For more information visit ABEL Learning’s at abellearning.com

What are your thoughts on the Theory Test being available on the iPhone and iPod ? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

A Driving test impersonator was joined in the dock at Luton Crown Court by the candidates with whom he had conspired to impersonate.

After a long investigation by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) and police, Mr Hameed of Luton was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment. The court heard that he had carried out over 40 theory test impersonations in 18 month period.

Candidates Mr Hameed falsely represented were also in court having been convicted on charges of conspiracy.

Judge Burk at Luton Crown Court said the imprisonment of the fraudsters was intended to act as a deterrent to others who conduct impersonations at driving tests.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “Fraudster who impersonate driving tests present a real risk to all road users as they provide an entitlement to drive to those who have not been assessed to show that they are competent to do so.

What are your thoughts on driving test fraudsters? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

The Labour Government may introduce a scheme for car owners to scrap old cars in exchange for new ones.

This plan is designed to boost sales of new cars and would probably involve a payment of £2,000 to trade in cars that are a certain number of years old.

A corresponding scheme in Germany, France and Italy has seen orders for new cars rise sharply.

Particulars of the UK scheme will probably be announced in the budget on 22nd April 2009.

Car Scrap Schemes are seen as targeting the main cause of the car industry’s problems – a lack of demand for its vehicles. They also help the environment by replacing old, uneconomical vehicles with cleaner, more efficient ones.

Is the Car Scrap Scheme going to create jobs and help the environment? What are your thoughts on this article? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

Police officers in London have been told they no longer have powers to enforce the law when drivers flout basic rules of the road.

Motorists caught making “minor errors of judgment” should face no more than words of advice, new Metropolitan Police (Met) guidelines said.

But drivers could be prosecuted if caught on street cameras owned by local authorities in the capital.
The new guidelines say officers should not act if they spot drivers ignoring no entry signs, turning restrictions, traffic direction signs, flow priority, no u-turns and vehicle restrictions.

A Met spokesman said: “Following a review of police powers after the introduction of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and the Transport for London Act 2003 police no longer has legal power to enforce certain moving traffic offences involving non compliance with signs.

“The power for enforcement now lies with Transport for London and local councils.

“Where officers see driving that is blatantly of a poor standard or that endangers other road users police will still intervene and take action under their general power to tackle dangerous or careless driving.”

Anti – camera campaigner Captain Gatso said: “This is purely about getting the cash into the council’s coffers.”

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The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has made some important changes to where instructors can find its services on the internet.

As from 1st April 2009 many of the online services offered to instructors and instructor trainers are accessible through the Business Link website at businesslink.gov.uk/transport rather than through the normal DSA website.

For a short period customers still using the old Transport Office website will be redirected automatically.

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Barry Henser ADI, a driving instructor at Britannia Driving School, passed his test of continued and ability and fitness to give instruction (Check Test) on 25th February 2009 with the highest grade possible – a Grade 6. Barry done his instructor training with Britannia more than 14 years ago and has worked for them as a driving instructor from that time.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) carries out check-tests at regular intervals by sitting in on an instructor conducting a lesson with a pupil. The driving instructor is then graded on a scale of one to six with grade six being the highest grade. Approximately, only about 7 per cent of driving instructors are at the grade six level.

 Barry Henser of Britannia Driving School said: “The key to getting a grade 6 is to continually improve your teaching skills and to stop perceiving the Check Test as a threat.”

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