Road safety bosses say they are stunned after a speed camera caught out more than 5,500 motorists in five weeks.

The camera, on the M6 near Carlisle, was installed to protect workers carrying out repairs and is expected to net £168,000 from fines issued so far.

A Cumbria Safety Cameras spokesman said he could not understand why so many drivers are ignoring the 50mph limit, which is clearly signposted.

Pressure group Safe Speed called the figures “disgusting”.

The camera was installed between junctions 43 and 44 of the M6 on 29 January and will stay while bridge repairs are carried out.

Damage caused by potholes resulted in millions of pounds in car insurance claims last month.

Research from AA Insurance shows the cost of such damage saw claims of around £2.85 million over the course of February.

With this sum the equivalent of about 1,900 claims in the month, the firm points out the number of claims on such British insurance have risen by more than 600 per cent in the past three years.

However, AA Insurance director Simon Douglas states this is “just the tip of the iceberg, because it takes serious damage to make it worth [an] insurance claim”.

The firm points out potholes can prove particularly troublesome when driving along rural roads at night as the driver is often unaware of the pothole until after the damage has been done to their vehicle.

And car day insurance customers may also be aware of the firm’s recent research showing the typical quote for third party, fire and theft stood at £1,252 by the end of 2009, with annual comprehensive insurance just over £1,000.

Traffic in and around Wimbledon in London came to a standstill last month when a van was shunted by a tram.

The driver of the van was shaken but not hurt however, passengers on the tram had to hold on tight to avoid injury.

Some passengers were thought to have seen the van in the trams pathway and said the accident was unavoidable.

It is not known why the accident happened and police are investigating the incident and collecting evidence.

Luckily the tram had just left Merton Park station so was travelling at a low speed, the driver of the van should thank his lucky stars.

Natasha Simper of Britannia Driving School said: “Unfortunately the tram line is very open and runs through residential areas. With just traffic lights in place to stop cars crossing the tram line it is extremely dangerous. Maybe barriers should be introduced like those at level crossings. However, in the mean time drivers should beware of the trams and follow the Highway Code; stay off the tram line if stuck in traffic and never jump a red light.”

What are your thought on this article? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

A quick thinking employee saved a petrol station in Raynes Park, Wimbledon from being seriously damaged by flames.

A man from Croydon in Surrey was thought to have ignited a fuel pump and spray fuel over the petrol station forecourt. Police were called to the scene immediately as there were fears for the nearby houses and vehicles.

One unlucky resident was told that her Ford Prefect 1954 had been destroyed in the small blaze. The resident was however, just pleased that the situation was not more serious.

Fire crews from 3 local fire stations had the blaze under control almost immediately and the fuel supply was cut off by an employee as soon as they were aware of the situation.

Natasha Simper of Britannia Driving School said: “The employees working at the petrol station were quick to react and this meant a potentially devastating situation turning into to a minor state of affairs. However, the man in question did destroy somebody’s pride of joy – their car!”

What are your thought on this article? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

Male drivers are almost one-and-a-half times more likely to have a driving conviction than their female counterparts, according to an analysis of AA car insurance policyholders.

Nearly one in five AA customers have at least one conviction and the researchers found that men were more than twice as likely to have been caught drink-driving.

Drivers living in the Midlands seem to be the least law-abiding, with 31.5% of men and 1.6% of women having a conviction to their name.

In contrast, just 9% of men and 6% of women in Northern Ireland had motoring convictions.

Simon Douglas, director of AA Insurance, revealed: “The vast majority of convictions, 85% of them, are for speeding offences. [The] second most likely offence is for jumping traffic lights (9%) while a worrying 2% are drink-drive offences.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the insurer’s books show that younger drivers are most likely to have convictions.

According to road safety charity Brake, 18-year-old drivers are more than three times as likely to be involved in a crash than 48-year-olds.

Paul Railton, from Annfield Plain, Stanley, was driving on a country lane at five mph holding on to the lead of his pet lurcher while it walked alongside his Nissan Navara on December 4th 2009, reports the Press Association.

Police were alerted to the incident by a concerned cyclist.

Railton pleaded guilty of breaching the Road Traffic Act on two counts at Consett Magistrates’ Court. He was fined £124 and given three penalty points.

He had already accumulated nine points for other driving offences in the past three years so he was disqualified from driving for six months under the so-called totting-up system.

Speaking after the hearing Railton said: “It is a joke. I’m not bothered. I knew I would get three points. I might save myself some money not having a car.”

Britain’s roads have seen less road casualties this year, with a downward trend continuing. However, it seems as though not all road users are so lucky.

The number of cyclists killed or seriously injured was 830 in 2009 and has risen over the past few years. This would suggest that despite the hard work that many organisations put into making our roads safer, more research needs to be conducted as to why cyclists are having accidents and who is to blame.

Despite the figures rising, it is probably safe to say that there are more cyclists on the roads.

Boris Johnson has had a huge influence on people taking a healthier, more eco friendly approach to getting around. He introduced the London Cycling Campaign, to help cyclists feel more confident and to tackle cycle theft.

There have also been a huge number of cycle paths introduced onto London roads in the last few years, making it easier for cyclists to get about safely.

Natasha Simper of Britannia Driving School said: “It is good that children and adults are being encouraged to take a healthier approach to getting around and that there is policy in place to make this easier for cyclists and other road users. However, I must say it is a little difficult to stay dry on a bike!”