On her final seaso,n the multibillion dollar media personality, talk show host, actress and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey, urged her viewers to sign a pledge to say they wouldn’t use their phone whilst driving. And we think we need to mention it again.

We all know the dangers of texting and driving and talking whilst driving. Most of us don’t do it. The temptation to use your phone usually comes when you are stuck in traffic and the lights seem like they will be on red for an age and you phone starts buzzing. You think that a quick 10 seconds won’t make a difference, but the thing is, it does.

When you are driving you need to alert all the time. There could be an ambulance approaching, the car in front may break down, there could be a cyclist coming up behind you. The lights may change faster than you anticipated. The problem is, when you make a mistake you can never turn the clock back. So please, never use your phone when driving.

The best thing to do is pull up in a safe and convenient place and take your call. If you’re on the motorway, the safest thing to do is go to a service station.

This article is not anti-mobiles. Mobiles are hugely useful, they connect us to our loved ones, work, emails, they allow us to call someone when we need to and that’s great. But, you can’t use phones when driving. Ever.

Radical changes are set to be made in Northern Ireland to the rules governing learner drivers.

At present new drivers for the first year after passing their practical driving test must display “R” plates (Restricted) which limits them to 45mph until the restricted period ends. However, Environment Minister Alex Attwood is considering allowing new drivers to travel at speeds of 70mph on the motorway.

Even more exciting for new drivers, is talks over lowering the legal age to obtain a drivers licence. At present, you have to be 17 years old in order to obtain a provisional licence however, they are considering reducing it to 16 years of age. There would be restrictions in place, such as you would not be allowed to take the test for a period of time, possibly up to a year. However, this still means that learners can start the learning process a year earlier at 16 and be ready to take the test at 17.

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

We don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade but we have to mention it. And ladies, we’re sorry but we are talking to you, mainly. The thing we are talking about and the issue that we want to address is with high (sometimes, very high) heels. Experts are urging women up and down the country, from Europe to Asia, Africa and beyond, to wear more sensible shoes when driving. It has been found that wearing the wrong shoes can at worst, cause you to loose control of the vehicle and cause an accident.

The thing is, the answer to the problem is really simple. It’s not at all difficult. All you really need to do is have a spare pair of shoes in the car. A pair of cheap pumps/trainers/flats will do. It really does make sense to have a pair, especially when they can make a difference on how you handle the vehicle. When it’s something as simple as this, it’s worth following through.

It is important to remember that it is our responsibility to drive safely. It is not worth taking a risk. The increasing rate of accidents taking place has called for immediate actions to be taken.

Gareth Kloet, the head of car insurance at Confused.com has said, “Wearing inappropriate footwear could cause the driver to lose control of the car”. It is a timely warning. So please, follow our guidelines and have a spare of comfortable shoes in the car.

A bus driver from Bristol deliberately knocked down a cyclist after an altercation that took place earlier that day.

The court heard that Gavin Hill had driven too close to Mr Mead who was on his bicycle and when the bus came to a stop Mr Mead propped his bike against the front of the bus and approached the bus driver over his actions.

After moving off, Mr Hill swerved his bus into Mr Mead which resulted in him suffering a broken leg and his bike being crushed.

CCTV footage shows this happening and Bugler Coaches has since sacked Mr Hill and added that the firm’s sympathies lay with Mr Mead.

Mr Hills was given a 17th month jail sentence as the judge said his actions “were not an accident”. His defence was that the collision happened in a “moment of madness.”

Martin McDonnell, from Bristol Cycling Campaign said: “It’s about time cyclists were treated as human beings and not just flesh”.

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

As it stands the police do not have the laws or the technology to punish drug-drivers properly but under a new law expected in the Queens Speech, drug-driving in England, Scotland and Wales could become a specific offence with a jail term.

Police will be able to test saliva at the roadside with drugalysers. The exact drugs that will be covered by the offence and the specified limits for each will be decided following advice from the panel and public consultation. It is thought that cannabis and cocaine will be looked at.

Offenders caught could face fines of up to £5000, a driving ban of at least 12 months and well as a prison term.

People are dying due to the effects of individuals who drug-drive and we need to push for zero tolerance and be able to punish those that are caught appropriately.

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

A woman from Teeside, Middlesbrough, has been revealed as the worst learner in the country after taking 35 attempts at her practical driving test before passing.

The woman would have spent in excess of £2000 attempting the test, but has been applauded by a local instructor in the area that said “Good for her for keeping going”.

The instructor said people that fail the test really need to stick at it and not feel demoralised.

Passing the test is not just down to ability but age, being able to handle your nerves and a little bit of luck on the day all play a part.

This Teeside woman is not alone however, as DSA figures show that nearly 900 people across the county have failed the test 16 times or more in the last five years.

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

Finally, a very positive move in the vehicle industry. It is a positive way to drive the change.

Recent figures provided by Chargemaster reveals a new ever changing environment. It is an electric vehicle charging unit supplier who firstly had the vision and the commitment to excellence to chase this, who has delivered some revealing statistics.  A total of 1,000 people took part in a survey. The most interesting bit is that 58 per cent of the participants revealed that they would like to switch over to an electric vehicle (EV) in the near future. It would appear that more of us are become conscious of the effect our vehicles are having on the environment. We must do what we can and a lot of people have. At first, it was recycling bottles, then it was using recycle bins for grass, glass, cardboard and such.  Now we are ready to see how we can change our cars.

But, there could also be other reasons why we are so ready to switch to electric cars. The rising fuel rices can be taken as a warning sign. Pricing have been rising and many motorists have been unable to use their cars as much as they would like.

The popularity of electric cars is growing, it’s not too difficult to see a millions of people ready to trade in their cars with more cheaper, environmentally friendly versions. It provides better balance between living a healthy and balanced life. It is the future trend of transportation. The emergence of driving green technology is becoming far more aggressive and universal in nature. It is something that we look forward to seeing how it evolves.

Parents in Fort Wayne, Indiana made a trip to a liquor store in their car with their four children; there is nothing wrong with this I know. However, they were caught driving with the four children strapped to the roof of their car.

The young children aged, four, five, six and seven appeared unharmed when police stopped them, after an emergency call was placed. However, Child Protection Services have become involved and are investigating the couple and possible neglect.

The children were tied to the hood with a tow strap and to top it off the man driving was intoxicated. The danger they put these children in is unforgiving and both were arrested.

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

There are road signs all around us and they are there for an important reason. The message is always written clearly and if you’ve done your homework you will know what they mean. They are there for your safety. Road signs should be taken seriously. People often overlook them or do not pay attention at all. Why? I think it’s because we get too relaxed and comfortable. But we must remember that driving is not a task that should be taken lightly. A car can be a blessing, and it most cases it is, but other times, when used for the wrong reasons it can have horrific effects.

We must therefore look for road signs  and understand their importance. Study them, remember them, test your self on them. Go back to your books. Remember they are there to help us drive more safely. We must drive safe because if we don’t then accidents happen. The road signs are very easy to read and understand. It is highly advisable to read them whenever you are traveling to a new and different place. It takes one wrong turn to keep on running in circles for hours.

Here’s what to do:

1. When you get in your car, make a conscious effort to look for road signs

2. Ask your self, “what does that mean?”

3. Then say, “do I have alter the way I am driving because of the road sign?”

It may be worth doing these things when you go for a walk. It’s amazing how many road signs you will see.

DRIVERS not wearing seatbelts are to be targeted by police in a new crackdown next week.
Forces across Scotland will be stepping up patrols on the roads to also snare motorists speeding and driving dangerously or carelessly.
Days of Action from Tuesday to Thursday are being co-ordinated by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS).
Drivers caught breaching the law could be fined or reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
Chief Superintendent Derek Robertson, from Lothian and Borders Police, who is the ACPOS lead on casualty reduction, said: “During this campaign the eight Scottish police forces will use marked and unmarked police vehicles to carry out static speed checks at identified hotspots.
“We will target road users who continue to break.
“The aim of the campaign is to prevent accidents on our roads and to promote safety. Those who break the speed limits can expect to be dealt with appropriately.”