With fuel costs continuing to rise, now is a better time than ever to think about how to save yourself money in terms of driving. And with latest figures declaring that just by driving a little more fuel-conscious, you could be saving yourself up to £350 per annum, what better reason to start being a little more economical?

Read our tips for fuel-efficient driving here:

–          If stuck in traffic/stationery for more than a couple of minutes, simply turn your engine off. Forget any myths about your car using more petrol to turn back on again – most cars use no extra fuel to turn on the engine, unless you are pressing the accelerator, so you will be saving a fortune if you’re stuck in a jam behind an accident on the motorway.

–          Drive in a higher gear as soon as you can – This will enable you to drive at a lower engine speed, and therefore reduce fuel consumption. Move up to a gear between 2000 and 2500 rpm.

–          Think ahead – try to visualise when the road may be bending, and keep an eye on the traffic in front to avoid any sharp braking, and allowing you to accelerate and decelerate smoothly, without the need to put the vehicle under any unnecessary stress.

–          Drive slowly – Whilst this rule applies to safe driving in all circumstances, it is also vital for economical driving. Even just 15mph difference in your speed can have as dramatic an impact as using 25% more fuel.

–          Keep your car streamlined – avoid any aerodynamic drag on your car by resisting large spoilers on the back, as well as by keeping the windows closed, especially when travelling at high speeds.

–          Regularly check your tyre pressure – this is advisable to do at least once a month, and vital before any long journeys. Not only do under-inflated tyres add to your fuel usage, but they can be dangerous to drive with, not to mention illegal. While down there, why not check your tyre tread as well, to be on the safe side.

–          Remove excess weight from your car – This doesn’t just mean that annoying friend who always calls “Shotgun”. Go through your boot and your back seats, and you’ll be amazed at the rubbish that collects inside a car over a period of time. Remove racks and roof boxes too, as well as anything that is not absolutely essential to your journey, and see your fuel go further.

–          Switch off the air-con – If you’re going slow enough, simply open a window instead. Air conditioning can have a major effect on fuel consumption as your engine powers the machinery, so only use this when it is crucial.

Employ these tactics in your day-to-day driving, and watch your money go further, as well as your vehicle.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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Feeling nervous about your upcoming driving test? Fear not, help is at hand, with Britannia’s advice to beat the anxiety.

–          First things first: make sure you have a good night’s sleep for several days prior to your driving test. Research has shown that a succession of full nights sleeps enable the mind to function at its best, as opposed to one full night’s sleep. And don’t rely on Caffeine or Energy drinks to waken you up – this is a stimulant, and as such it is almost certain to heighten feelings of anxiety.

–          Have the right state of mind: Approach the test with a positive outlook, and you already have a much higher chance of passing. Don’t worry about failure; just consider how great it will be to have all those lessons pay off. Don’t dwell on previous failures, just bear all of your successes in life in your mind – you wouldn’t be taking the test if your instructor didn’t think you were capable, so remember, you can do this!

–          Try not to see the test as a “test” – Treat today as going for a simple drive. As long as you ensure you drive correctly and safely (which you should be doing anyway, examiner or no examiner!) you will be absolutely fine.

–          Prepare well for the test: try to book the test for a time of day that suits you – earlier in the day if you feel that this is your peak time and that you will perform your best here or later if you consider yourself to not be a “morning person”. Also in the weeks running up to your test, focus on your weaknesses whilst driving in your lessons so that you can turn these into strengths during your test. Even try a mock test with your instructor so you are as prepared as possible for whatever the test can bring.

–          Eat a banana- bananas are full of B vitamins, which reduce nerves, they contain tryptophan, which is a protein the body converts into serotonin, a hormone that releases happy feelings and will ensure you maintain a positive outlook on your test, and contain vast amounts of potassium, which will help regulate your heartbeat during stressful situations, and encourage oxygen levels to the brain, increases your concentration. Get a banana down you, and you have Biology on your side too!

The important thing to remember is that you are physically capable of passing your test – otherwise you would not be taking it. Don’t let nerves get the better of you on your test day – this is only one drive of forty minutes – you have driven longer than this on every lesson you have taken. You can do this- good luck, and happy driving for the future!

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A motorist snapped another driver playing a game on his iPad whilst driving on Scotland’s busiest motorway.

The driver was travelling at 65mph on the M8 motorway whilst resting his iPad on the steering wheel. But what shocked the motorist who took the picture, was he was playing the Real Racing Game on his iPad.

The photographer said: “He was sitting playing the Real Racing game on his iPad and glancing up at the road every now and then,”

“At one point he undertook us still playing the game on the iPad.”

He went on to say: “Could he not have been content just to do the real thing safely.”

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists said: “The research we have done has shown even using a smartphone at the wheel is more dangerous than having drugs or alcohol at legal levels in your body.

The photographs of the driver have been passed on to the police and they said that further inquiries will continue.

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Learning to drive is a daunting process for most; however this can be exacerbated if you do not have the right driving instructor at your side. Whilst you may think that any instructor will be as appropriate as the next, your likelihood of progress within your lessons, and therefore your road to eventual success in your test, depends greatly upon if your instructor is suitable for you.

Here are some tips to help you find the best driving instructor for you;

–          At the end of each lesson, review the lesson yourself, and see if you feel you have made much progress today – if several lessons with one instructor pass without a noticeable improvement in your driving skill, this could well be due to the instructor’s lack of aptitude more than your own. Start considering if the instructor is right for you.

–          Do you enjoy your lessons? Whilst the aim of driving lessons is to get you on the road, it can never hurt to enjoy yourself along the way. Research shows that students who enjoy learning have a much quicker learning time frame than those who have a negative view of their education. This can mean anything from having a laugh and joke with your instructor to simply considering them a good teacher – but enjoyment is vital.

–          Don’t be afraid to shop around – Some students can spend up to £1000 or more on driving lessons- this is your money, and if you feel that you’re not getting your money’s worth, you are in no obligation whatsoever to stick with one instructor. Whilst it would be preferable to have the stability of one constant instructor, if you feel they are not right for you, then you are more than welcome to move on to another instructor.

Finding the right instructor is a vital part of learning to drive- make sure you choose carefully!

Stephen Mansbridge, 51, leader of Guildford Borough Council was handed a 40 month driving ban after he was caught over the drink drive limit.

The ban, a £1665 fine, £87 court costs and a surcharge of £120 were handed to Cllr Mansbridge at Guildford Magistrates Court on April 30th. The ban and fine were decided after looking at a previous offence committed by Cllr Mansbridge nine years earlier.

He said: “I am deeply sorry for this dreadful lapse of judgement and regret my actions in every sense possible….I commend the officers of Surrey Police for acting quickly and sensibly and fully accept the punishment of the court, which I did not seek to contest in any way.”

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A legislative committee in America has passed a bill that will allow judges to impose prison sentences for repeat offenders who drink and drive.

Those that have offended between seven and nine times will receive a three year prison sentence and those that have offended 10 times or more will receive a minimum of four years behind bars.

The changes come after current laws leave judges to use their discretion whether or not to impose a jail sentence.

Judges will now also have to impose a mandatory 30 day jail sentence to any driver who is over the drink drive limit and causes an injury.

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Entrepreneurial whiz-kid and self-made billionaire Elon Musk is back in the spotlight this week, after his claims of a joint venture with Google to develop the self-driving car.

The founder of SpaceX and PayPal has announced his talks with Google brains to develop the autonomous vehicle- although he has said that he prefers the title “Autopilot” to “Self-driving”, as the latter suggests the vehicle having a mind of its own.

Musk has said: “Autopilot is a good thing to have in planes, and we should have it in cars.”

Although the partnership seems like a powerhouse for the future of motoring, Musk also suggested a potential flaw in Google’s design; it costs too much.

Musk has stated that rather than Google’s advanced yet expensive sensory system- which uses sci-fi like technology to analyse its surroundings, collating over 1000 pieces of data a second –he would much prefer to use a simpler optical system, which he describes as being “basically cameras, with software that is able to figure out what’s going on just by looking at things”.

It is said that Google is in “technical discussions” with Tesla Motors – of which Musk is CEO – however the likelihood is that rather than collaborating on a joint project to further Google’s Lidar laser tracking system, Tesla will most likely begin to develop its own version of the autonomous automobile, using Musk’s own camera-based concept – although Musk has not ruled out a joint venture with the search engine giants.

Whilst this may suggest a dynamic collaboration of technical geniuses that will change the way we drive forever, or even an exciting space-race style contest to release the first Auto-Piloted car, Musk was quick to quell the rumours he began himself just ten minutes earlier. He tweeted shortly afterwards that this project is “not yet top priority”, that they were “still a few years from production”, and somewhat ironically, “No big announcement here.”

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A motorist who has killed two cyclists more than 25 year apart, was handed just a five year driving ban.

The Cyclists Touring Club has branded the sentence given to Gary McCourt “scandalous” after he killed a cyclist in 2011.

Audrey Fyfe, 75, who was not wearing a helmet at the time, was knocked off her bike, after Mr McCourt clipped her back wheel. She unfortunately died two days later. The courts found Mr McCourt guilty of killing Audrey however, he was only given a five year driving ban.

Mrs Fyfe’s widower, Ian was clearly unhappy with the sentence and said: “I feel with him having killed two cyclists already he shouldn’t be allowed to drive for life and I don’t think that is unreasonable.”

He went on to say: “How many times is he going to have to kill someone before he is banned for life?”

Cyclists are fast becoming a big part of our roads and more provisions are being made for them with Boris Johnson’s bikes, cycle lanes and bike incentives offered by employers.

So for motorists, it is important to be considerate of cyclists and ensure they adopt a safe driving approach when near cyclists.

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Older drivers are being encouraged to take a specialised course to ensure their safety whilst driving, in a new move by Lancashire County Council.

The course is aimed at drivers of 65 and over, after concerns were raised about the high number of elderly drivers involved in serious road traffic accidents, after new figures were released revealing that 1 in 8 accidents in the area causing death and injury involved an elderly driver. It aims to boost confidence and correct any bad habits picked up over a lifetime behind the wheel.

The figures also revealed that whilst casualties involving younger drivers are in a slow decline, injuries sustained to drivers over 65 whilst driving have remained at a constant 13.4% for the previous 5 years.

Whilst there are few rules are in place regarding aged drivers, all motorists are required to reapply for their licence every 3 years after turning 70, along with a declaration of being in a good state of health.

The course – titled “Drive Safely for Longer” currently has 100 available places remaining. The process couldn’t be easier, with an instructor coming to the drivers home to carry out the course. Approximately 600 people have passed the course in its relatively short lifespan of two years, and more continue to opt for the course.

In 2011, almost 800 people were killed or seriously hurt in vehicle incidents in Lancashire. However the following year, this dropped 11.4% to 704. Whilst these figures suggest that the issue is slowly but surely improving, safety is still a priority for the council, with an 18% rise in pensioners in the area, bringing the total to 211, 200.

Of this population, three out of four said that they intended to continue driving after retirement – despite the fact that driving abilities are proven to decline with age. “Drive Safely for Longer” aims to encourage drivers of an older age to acknowledge their weaknesses or bad habits picked up after years of driving, and refresh their skills as a motorist.

County Road Safety Manager Paul Binks said: “We’re not interested in catching people out and trying to take their licenses away from them. Our only aim is to help older people to remain behind the wheel safely.”

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A 13 year old boy from Swinton was struck by a police van in 2011 when a Greater Manchester Police Officer ran a red light.

PC Stuart Richmond, was responding to an emergency call at the time, the van did have its lights and siren on at the time and the officer had reduced his speed to 40mph however, the 13 year old, Lucas stepped out into the road and was hit by the van.

IPCC commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone wanted to remind officers that ‘powers and rights must be used with caution and great care.’

He went on to say that: “PC Richmond drive through a red traffic light without any caution and seemingly without any perception of the risk….as a result a young boy sustained life changing injuries.”

The officer has since admitted careless driving and has been fined £350 and given five points on his licence.

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