Six out of ten drivers are reducing car trips because of escalating motoring costs says a leading insurer.

In a survey by specialist broker Adrian Flux, 60% of those questioned said they were using their car less than before the financial crisis started to bite.

Petrol   prices have risen 37% since 2007, with diesel up 43% over the same period.

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As money is tight for so many families all over Britain, people are been stretched to do whatever they can to save some pennies.

One way that people are trying to save money is by lying on their car insurance forms. An estimated one in 12 drivers admit to lying about their details to insurers to save money.

When it comes to something as important as car insurance it pays to be honest. You don’t want to run risk of having your insurance been revoked. Car insurance needs to be taken seriously.

To get yourself the best deal, ensure that you always shop around for the best insurance package. Price comparison websites are great for this. Simply enter in your details and see what is been offered, then phone up the company which is offering the best deal and see if you can negotiate a better price. This sounds easy, and it is, but it is surprising how few people do try it.

Looking to upgrade your model? The best way to ensure that the your potential new car is perfect for you is to give it a test drive… but this would be useless if you did not know what you were looking for, or what possible dangers could lie ahead.

Here are Britannia’s top tips for Test Drives:

– Ensure you are insured. If you are buying from a dealer, their insurance will probably cover you, though it is always worth double-checking. However if you are buying from a private owner, always remember to give your insurers a call beforehand to see what extent you are covered to for a test drive. Should the worst happen and you have an accident behind the wheel in your potential new car, it will give you good peace of mind to know you are covered.

– Is it suited to your needs? Whilst most men would love a sleek new sports car, is this really feasible if you have a wife and children to taxi around constantly? Likewise, don’t go for a car that is too big either, as you will be wasting unnecessary fuel if you always drive alone. Give careful thought to what activities you are likely to use the car for, and consider is this vehicle is suitable.

– Keep a look-out for problems. Is the bonnet warm? This could mean the current owner is having problems starting it, and so has let the engine run for a while to avoid you finding this out before you buy. Check all the features: electrics, brakes, lights, air-con, tyres, seat-belts, glove-box, radio, everything – the last thing you want is to buy a new car and then have to fork out extra cash to fix issues that shouldn’t even be there!

– Don’t be afraid to say no. Many people find it hard to refuse a purchase after trying it out, and this is what often leads to problems in the future. Don’t buckle to pressure from the seller – if the car is not right for you, ask for another test drive, or just say no!

Happy driving from Britannia!

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New government guidelines to back people who rent out their driveways to commuters after councils have reportedly threatened to levy fines if planning permission is not obtained.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has backed households who rent out their driveways for helping working people park easier and cheaply and providing families with a means to make spare cash. The guidance states that homeowners can rent a single parking space without planning permission ‘provided there is no public nuisance to neighbours, or other substantive concerns’ making a clear distinction between renting out a single space and commercial use.

It is clear that there are concerns about people changing gardens into car parks with a spokesman from the Local Government Association highlighting the purpose of the council to ensure that people are not altering the character of the neighbourhood. He stated ‘people don’t want to wake up one morning to find that their neighbour is operating a parking lot.’

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It has been found that more than half of motorists’ appeals against fines are found in their favour but few motorists do in fact appeal.

Barrie Segal, owner of the campaigning website AppealNow, has reviewed roughly 60,000 parking tickets on behalf of motorists and has found a number of ‘scams’. One in particular is the ‘ghost ticket’ trick where a driver is sent details of a fine in the post without being handed a ticket by a parking warden.

Penalty charge notices are fines issued by local councils or the police with a discount offered to those who pay early. However, if a motorist is convinced the fine is unfair the advice is not to pay and to appeal to the council that issued the penalty quickly. Providing supporting evidence, such as photographs, could improve chances of the appeal’s success.

Private property charges, such as those issued in shopping centre car parks, represent a breach of contract between the motorist and the land owner allowing the land owner to legally issue a ticket. However, if the contract terms are deemed unfair, such as if there is no way to pay, the motorist can choose to appeal or not do anything. Segal recommends that motorists refuse to pay those tickets that have been unfairly issued and ignore threats of court action since few cases end up in court.

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It has been found that women in the West Yorkshire town of Heckmondwike are the worst learners in the country. The test centre has a pass rate of 39.8 per cent, much below the national average of 47.1 per cent. The test routes used are amongst the most difficult in the country, with narrow, rural roads, bad surfaces and busy junctions including the Gildersome Roundabout, the most dangerous roundabout in West Yorkshire.

Five women in the town, aged between 35 and 48, have been found to take 158 practical driving tests between them. One of the women took 34 attempts to pass, whilst two others took 32 and the other two women took 30 attempts.

The record for the most practical test failures is held by a 40-year-old man in Stoke-On-Trent who eventually passed on his 37th attempt. A record number of failures has also been set for the theory test by a 28-year-old woman from London who found herself taking the test 110 times.

The DSA has commented that pass rates are influenced by a number of factors including nerves and that examiners are trained to a high standard and are consistently monitored.

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