Although Halloween is mostly viewed as a fun time to dress up and take the children out trick-or-treating, it also happens to be one of the most infamous nights of the year for road accidents involving pedestrians.

The AAA warns that between the hours of 4pm and midnight are the times most dangerous for pedestrians, due to the large number of motorists on the roads either taking their children trick-or-treating or otherwise attending the increasingly common themed Halloween parties.

The weather at this time of year also unfortunately lends itself towards car accidents, due to the wet roads, glare from the Autumnal sun and leaves on the roads becoming factors in the rising number of accidents towards the final months of the year.

As many people take advantage of the Halloween theme to dress up in scary costumes, this also can have negative implications sue to its ability to restrict visibility and mobility for pedestrians, as well as the common colour of black being worn making the pedestrians much harder to see by motorists, especially as the nights get darker earlier on.

Many people will also be attending Halloween celebrations, with a majority of party-goers consuming alcohol – a deadly combination when teamed with driving. Stay sober behind the wheel, not just this Friday!

Halloween is supposed to be the scariest night of the year – but for the right reasons.

Safe driving this Halloween from Britannia!

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Maintaining your vehicle is just as important as learning to operate it correctly. One of the main factors of good car maintenance is checking that you have the right amount of pressure in your tyres.

Over-inflated tyres will be hard to handle correctly. Under-inflated tyres are much more likely to overheat. Both of these pose serious safety risks, so do not underestimate the importance of keeping an eye on your tyre pressure.

By not maintaining your tyre pressure, you are effectively reducing the life expectancy of your tyres, which will lead to unnecessary purchasing of replacement tyres that could have easily been avoided if you had taken more care of them. You will also be much more likely to pass your dreaded MOT with correctly inflated tyres.

You will also be throwing away money on fuel, as tyres that are not inflated to the optimum level will not be fully fuel-efficient. In this day and age, every penny counts, so keep your tyre pressure at the recommended level and see your money go further.

To keep your pressure at the right level, you will need to find the recommended Tyre Pressure for your car – this can usually be found in the manual provided with your car. If your car is not brand new, and does not have a manual, a little research online or by contacting the manufacturer or other ‘in-the-know’ people should do the trick.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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Daylight hours are shortening, weather is getting worse, and these conditions are making driving more difficult, especially for new drivers. Here are some handy tips to make driving a lot easier:

Remember your headlights: turn on your headlights during dawn and dusk so that other road users can see you and vice versa. Using your headlights during these hours, helps you identify hazards in the road, pedestrians, animals and other conditions.

Slow down: the faster you drive, especially on wet, slippery roads, the longer it takes to stop your vehicle. Doubling your speed can nearly quadruple the amount of time it takes to stop your vehicle.

Check weather forecasts: if a storm or other adverse weather conditions are expected, only drive if absolutely necessary. If you need to drive, be prepared for changing road conditions such as developing frost.

Make adjustments for shorter daylight hours: look out for children playing, people walking dogs, pedestrians, joggers and cyclists during the morning and afternoon.

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Come on drivers, we’ve all been there: the dreaded fuel light coming on mid-way through a journey; ages away from your destination, and potentially miles away from the nearest petrol station. The panic setting in as you realise you could well be stranded without an operating vehicle in the middle of nowhere tonight. So how do we resolve this issue? Simple really; just keep plenty of fuel in your car at all times.

Or is it so simple?

A little known motoring phenomenon called “over-fuelling” is rapidly gaining momentum, and its dangers are becoming increasingly apparent too. Whilst it is probably preferable to carry around more fuel than necessary in your car, it is time to consider the pitfalls of over storing on petrol or diesel.

– Fuel is heavy. 80 litres of petrol is roughly equivalent to carrying an additional person weighing 60 kg. This added weight will take more energy for your car to haul around, meaning higher fuel consumption, and therefore fewer miles to the gallon.

– Fuel is expensive. The average person cannot afford to fill up their tank at every opportunity, and instead will only fill up as and when they need to in order to spread the cost of running a car throughout a longer period.

– It is not economical. Doesn’t it make more sense to just top up your fuel when you need to, and just as much as you will need to get from A to B?

In the end, it all comes down to the individual driver. Many drivers will prefer the added comfort of knowing that there is almost always enough fuel in the tank, meaning less arduous trips to the petrol station and extra peace of mind, whereas others are more than happy to pay as they go.

Which driver are you?

Safe driving from Britannia!

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