Monthly Archives: November 2013

November 29, 2013
Driving This Christmas

As Christmas approaches, driving safely becomes more important – people are rushing around trying to buy presents, it gets dark earlier, the number of drink-drivers rises and the weather doesn’t help conditions.

Here are Britannia’s top tips for driving this Christmas:

– Give plenty of time for your journey, there will be a lot of cars on the roads and journey times will be longer.
– Don’t drive whilst tired and take regular breaks.
– Do not drink and drive, if you are going to a Christmas party and plan to drink, leave your car at home and arrange another mode of transport.
– Check your brakes and tyres before a journey as well as your anti-freeze in case of frost.
– Carry a hot flask and a blanket in case of a breakdown.
– Check traffic and weather updates for road closures and extreme weather conditions.

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

Safe driving from Britannia!

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November 28, 2013
Christmas Is Approaching

It’s almost the 1st December, Christmas decorations and lights have started to make their first appearances, the Britannia head office has also started preparing for Christmas. What this lead up also brings, however, is the panic of Christmas presents and a lot of people have begun stressing already.

At Britannia we have the perfect Christmas present idea – why not give someone the gift of driving? Our Christmas deal is back on: First Five Lessons for £98.30 – all you need to do is call up our customer services and we will post the package of vouchers to you that very day.

Alternatively, if you’ve got a few weeks off for Christmas and haven’t passed your test yet, why not take one of our intensive courses? Our customer services will be able to discuss the course most suited to you and tailor the course around your availability and needs. Pass your test before the New Year!

We’ve got a number of skilled and professional instructors all over London, Surrey and Middlesex, take a look at our reviews to see the number of people who have successfully passed with Britannia!

Safe driving from Britannia!

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November 27, 2013
The App That Plays Music Based On Your Driving

Volkswagen UK and dance music act Underworld have produced a smartphone app titled ‘Play the Road’ and subtitled ‘Driving music reinvented’ – the way you drive generates the music you listen to in your car. The driving speed, engine RPM, acceleration, steering and GPS location parameter are used to generate the music in real time.

The data is collected from the Volkswagen GTI’s onboard computer and is combined with sensory data from the accelerometer, gyroscope and GPS of the smartphone.

Currently the app isn’t available for purchase, Volkswagen is using the app as a basis of a competition where drivers can enter to compose music by driving around a special course.

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

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November 26, 2013
Teen Driving Statistics

Unfortunately motoring accidents involving teen drivers are a huge problem. Rarely does a week go by that stories aren’t reported of young drivers being injured or killed on UK roads.

Statistics show that young drivers are the most at risk when behind the wheel. Figures have revealed that a third of deaths of 13-19 year olds occurred when in a car in the year 2010, and that over half (56 %) of teens openly admit to driving whilst on the phone, despite this doubling the likelihood of an accident.

Most new drivers, having recently passed their tests, use their newfound freedom of driving as a social activity, often taking groups of friends out for a drive, and often at evening and night-times. However a worrying statistic shows that for every additional passenger inside a vehicle, a 17-year-old driver’s death rate will increase dramatically.

When it comes to teen passengers in a car, only 44% said that they would speak up if their friends’ driving was concerning them, with most content to sit idly by in a vehicle driving dangerously.

All drivers need to exercise caution behind the wheel – but with teen drivers being most at risk, it is no surprise that a new drive is being pushed forward by driving program BRAKES.

These statistics speak for themselves. Take care when out driving, and don’t allow your age to become a factor in you becoming another teen driving tragedy statistic.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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November 25, 2013
Lesson in Dangerous Driving

TV presenter Sophie Morgan spoke to Richmond College students on the harsh reality of dangerous driving this week as part of her ‘Licence to Kill’ campaign.

She highlighted the risks of driving too fast and not paying attention and informed students of the statistic that driving is the biggest killer of young people in the UK.

She was paralysed at the age of 18 following a car accident after a house party, despite being sober herself, where she over-steered on a corner.

Richmond Council cabinet member for performance and community safety Tony Arbour said: ‘It is a very imaginative scheme as driving is a very important skill to learn.’

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

Safe driving from Britannia!

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November 24, 2013
Driving Schools

Learning to drive can be an extremely daunting experience. Not only does getting behind the wheel of a car come with a great deal of responsibility, it also demands skill, and involves learning and remembering the Highway Code. This bombardment of information can be difficult for a learner driver to take in, and necessities the expertise of an experienced, calm and trustworthy driving instructor.

Driving schools provide access to experienced instructors who can teach you to be a confident and competent driver! Whether you have decided to take an intensive driving course, you require automatic driving lessons or you simply want some guidance on taking your theory test – driving schools are the answer!

Britannia Driving School is the most recognized brand of driving schools in the UK, providing a wealth of resources for learner drivers! If you are looking for driving lessons in London, Wimbledon, Guildford or Croydon then take a look at the Britannia website – https://www.britannia-driving-school.com/.

The Britannia driving instructors are polite, calm, understanding and licensed by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency). You can choose whether you would prefer a male or female instructor, and whether to learn in an automatic or manual dual-controlled car. So what are you waiting for? Make the first steps to passing your test today by contacting Britannia Driving Schools!

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November 22, 2013
Give Your AC Some TLC

As much as we hate to admit it, the winter months are here. Although here at Britannia it seems like mere weeks ago we were last giving out advice for safe driving in snowy months, it is that time of year again, yet the dangers of driving in colder conditions are no less apparent.

One error many drivers make is the lack of maintenance on their vehicle in the colder months. However if you do not look after your car, especially during this period when conditions are at their harshest, then you are doing a disservice to your vehicle and in return, don’t be surprised if it fails to work when you need it most.

One of the most common errors we have seen here at Britannia is the deterioration of air-conditioning in the post-winter months. This is one issue that many drivers seem unaware of, but air-conditioning works at its best when it is in frequent and regular use – therefore it is necessary to keep using it throughout the winter too.

Although we know that a blast of cold air is the last thing you want when you step into your car on these bitterly cold mornings, try to allow just a couple of minutes a day to give your AC the TLC it requires. If you fail to do this, then the lack of use your air conditioning unit has endured throughout winter will lead to a possible failure to operate at its best performance… and probably just in time for the blazing summer of 2014.

Safe driving this winter from Britannia!

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November 21, 2013
Cyclists On The Roads

There have been a number of accidents in recent weeks involving cyclists with a number of motorists calling cyclists to observe certain safety measures. Many cyclists have been caught breaking road laws – most notably by jumping a red light. Bystanders of the accident in which a cyclist in Croydon was killed saw the cyclist blocking the bus’s right of way. This is common behaviour among many bike commuters.

On the other hand, cyclists have raised uproar at the behaviour towards cyclists by other road users. Earlier this year, Emma Way, was convicted of driving offences after a collision with a cyclist which she then tweeted about.

One thing both arguments have in common is that much change is needed to improve the safety of cyclists on roads.

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

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November 20, 2013
Practical Test Day

The day of the practical test is nerve-wracking for most. Here are Britannia’s top tips for your test day.

– When booking your test: choose a date and time suitable for you, choose the test centre you’d prefer (your Britannia instructor will be able to advise you on test centres).

– Get plenty of rest the night before: don’t think about your test, relax and take your mind off driving. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep.

– Before the test: Make sure you eat a good breakfast beforehand, remember your documents and leave early so you don’t have to rush.

– Relax: It’s normal to be nervous on your test day, it is important to not let the nerves affect your driving. Keep calm and just think of the examiner as your instructor; examiners are not there to fail you.

– Confidence: Your instructor would not have allowed you to go on test if they didn’t think you were ready; this means that you clearly have a good chance of passing. If you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it and don’t assume you’ve failed – you are allowed 15 minor faults. Most fails happen when the learner thinks they have failed when they haven’t, lose concentration and make a silly error.

Follow these tips and good luck from Britannia!

Let us know your thoughts using the comments link below.

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November 19, 2013
Call for Complete Ban on Phones in Cars

A road safety group known as Brake have suggested that mobile phones should be turned off whilst driving, and even hands-free mobile sets should be banned from use in the car.

The controversial statement comes after an evaluation of the issue gave results implying that anyone using the phone behind the wheel, to any degree, posed a supposedly similar threat to those driving whilst intoxicated by alcohol.

It also indicated that drivers can, regardless of responsibility when driving, become involved in “horrific” accidents simply through the sheer carelessness of using a mobile device when behind the wheel.

The use of mobile phones when driving was banned over a decade ago, yet the problem persists to this day, remaining, if not growing as a threat to road users, with more drivers on UK roads now than ever before in history, and with mobile phones now much more popular than they were ten years ago.

Some even call for action to be taken as extreme as having it illegal for a river to have a mobile on their person when in the driving seat, suggesting that instead phones should be turned off and placed in the boot for the duration of the journey.

What are your thoughts on this article? Sound off in the comments section below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

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