For many people, learning to drive can be an uncomfortable experience – however to ensure that your driving lessons go as well as possible, you need to ensure that you are wearing the right clothes.

While this may seem like a small inconsequential issue, what we wear when we drive can make a huge difference. For example, wearing clothes that you feel comfortable in will instantly put you at ease and make it much easier to focus on your driving. Alternatively, wearing ill-fitting clothes that you are not as comfortable in, or excessive jewellery, may distract you from the road and lead to driving mistakes.

Always make sure you wear correct footwear especially, as your feet will be doing a lot of the work when you are behind the wheel (sorry ladies, no high-heels!) Flat shoes are a must, so some comfortable trainers are a good idea. Also try not to have too much jewellery or baggy clothing around your wrists too, as when you are changing gears, indicating or steering, these could prove a distraction. Also remember that you will have a seatbelt tight around your torso, so wear something comfortable up top too.

Safe driving from Britannia!

Vauxhall has called owners of Vauxhall Corsa and Adam models registered from May 2014, of which there are approximately 3000, to stop driving them until inspection because of a steering concern.

The discovery was made during a routine quality control at one of the two manufacturing plants.Vauxhall has said they’re not aware of any accidents or injury relating to the problem and merely advises as a precaution that these vehicles are not driven until inspection.

These particular vehicles had been manufactured with a steering system part which did not meet specification.

The company said that customers could check on their website to see whether their vehicle was affected.

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An anti-drink driving campaign has been launched in an unexpected place – the men’s bathroom of a North London pub.

The campaign was certainly aimed to hit viewers with the “shock” factor, as a hidden video of the campaign in action shows.

The experience caught unsuspecting pub-goers off-guard as they enjoyed an afternoon having a few drinks in the London bar. However, as the unwitting men ventured into the bathroom, the campaign was launched into action.

As the men stand calmly washing their hands at the sink in front of a large mirror, without warning a life-like mannequin is suddenly hurled crashing from behind the mirror itself into the glass pane, causing the mirror to shatter, and the seemingly lifeless face is left gaping vacantly through the broken mirror, dripping “blood” into the sink. . . and leaving the started men visibly traumatised.

The campaign was intended to replicate the effects of a driver hitting a pedestrian at full force, with the “pedestrian” sent smashing into the windscreen.

To see footage of the campaign, simply search on YouTube for “pub loo shocker”.

What are your thoughts on this campaign? Shockingly effective, or just a cruel prank? Sound off in the comments section below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

We recently reported on the number of individuals that drive in what would seem to be ‘inappropriate driving footwear’, but what does the law say on wearing heels whilst driving?

There is no specific law dealing with the issue of driving in high heels; from a legal standpoint, drivers can wear any type of shoes. It is even perfectly legal to drive barefoot.

Rule 97 of the Highway Code states that before setting off on a journey in your car, you should ensure that ‘clothing and footwear do not prevent you using the controls in the correct manner’. However, if you get involved in an accident as a result of inappropriate footwear, this could amount to driving without due care and attention. There is no definitive list of actions that amount to careless driving and is very much open to interpretation.

Driving in unsuitable shoes, particularly high heels, can cause a variety of problems, including getting your heel stuck in the floor of the vehicle.

The best solution is to have a suitable pair of shoes in your car. So, should you need to drive, you do not run the risk of causing serious harm to yourself and others, as well action being brought against you.

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We are all surely feeling the oncoming effects of the slowly approaching winter – the drop in temperature, the darker mornings, the weather gradually becoming foggier and wetter as the days go on. And there is no place you are likely to feel the effects of the winter season more so than in your car (unless you are outside!)

It is important at this time of year to learn to adjust to driving in the Winter – this encompasses a range of different aspects, from altering your driving style to suit the wetter roads, learning to drive in snow, rain and hail and modifying your car and in-car behaviour to suit the colder season.

This means preparing for the worst, to ready yourself for any scenario. It is a good idea to keep your car stocked up with the essentials in the event of a break-down this winter. So keep some spare oil, fuel, windscreen washer fluid and water inside your boot, as well as preparing an emergency kit. This should include, but not be limited to, a spare phone with full battery, food and water, and even blankets – this may sound a little over-cautious, but you would be glad that you took the precautions if the worst should happen and you are left stranded in the snow!

Safe driving from Britannia!

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Drink-driving is a significant concern and being convicted of drink-driving will attract strict penalties as well as everyday consequences such as job loss and higher insurance premiums

Though this is a serious matter, there have certainly been some unusual stories involving drink-driving, the most amusing of which we have listed below:

– One man who was three times over the limit, fell out of his van whilst driving. After stalling, the van started to reverse and the driver fell out into the road

– An individual who was over the limit, took his mother’s car without her consent (he would both unlicensed and uninsured) and then bizarrely called his mother when the car broke down

– A drunk burglar fell off his bike seven times when trying to escape from police after breaking into a shop. He was caught after giving up on his bike and tripping again trying to run away from officers

– A woman was given 10 points after refusing a breathalyser when it was claimed she was drunk on her mobility scooter

The following examples had been heard by courts in South Wales, and are just a few of many bizarre drink-driving stories.

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A company based in Virginia, United States, have designed a gun which can detect the frequency of a text message, phone call or data transfer.

As the law stands in the UK, you can get an automatic fixed penalty notice if you’re caught using a hand-held phone while driving or riding. You’ll get 3 penalty points on your licence and a fine of £100. Your case could also go to court and you could be disqualified from driving and get a maximum fine of £1,000.

New drivers will lose their licence if they get 6 or more penalty points within 2 years of passing their test – that means only getting caught twice on the phone.

The device, named a ‘texting gun’, is currently in production although no release date or price has been announced yet. The device can even apparently work out which person in the car is texting, so it will not alert police to issue a fine if it spots frequencies from a passenger.

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The tax disc is set to be replaced by an electronic system on 1^st October. This has caused a clash between RAC and DVLA. The RAC has claimed that the change will result in extra tax evasion amounting to about £167million a year.

They recently conducted a survey which suggested that 36% of motorists were unaware of the scrapping of the paper disc, whilst 47% did not know when the change was due to take effect. The poll also showed that 63% feared that there would be a rise in the number of untaxed cars on the road.

The DVLA, however, disagree saying that the new system will make vehicle tax easy to pay but hard to avoid. Oliver Morley, chief executive of the DVLA, argued that there was no requirement for a TV licence to be displayed in a window at home, but the system was still policed, so the same theory would hold for car tax.

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