Feel nervous about driving? Don’t worry, you are not alone. In fact, studies have shown that as many as half of us feel anxious behind the wheel at some point, and up to 7% of us described as feeling “dread” when driving, especially when on unfamiliar roads.

So how to conquer this fear? The best way is to put yourself behind the wheel. Although it may be daunting, forcing yourself to drive more will help turn the dreaded prospect of driving into a more familiar one, and eventually you will find yourself gradually acclimating to being behind the wheel.

Also, put yourself out of your comfort zone. Don’t just stick to the known routes to work and back, but drive alternate routes, explore new areas, drive for longer than you are used to and in unfamiliar territory. Although this may be daunting at first, over time it will just become second nature to you.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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All drivers are familiar with the dreaded blind spot – that mysterious area lurking just outside your peripheral vision, and undetected by the mirrors in and outside your car. The blind spot is simply the area that you can’t see outside your car in your mirrors, and whilst you may think you can see enough around your vehicle to keep you safe, the blind spot is a notorious culprit for road accidents.

Far from what most people think, the blind spot is actually a pretty large area – if a cyclist, biker or even another car can hide in it easily, then it must be larger than you anticipate. The best way to keep yourself safe against this threat is to check your blind spot every time you make a manoeuvre, particularly when pulling away from any stationary position.

Also make sure you don’t wind up in someone else’s blind spot – this is usually to the right of a car, and slightly behind them. If you find yourself in this situation, it is advisable to slow down and allow them to move on ahead of you (rather than overtaking), just in case they don’t happen to check their blind spot before pulling out.

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In today’s world of motoring, with a vast proportion of the population now sitting behind a wheel, we have to do our best to remember that the more time we spend driving, the more money we are spending on fuel for our cars.

Whether you are a petrol or a diesel car driver, it can’t hurt to be a bit more fuel efficient. Here are our top tips for fuel efficient driving:

– Make sure your car is efficient. Loose bodywork, under-inflated tyres, leaking fuel tanks, large loads on or in your car, and pulling steering are all major concerns for the truly fuel-efficient driver.

– Always make sure you drive defensively. Not only will this help to make you more fuel-efficient, this will also make you a safer driver in general and reduce your chance of an accident behind the wheel.

– Always be aware. Awareness and planning is a major part of the driving test, and for good reason. Knowing what is happening in and around your car, and even down the road several cars ahead of you, and learning to drive accordingly will help you be much more fuel efficient.

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A 15-year-old boy had reportedly drank seven bottles of beer and three ciders before taking his mum’s car and crashing into several parked vehicles in Greenhithe.

Police were called after reports of damage to other vehicles and he was found to be more than twice the drink-drive limit. He woke his mum to tell her the car had been stolen before later confessing to taking the keys.

He pleaded guilty to four charges at Medway Youth Court. These included driving a car when above the legal alcohol limit, driving without a licence and insurance and aggravated vehicle taking.

Magistrates sentenced him to a 17-month disqualification order from driving, which comes into immediate effect even though he is still too young to drive legally. He was also given a nine-month referral order and ordered to pay £100 court costs.

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A Freedom of Information request has shown that there have been 63 reported incidents of motorists driving through a puddle causing pedestrians to be splashed during a five-year period from January 2009. South Wales Police said there were 38 cases of splashing reported, with victims as young as 10.

Last year a 22-year-old motorist received a fine and 6 points on his licence for splashing a family by deliberately driving into a puddle. Since he had had his licence for less than 2 years, this led to his licence being revoked.

Recklessly driving into a puddle which leads to splashing pedestrians falls under Section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and can often be punished through a fixed penalty notice. However, most drivers are not punished; the motorists who were tracked down after complaints by police, were only given driving advice. The 22 year-old motorist wasn’t as lucky as his actions were witnessed by a traffic policeman. However, calls have been made to take this offence much more seriously whilst pedestrians are being reminded that they can report incidents if they are splashed.

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Here at Britannia, not only do we teach our young and inexperienced drivers how to operate a car from the word go, helping to create a new generation of drivers of excellence, but we also offer an impressive range of courses for those motorists currently holding a pink license.

If you have recently passed your driving test and would like to improve your skills even further, or even just help reduce the cost of your insurance premiums, then our fantastic Pass Plus course is perfect for you! Helping to improve your confidence and reduce the risk of an accident is bound to make you a much better driver for the future.

However, our services do not extend only to new and recently passed drivers. Many drivers on the roads have been driving for a long time, however for some reason or another may feel nervous about being behind the wheel, and may wish to brush up on their driving skills. This is where our Refresher Courses come in. We can teach you all you will need to regain your confidence to drive, at more than competitive prices!

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Driverless cars are to be tested this year in a number of UK locations including the London Borough of Greenwich. Three separate trials will take place: one in Greenwich, one in Bristol and one split between Coventry and Milton Keynes. The trials will last from 18 to 36 months and will test different aspects of self-driving technology. All will take place away from public roads, though each is aimed at making automated vehicles on Britain’s roads a reality.

The trials will use semi-autonomous cars that can drive themselves for periods of the time with a human driver behind the wheel, as well as lightweight self-driving pods designed for low-speed shuttle services. The three projects will be linked by an external monitor who will coordinate all the data.

The Greenwich trials – named the Gateway project – will involve self-driving shuttles being tested on closed roads and in simulation facilities. The project is led by the TRL with contributions from the Royal College of Art, Imperial College London and the University of Greenwich along with General Motors, the AA and RAC.

This will put the UK at the forefront of automated vehicle technology.

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