Monthly Archives: October 2015

October 16, 2015
Halloween Driving

A terrifying prospect is coming our way in just two short weeks – Halloween.

Whilst this may be all fun and games for many, the drivers among us need to be extra cautious at this time of year. With trick-or treaters aplenty on the roads – Not to mention them being particularly hard to see due to the dark nights and black clothing they will be wearing – You will need to keep an eye in the back of your head for this little terrors.

Also don’t fall victim to the Halloween parting danger – If you are going to be drinking this Halloween, leave the car at home – And avoid a potentially scary experience.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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October 15, 2015
Van Bullies Pupil On Test

An appalling video shows the moment a white van man tried to bully and intimidate a learner driver – as she was taking her driving test.

The footage, taken on Monday morning in west Edinburgh, shows the learner driver travelling within the speed limit in a residential area when the van races up behind her.

Forced to slow down, he repeatedly pulls up close to her rear bumper in an apparent attempt to intimidate her into breaking the limit – meaning she would fail her test. Then, when the learner stops to allow oncoming traffic with the right of way to pass, he throws up his hands, accelerates sharply, honks his horn and revs his engine whilst shouting at the clearly marked driving school car.

During the test the driving centre examiner reportedly told the candidate, ‘ignore the man in the van, he is completely in the wrong’ and she went on to pass the driving test.

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October 14, 2015
Drunk Driver Claims Dog Was Driving Car

A man accused of drunk-driving after leading police on a high-speed chase explained to an officer that it was his dog, and not him, who had been driving the vehicle.

Reliford Cooper III, 26, blamed the pooch after his car had crashed into a ditch following the chase in Palmetto, Florida – allegedly telling an officer: ‘My dog was driving that car, I ran cause I wanted to. You ain’t gonna find no drugs or guns on me.’

A police report filed by the arresting officer told how after Cooper’s car crashed he escaped on foot before eventually being traced by sniffer dogs to a church.

He was said to have smelt of alcohol and marijuana but consistently denied driving the car. After throwing up, Cooper, who has previous convictions for armed robbery and burglarly, was taken to hospital for a check-up before being charged with drunk driving, aggravated fleeing and leaving the scene of an accident.

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October 13, 2015
Driving on Dark Nights

As the weather gets colder around us and we find ourselves in the midst of autumn, we also slowly become aware of another danger on the roads at this time of year – The darkness.

Although many may write this off as not a hazard, driving in the darkness is an activity that needs to be approached with extreme caution – It is not enough to simply switch on the dipped headlights and assume you will be fine. You also need to drive slower than you normally would to accommodate for any unforeseen changes in road conditions that would otherwise have been perfectly visible in the middle of the day.

Awareness also needs to be at it’s peak when driving at night – Just because it is later in the day doesn’t mean you should be any less careful about pedestrians and other motorists.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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October 12, 2015
Beware of Copycat Websites

A lot of people are being scammed by fake websites which impersonate official government sites and so individuals must be careful not to use them. Though there has been a crackdown it is still possible to be fooled by these websites.

A mother in Essex told of how her 17-year-old was almost scammed by website UK Licence Services. She had applied online for her provisional licence using her own debit card, but at the point of payment she called her mother into the room to tell her she was shocked to be asked to pay £108 where she had only expected £34. Luckily she had not completed the transaction otherwise she would have been scammed. The website apparently stresses that it is in no way affiliated with the DVLA however this is in small print.

There are similar websites which claim to book driving tests and overcharge those that go through their site.

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

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October 9, 2015
Winter Weather Driving – Part 2

Recently we ran an article explaining the differences between driving in the summer seasons and in the winter weather – However the differences do not start and end with stopping distances – There is much more to take into account when driving in the autumn and winter months!

Another threat on the roads that is often overlooked is the danger of falling leaves on the ground – Whilst these can contribute to a lovely autumnal scene, it can cause havoc for road users, with slippy leaves littering the road meaning that motorists have to take extra care when driving to avoid losing control on the unstable road surface.

Stay tuned for more news on safe driving with Britannia!

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October 8, 2015
Drivers Phone Families in the Car

Nearly a quarter of drivers have broken the law by talking to their families while behind the wheel, research from road safety charity Brake has revealed.

Almost a quarter (23%) of drivers have talked to family on the phone while driving while one-in-seven drivers (15%) have talked to friends on the phone while driving.

Meanwhile, one-in-six drivers (17%) have had a work-related call whilst driving. The survey showed that young drivers (17-24) were most likely to engage in phone calls with friends with more than a third (35%) of young drivers doing so whilst driving.

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October 7, 2015
Test Waiting Times

The DVSA has apologised for the increase in waiting times for driving tests. Certain areas have seen a substantial increase in waiting times for tests and a number of driving instructors have complained to the DVSA.

The DVSA said that were three reasons for the increase:

The economic recovery – more people are taking driving lessons again

More examiners retiring

There has been a surge in people in their 20s taking tests, after leaving it longer to learn to drive

There were 407,000 car driving test between January and March 2015, a 5.2% increase on the same period last year with demand increasing. The DVSA said that it had forecasted the increase in demand and also knew that there were a number of examiners retiring and began recruitment in October 2014, with further campaigns in March and October this year.

Various options have been considered to deal with the increase in demand such as the involvement of the private sector and examiners taking a photograph of the driver as soon as they have passed, so their licence can be processed quickly.

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October 6, 2015
Winter Weather Driving

All drivers love the summer seasons – With the dry weather and high temperatures, it’s no wonder all motorists want to get out in their pride and joy, with the windows or roofs down enjoying the glorious sunshine.

Unfortunately that time of year has to come to an end – We suddenly find ourselves in October, with nights getting darker faster and colder, wetter weather setting in. So what does this mean for drivers?

For starters, you need to adjust your driving habits. With stopping distances increasing in wet weather, you need to be more alert behind the wheel.

What other tips do you need to follow when driving in winter weather? Keep an eye here and find out on Friday!

Safe driving from Britannia!

 

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October 5, 2015
Learner Banned For Drink-Driving

A learner driver was found to be over the alcohol limit after police followed him. Richard Parfitt was seen driving alone, slowly without lights in Poulton in Blackpool.

Parfitt, 32, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance and not in accordance with his provisional licence.

He was banned from the road for 18 months, fined £465 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £46 victims surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said that police saw Parfitt at the wheel of his wife’s car at about 1am. A breath test showed 68 micrograms of alcohol in his body – almost double the legal drink drive limit of 35ml in 100ml of blood.

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

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