Tonight is the final night of 2015 and it has been another successful year for both our pupils and instructors.

As the year draws to an end, we would like to wish all of our staff, pupils, instructors and fans all the best of luck for the coming year.

As always we hope you stay safe on the roads. We hope you all make this New Year’s Eve a great night, but if you are going to be out celebrating the dawn of 2016, please do remember to drive safely, and if you are going to be driving, make sure that you stay on the soft drinks, or if you would prefer a few drinks, leave the car keys at home.

Thanks from everyone at Britannia Driving School for a great 2015, here’s to making 2016 even better!

Safe driving as always, from Britannia!

Scientists and musicians have combined to create what has been dubbed the world’s safest driving song. ‘Safe in Sound’ is composed by professional musicians alongside psychologist Simon Moore and is designed to encourage ‘smooth breaking, accelerating and awareness of speed limits’.

It is designed to mimic the ‘Goldilocks tempo’ of the average human heartbeat (around 50-80 beats per minute) and contains no lyrics or repeating melodies.

The song follows a survey of around 1,000 drivers aged 17 to 25 to assess the risks associated with driving. More than half of those asked said the music they listened to influenced their driving, with Britney Spear’s ‘Toxic’ and AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black’ cited as playing a part in a collision or near miss.

Just over 90% of those surveyed they sang and danced to music as they drove, with around 60% saying the type of music they listened to affected their alertness, braking, accelerating and speed.

Young drivers are disproportionately more likely to be involved in a crash, especially men aged between 17 and 24. DfT figures released this year showed those killed or seriously injured on the roads had risen by 4% to 24,580 in the first months of 2015.

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

Driving in winter can be a dangerous errand if you’re not careful enough – With the combination of cold and wet weather, the roads are becoming wetter and icier by the day, demanding full attention of all drivers behind a wheel in these conditions.

One other factor we see a lot of in winter is strong winds – When driving against strong winds, it is necessary to exercise more caution, as winds can cause rubbish and debris such as tree branches to fall into the path of your car, and also to keep an eye on other drivers who may find their driving affected by gales.

Also be aware of driving beside larger vehicles – These may shelter you from strong gusts for a time, so when you emerge into the open, you are likely to experience a strong side wind.

Safe driving from Britannia!

A man suspected of drink-driving has tried to escape police by hiding in a nativity scene. After crashing his Mini Cooper through the metal barriers of the A659, just outside of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, the man attempted to hide from police in a large shed housing a nativity scene.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed they were able to locate the suspect, who was found hiding in the hay of a nativity scene, before posting a photo of the crash on Twitter.

The Department for Transport has recently release a ‘Think!’ campaign targeting those who are likely to drive after a few drinks. Research has shown that one in ten people would consider drink-driving.

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

So here it is – Merry Christmas! We hope everybody is having fun this Christmas Day, and from all of us here at Britannia Driving School, we wish you the very best festive day, and a fantastic new year to look forward to!

We would once again like to extend our thanks to all who have made 2015 such a special year for us – From our pupils and instructors and our followers alike, we are very proud to have such a fantastic fan base.

Thanks again for all of your loyal support this year, and all the best for 2016!

As always, safe driving from Britannia on this Christmas Day!

It’s finally here, Christmas Day is only a day away! Most people will be finishing up their Christmas shopping or driving home for Christmas.

We’d like to advise you to stay safe on the roads this Christmas. Tomorrow over 4 million of us will take to the roads of the UK to visit friends and relatives, and although you will be busy enjoying the festivities of the day, do not forget to take care of your car this Christmas Day. Unfortunately traffic and congestion do not take Christmas Day off, so be wary of other cars around you, and try not to contribute to the heavy volume of vehicles on the road tomorrow.

Also keep in mind that your car can break down at any time, and that tomorrow is no different. Remember to perform all of the necessary pre-flight checks – oil, fuel, tyre pressure, and central heating, plus all of the other essentials needed to complete your journey. The last thing you want is for your car to break down and leave you stranded for the best part of Christmas Day!

Drive safely and we wish you all a Merry Christmas for tomorrow.

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

European officials have dropped an investigation into oil and fuel pricing meaning British drivers are exposed to rising costs at the pumps, according to campaigners.

Petrol in Britain should currently be around 2p lower and at a six-year low based on current oil prices. Oil is around £3.33 cheaper than it was at the start of the year, yet wholesale petrol is the same price as it was in January. AA has long urged Brussels to expose why consumers don’t feel the full benefit when oil prices are low, whereas when they rise fuel quickly becomes more expensive.

Transparent pricing, a model adopted in the US, Australia and South East Asia, could help ease the problem, according to experts. It would show drivers where, how and why forecourt prices are rising and would also help drivers and businesses prepare when fuel prices are set to surge, as a result of higher oil prices.

But drivers are now left ‘defenceless’ against rip-off pricing models, thanks to the failure of the EU Competition Commissioner to probe anomalies.

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

Many of us will have already broken up from work for the Christmas Holidays, or are likely to be breaking up over the next couple of days – Which means much merriment and celebration to look forward to over the Festive season.

However if you are planning to be driving this Christmas, you must remember to refrain from drink-driving – As it is all year-round, being intoxicated when behind the wheel is a crime and will likely result in prosecution – Not a great way to start or end your Christmas holidays!

Safe driving from Britannia!

Motoring campaigner, Mike Rutherford, says cyclists should be made to pay their way into Britain’s congested and disgraceful roads. His demands come as drivers face hefty queues in central London due to building works on a cycle superhighway, which runs via Hyde Park Corner, Parliament, Blackfriars and the Tower of London.

Rutherford, who founded the Motorists Association 20 years ago, says it is not fair that drivers are forced to suffer the woes of traffic as workers build a superhighway for cyclists to enjoy. He called for cyclists to pay a £50 road tax per year to gain access to the country’s roads.

He also insists that cyclists should be licenced in order to answer to the law. Boris Johnson previously argued that restrictions on cyclists are an infringement on their human rights.

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

We have made it to the one week mark – Only seven days left until Christmas Day, we here at Britannia hope that you have been enjoying your festive season so far, and that you will have a great time for the rest of it too – There’s still time to get the rest of your Christmas Shopping done!

Hopefully there won’t be too much traffic to contend with on the roads this Yuletide season – Allowing you to get around without too much trouble, and for our new drivers out there this Christmas, remember to drive carefully as Christmas time can be tricky to drive at, with adverse weather conditions possibly causing disruptions.

Have a great last week before Christmas!

Safe driving from Britannia!