August 4, 2022
Fraudulent driver takes over 100 driving tests for others !

According to the Evening Standard a woman who sat the driving tests of 100 different people has been jailed. It is estimated she performed driving tests throughout England and Wales from cities such as Swansea and Birmingham. The Defendant was offering her services to Learners who experience difficulties with the English language. Indian-Origin Woman Jailed For Driving Test Fraud in United Kingdom - Indiaahead News

Detective chief inspector Steven Maloney stated that ‘safety on our roads has always been a priority and arresting those that flaunt the law ensures that we can keep unqualified drivers off the road.’ This highlights the danger in allowing others to drive without legitimately passing a practical driving tests, and portrays that the Defendant may be doing more harm then she initially realized

The Daily Mail reported that the Defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced for 8-Months. Furthermore, drivers who secured their license fraudulently are also expected to have them revoked. The sentencing in this case portrays the seriousness of the act the Defendant performed and highlights that there is no tolerance for fraudulence when obtaining a driving license.

Charlie from Britannia suggests that it is important to go through the typical procedure to obtain a driving license as this is the most just and vital part of becoming a driver. It is significant to ensure that a driver can pass the standards set in a UK practical test to ensure a particular standard of driving is maintained throughout the UK’s roads. Even though, our practical tests are held to a high standard this serves a particular purpose in upholding the values mentioned prior. Here at Britannia none of our pupils will ever need someone else to sit their driving test, as we ensure all of our pupils are thoroughly prepared and test standard before taking their practical test.

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July 26, 2022
Should Well-built areas lower their speed limit to 20 mph?

Currently well-built areas are operating a speed-limit of 30 throughout most London towns and this Major roads across the UK to have speed limits slashed to just 20mph – warning | Express.co.uk has been a forefront for topical debate. Many have highlighted that London’s well-built areas are vastly busy and 30 MPH is just too much permissible speed for an already condensed and busy city.

The Welsh Parliament have recently passed a bill which introduces a set speed limit of 20 MPH in well-built areas which will come into force September 2023. Lee Walters the deputy minister for climate change states ‘reducing speeds not only reduces accidents, but helps improves peoples quality of lives.’ As the evening standard highlights The Welsh Government cities safety research suggests that if you are hit by a car going 30 MPH 45% of civilians are killed, compared to 5% if going 20 MPH or less, which seems a sensible piece of evidence to support the overarching topic.

However, many have disliked the new implementations to the speed limit viewing them as unnecessary and inefficient. For instance, many well-built up areas contain main roads which it may seem counter productive to change to a 20 MPH zone. The new proposed changes would ensure this is indisputable and ensures there is no debate on the matter. A possible suggestion may be to take each area as a case by case basis to ensure no areas are unnecessarily changed to a 20MPH zone when nonsensical.

Moreover, All star present a fascinating view on the matter that the proposed changes may actually be causing more harm. For instance, a study showed that minor incidents increased in 20 MPH zones by 17%, and this could be due to the difficulty in maintaining such a speed while others refuse to, which ensures that the drivers focus in distracted by the speedometer ensuring that the focus is not completely on the road.

Overall, Charlie from Britannia portrays the viewpoint that the changed may be welcome by some especially in more densely populated areas which may contain a large younger demographic. However, he also suggests the changes should be reviewed on a case by case basis, as opposed to just ensuring all well-built up areas are forced to adhere to the new 20MPH zone rule, this will ensure areas which may be considered as needing a 30MPH zone can maintain their current speed zone.

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July 15, 2022
Showing gratitude may lead to £1000 fine ..

Throughout recent times it is clear the highway code’s reformation is an attempt to limit prior habits some may suggest as being signs of gratitude and ‘harmless’. The new stipulations ensure that even a simple wave or thumbs up to another driver potentially could lead to a fine of up to £1000, according to rule 160 of the code this is evidence of a lack of control of the vehicle and this suggests why the fine has been introduced.

Furthermore, flashing headlights as a sign of gratitude can also lead to a similar fine according to rule 110 of the highway code.The rationale presented is that the headlights should only be flashed as a warning to other drivers to highlight that your vehicle is there. It can be portrayed that these new features of the highway code are nonsensical and counterproductive.

The same new procedures also stretch to the use of hazard lights for anything other than informing drivers of a hazard or danger.

A recent study showed that 63 percent of motorists wave to thank other drivers, while 42 percent flash headlights, and 35 percent put their hazards on. It is clear that something as harmless as this small sign of thankfulness should not be the sole focus, and more emphasis should be placed on ensuring topical and actually productive changes occur. These changes could involve a focus on more pressing issues and ensure the reputation of the highway code is improved.

Rule 116 of the highway code states: These may be used when your vehicle is stationary, to warn that it is temporarily obstructing traffic. Never use them as an excuse for dangerous or illegal parking. You MUST NOT use hazard warning lights while driving or being towed unless you are on a motorway or unrestricted dual carriageway and you need to warn drivers behind you of a hazard or obstruction ahead. Only use them for long enough to ensure that your warning has been observed.

Rule 160 of the Highway Code states:drive or ride with both hands on the wheel or handlebars where possible. This will help you to remain in full control of the vehicle at all times. You may use driver assistance systems while you are driving. Make sure you use any system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Being in breach of having proper control of their vehicle can land drivers with a £1,000 fine, discretionary disqualification, and three penalty points on their licence.

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June 30, 2022

Drivers who kill while using a mobile phone will now face life in prison under tough new laws that came into effect this week, maximum laws will be imposed on those who take a life while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Its always best to not drink any alcohol when you are going to be driving but the legal limit is:

Level of alcohol	England, Wales and Northern Ireland	Scotland
Micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath	35	22
Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood	80	50
Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine	107	67

UK Drink driving statistics:

2020	Total drink driving convictions	28,171
2020	Drivers admitting to driving when believing they were over the limit	140,000
2020	Road traffic accidents involving a drink driver	4,640
2019	People injured or killed in a road traffic accident involving a drunk driver	7,800

Regarding using a mobile phone: The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act will be creating a new offence of causing serious injury by careless driving came into force on June 28, 2022. Judges have been given the power to impose maximum sentences to drivers who break the new laws.

The law still applies to you if you’re:

stopped at traffic lights
queuing in traffic
supervising a learner driver
driving a car that turns off the engine when you stop moving
holding and using a device that’s offline or in flight mode

You can use a device held in your hand if:

you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop
you’re safely parked
you’re making a contactless payment in a vehicle that is not moving, for example at a drive-through restaurant
you’re using the device to park your vehicle remotely

You can use devices with hands-free access, as long as you do not hold them at any time during usage. Hands-free access means using, for example:

a Bluetooth headset
voice command
a dashboard holder or mat
a windscreen mount
a built-in sat nav

The device must not block your view of the road and traffic ahead.

You can get 6 penalty points and a £200 fine if you hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send and receive data while driving or riding a motorcycle.

You’ll also lose your licence if you passed your driving test in the last 2 years.

You can get 3 penalty points if you do not have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.

You can also be taken to court where you can:

be banned from driving or riding
get a maximum fine of £1,000 (£2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or bus)

Rebecca from Britannia says:

” Driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs often ends in terrible accidents resulting in death, when you are out enjoying yourself and driving its always best to not have any alcohol and certainly no recreational drugs. Even some prescription medication is not advisable to drive whilst taking (always read the label and consult with your doctor if you are unsure). Using a device whilst driving can be equally as dangerous as it dramatically impairs your concentration lowering your ability to asses risks ”

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June 21, 2022
Driving safe during hot weather

Driving during the hot weather can be some what uncomfortable, especially with British summer the weather can be unpredictable and temperatures can soar up to the mid 30s during heatwaves. There are a few ways you can make it cooler for yourself whilst driving during hot weather spells such as:

Keeping clothing light and airy – To avoid overheating
Suitable footwear – Driving in flip flops the rule states you must have footwear and clothing which “does not prevent you using the controls in the correct manner”. If you’re in an accident and the police see that you have flip flops on, or no shoes at all, you may be found to be “driving without due care and attention”.
Taking a cold bottle of water with you – To help cool you down internally
Avoiding long journeys – To avoid becoming hot and tired
Using air con when available appose to opening windows – As air coming in from the windows will be hot
Using a heat shield when the car is not in use – To block the sun from heating up the car when not in use
Using a sun shade for kids – To help keep them cool and keep the direct sun off them
Using cooling sprays – To mist over yourself if you feel yourself becoming too hot
Wear sun glasses – To avoid becoming dazed particularly by the low morning and evening sun
Never leave pets or children in a hot car unattended
Apply sun cream before setting off on a long journey – The sun’s rays can penetrate the windows of your car
Choose cooler times to travel – Not between the hottest hours 12-3pm
Try and choose routes that may have less traffic – To reduce unnecessary time spent in your vehicle

Also you must remember to also keep your vehicle safe as well by making sure your car is well serviced,the hot weather basically exacerbates any faults already present in the vehicle. Keep your vehicle topped up with fluids, including screen wash and clearing those summer pests from the window screen. Keeping a bottle of water for your car could also be a valuable asset should you need it to cool your car down in extreme heat or long journeys. Also something to bare in mind after a heatwave is Highway Code rule 237 also states: ‘If it rains after a dry spell [the road surface] may become slippery. These conditions could affect your steering and braking’. After all this is the Great British Summer time and it can be quite lets say unpredictable .. So summer showers are to be expected so remember the roads will be more slippery than in typical wet conditions.

When the weather’s nice and warm, your car’s fuel levels drop a lot quicker than usual. This means you can’t rely on your normal estimations of how much time you have left before needing to fill up, so keeping your car fuel levels good insures you the security that you wont be left stranded somewhere you aren’t familiar with in the boiling heat.

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June 13, 2022
Part 3 of ADI – Lesson Planning Secrets

Part 3 of ADI – Lesson Planning Secrets

Re cap and Set Goals with Student

In the car, ask the student what they did in the previous lesson and how they felt it went. We could ask them to rate themselves on a scale of 0 to 10. Talk about what didn’t go so well. Inquire about their objectives for this lesson.

Determine Your Goals and Objectives

Discuss how you intend to share risk with your student (verbally by mentioning it in Questions and Answers).

Discuss Other Driving and how your lesson plan may need to be changed.

When Examiner enters the car, you must briefly explain your objectives and goals, as well as what you hope to achieve from this lesson.

On the road, make sure your teaching method is based on the question-and-answer method. If a serious error occurs, you may have to stop the car and explain it to the student for no more than two to three minutes. The goal is to keep the car moving by asking questions early on to guide the student.

Remember, this is a proper driving lesson, so mention anything that has gone wrong rather than just sticking to your stated subject. Remember that if something serious or dangerous occurs, you may need to change the lesson plan.

Identify and analyse flaws (what caused the fault, the dangers of making such a fault and how you are going to put that fault right). You don’t have to stop your learner from cutting a right-hand corner. Explain the dangers of cutting a right-hand corner, why the student did it, and how they’ll fix it. Ask them what position they’ll take and what reference they’ll utilise. If that succeeds, ask if they want full responsibility to test if they can turn correctly. This strategy works for prompting and independence. End the class with a 3-minute summary. Ask how they did, if they scored themselves, what went well, what didn’t, and what they want to do in the next lesson.

Please remember to avoid subjects such as controls lessons, moving off and stopping, and turning from left to right from major to minor junctions. Manoeuvres: While a manoeuvre can be included in a lesson, it should not be the primary focus. The Examiner will confirm that the test will last 45 minutes, of which 40 minutes the wheels should be turning.

Changes to Part 3 and Standards Check

Many processes and procedures have been changed to protect examiners and their clients.

The test’s start and end times are set by the examiner.
The instructor can choose a different meeting location within 5 minutes of the test centre.
The 45-minute exam has 40 minutes of “wheels moving.”

The examiner will confirm any such arrangements via telephone. When they contact you, they will confirm whether your student is:

Undertrained
Trained
Full License Holder

An introductory or static instruction is UNACCEPTABLE. Keeping the car moving and ventilated during the evaluation is recommended.

The examiner will see a portion of your lesson with this student. BEFORE the inspector enters the car, you must:

Set a goal
Agreed on a lesson plan that accommodates client preferences
Selected an appropriate route/region
Determined your duties and responsibilities in relation to the objective
Discussed risk management

It is then your responsibility to summarise what you have talked with the examiner in no more than two to three minutes!

Take your time with the goal setting/risk/roles and responsibilities, as there are no time constraints, but keep in mind that if this is not done correctly, it will become apparent as the course progresses! You will still be evaluated on ALL 17 COMPETENCIES!!

Go!

If a PDI/ADI takes too much time speaking or briefing, the examiner will tell them to “get moving.” If the PDI/ADI stays still, the examiner won’t mark the evaluation as satisfactory, you won’t get a score, and your exam fee will be forfeited.

Wheels should remain turning, but you can stop if something is wrong and benefits your consumer or if something harmful has happened.

Limit analysis and feedback.

Discuss a safety issue with three questions.

How come? (Why)

WHY If not near them, risks.

How to improve next time (What could you do differently)

Take them about and assign positions and duties. If the customer is comfortable addressing topics on the go, a short analysis can be done. It’s better to find someone who can accomplish this than someone who wants to chat.

The client can reflect on their performance at the end of the session, but just for 1-2 minutes!

Just three questions will do.

What worked

What went wrong

What do you want to work on next time?

Remember, this is your interview to become a driving instructor or stay on the list.

Types of lessons include:

Dual carriageways could be your platform, and your goal could be “entering dual carriageways, getting the speed right, and selecting where to safely combine.”

Find a location with many on-off and looping slip roads to give students lots of learning opportunities.

As a platform, roundabouts demand speed and discernment.

A busy circular loop to test your decision-making skills. As a platform, use country roads; watch speed, gear, and limit points on curves.

Ideal for a FLH to acquire confidence on bends and gear selection, etc.

The following will be checked:

Learning happens
The car is safe.
Value is good.

Frank Eustace, the trainer for Britannia, states, “The majority of candidates who fail Part 3 do so because they fail to plan the driving lesson. You’ve heard the adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This is especially true when teaching people to drive.

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June 9, 2022
Driving Tests being sold in the UK for an astonishing £200!

Driving tests in the UK have reached an at all time high in cost, due to the DVSA backlog. An ever increasing number of hopefuls are being fear led into paying this astronomical price in the hope of being fast tracked into priority booking. This service is being provided by online operators taking advantage of the growing number of learner drivers willing to pay over double to try and book a test date before the end of the year.

According to a BBC investigation, companies are using automated computer software to monitor part of the DVSA system meant for driving schools, and grabbing test slots as soon as new dates are added or existing bookings are cancelled.

The DVSA announced last month that learners could be waiting until 2023 to get a test date booked in, which has only fueled more learners into seeking this alternative extortionately high price option. The DVSA have stated that the covid-19 pandemic is to blame for these long delays and shortage of test dates. The delays have a knock on effect with many hopeful drivers’ theory tests will either have expired or be close to the expiry date, adding extra costs due to many aspiring drivers will now have to re take there theory test which could have a domino effect on the theory test waiting time.

The DVSA state on there website :

“We are also exploring options temporarily to contract in experienced driving assessors to qualify as driving examiners.

The Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) have offered to support us as we explore the feasibility of this opportunity.

We’ll keep you up to date on this area of work as it develops.”

Learner drivers are being urged not to book with these operating services and to only book through the DVSA website, the prices for test are:

£62 for a week day

£75 for a weekend or bank holiday

Unofficial operators and resellers are taking advantage of hopefuls by charging the extortionate prices, some may even be scams so be warned to not take up these offers no matter how appealing they may seem at the time as they may only lead to further disappointment and ultimately could be a pricey mistake to make.

Rebecca at Britannia said:

“We are getting an increasing amount of calls daily from learner drivers who have managed to get a booking through these companies usually a cancellation that the unofficial operators have obtained, but we are unable to accommodate these last minute bookings, as they are usually unaware that an instructor needs to take me them out on a few lessons to check they are test ready and road safe before committing to taking them to test.”

On our website we have a range of different resources to help you with preparing for the theory test and driving test.

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June 6, 2022
Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Independent Driving Instructor?

Should you work for a franchise or go it alone? Each has advantages and disadvantages, ranging from the freedom of being your own boss to joining a ready-made brand – like Britannia Driving School – where you can concentrate on developing yourself as an instructor.

It takes time and effort to build your own business and create a decent customer portfolio; by joining a franchise, you won’t have to worry about these things.

If you need to earn money quickly and have a full diary, a franchise with a well-established driving school like Britannia may be the better option. If you want to work 40 hours per week and earn a monthly salary, joining a franchise could be a good option; going independent takes time to establish.

If you’re considering joining a franchise, keep in mind that a school with a high-profile office location, a robust online presence, friendly office staff, and a track record of satisfied customers will all help to draw in new students and keep you busy on a consistent basis. Britannia Driving School provides consistency, which is a rare commodity. Working from home schools cannot possibly provide the same level of work, services, or backup.

Being on your own in any business is difficult, so it may be worthwhile to spend time as a part of a Driving School before deciding to go independent. It is critical to have a solid business plan in place before committing to becoming an independent. This business plan will entail much more than simply creating your own website and placing advertisements in store windows – though this could always be a part of your plan.

Advertisements on search engines like Google and Yahoo are not free. You can display them for free, but you must pay every time someone clicks on it. It works similarly to a bidding system in that you set a price for how much you are willing to pay per click, and bidders who offer the highest price have their advertisement displayed in the highest position. The issue is that because online marketing avenue is the preferred method for most businesses, you must pay a premium to have your advertisement prioritised. Close to £9.50 per click on the front two pages.

If you’ve been in the industry for a while before going independent, you may have developed a network of contacts through teaching, attending events, and/or being a member of membership organisations. Extending your expertise beyond in-car training (for example, motorcycles and/or vans) will result in more work and excellent opportunities for an independent trainer.

Costs can mount when you go it alone. To begin, you’ll need to decide on a company name and a phone number for your new venture. An entry-level receptionist will set you back at least £10.00 an hour at the bare minimum. What areas you intend to cover and how you intend to promote your business and the cost of advertising.

Keep in mind that you may not immediately set prices at the initial figure you have in mind. As a new business, you may initially gain customers by setting a low price to compete but be aware that if your price is too low, you may not be making a profit.

As you are aware, adding fuel to your car is not cheap, nor is the upkeep and repair of wear and tear that occurs over time due to the heavy workload of driving instructors’ cars, so these are additional factors to consider when setting your prices. Cleaning your car may not be expensive, but it does take time. Time, as the adage goes, is money.

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May 26, 2022
Top Tips for Reducing Driving Lesson Cancellation

Top Tips for Reducing Driving Lesson Cancellations

Tip #1: Be Direct

Consider the students, especially the teenagers, who do not have to pay to cancel a dentist, medical, or hairdresser appointment. So why does their driving instructor want to be reimbursed for a lesson that they did not provide? Don’t expect them to be clairvoyant or to just read your cancellation policies on your website or on the back of an appointment card. Spend a few minutes on the first lesson emphasising and explaining the importance of giving 48 hours’ notice if they need to cancel. Explain in a courteous manner how it may affect your budget if they cancel at the last minute. At the same time, promise them that if you must cancel the lesson, you will reimburse them as well. This establishes trust and demonstrates your honesty. Finish by simply asking for their understanding: “Are we okay with that?” Ignore this first tip at your peril. If you ignore this advice, don’t be surprised if a student calls a few hours before their class to cancel and gets a little shirty when you tell them they must pay for the lesson.

Tip #2: Provide them with an appointment card

If you wish to enforce payment for cancellations, you must provide a student with an appointment card and make them aware of the terms and conditions on the card. Cancellations might be difficult to enforce at times, but if a dependable client has a legitimate cause for cancelling, waiving the cancellation on that occasion can make good economic sense. You don’t want to lose a dependable client because you charged her for a class while she was in the hospital with her child.

Tip #3 – Don’t make an excuse for them

It’s a good idea to waive the lesson cost if a student is legitimately ill or in hospital, but don’t inform them ahead of time because they’ll use this excuse every time, they can’t be bothered with their driving lesson.

Tip #4 – Schedule regular lesson times

Keeping the same time and day for students as much as feasible might help lessen the likelihood of them cancelling. With the same time, the student can schedule the remainder of their week around their lessons. When lessons are moved around frequently, it is simple for students to forget when their session was or to double schedule that lesson time with other commitments. Keep in mind that if you keep altering the lesson schedule from week to week, they’ll expect you to allow them to do the same.

Tip #5 – Be Dependable

It is critically significant. Treat your students as you would like to be treated. So, if you want your students to be dependable, you must set a good example. You might want to ask your pupil if they can do the lesson earlier because someone else has cancelled, or if they can do it on a different day because you don’t want to go out for just one lesson that afternoon. If you believe it is reasonable to expect others to adjust their plans to accommodate you, they will expect the same in return!

Tip #6: Do not call them to confirm driving lessons

People may consider cancelling their class but do not contact you and will do the lesson if you simply show up. However, if you call to confirm the lesson, you are providing individuals an easy way to cancel on you.

Britannia Driving School Wimbledon SW20 8LB manager, Ms. K. Smith, stated: “Our instructors are issued with Appointment Cards containing our terms and conditions on the reverse side, which they deliver to all their learners on the first lesson. As a result, we experience many fewer cancellations than other Driving schools.”

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May 19, 2022
Will the last person to pass a manual driving test be born in the next 5 years?

Predictions have been made that the last person who will pass a manual driving test will likely be born in 2027 as Britain makes the switch to electric cars. This comes after research showed half of the new cars sold in 2021 were automatics, totaling 30% of cars on the road. The number of automatic tests being taken rose to 41% in 2021. It looks as though the UK is heading towards the new age of automatic cars, which has been spurred on by the petrol and diesel new vehicles ban being implemented in 2030.

Currently manual cars account for a whooping 70% of the 3.7 million cars on Britain’s roads, but new research showed over half of new cars sold were automatic compared to only 20% a decade ago. Half of the 2.2 million people who learnt to drive in an automatic car are under 35, providing evidence that younger drivers are the main driving force towards a more eco-friendly drive.Young people are also making the biggest waves in the move away from manual petrol or diesel cars, as currently half of all electric vehicles on the road are owned by people aged under 35.

Power supply connect to electric vehicle for charge to the battery. Charging technology industry transport which are the futuristic of the Automobile. EV fuel Plug in hybrid car.

Ian Exworth, director of emerging markets at Direct Line, said:

‘The idea of switching from a manual car may be daunting, and nearly three fifths of motorists do not feel entirely confident about switching to automatic.

‘But with eight years to go until the ban comes into effect; we’d encourage motorists to keep an open mind and explore their options when choosing a new car.

‘The change from manual to automatic, and then on to electric, may not be as drastic as people think.’

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