Care Motoring

You can now access our news items from the bar on the right of every page, with the 3 most recent posts part-visible. To access all news items, click the News and Events headline.

One of the best road safety videos I have seen! This one in not shocking, no scenes of crashing cars and bloodied bodies, just beautiful emotion. You MUST watch it!! Click the heading above, or the image below, to go to the website.

NORFOLK DRIVERS: Why not book a lesson with me to learn how to drive like Les (both of them!)? Read more here.

Clicking the link above will take you to this article from Advanced Driving UK, an excellent website which I highly recommend to anyone interested in safe driving and in developing their own driving skills. I believe tackling road safety by reducing speed limits is a totally flawed policy and so I agree completely with the views expressed in this article. What do you think? I would be delighted to hear from you with your views. Please write to me at jackie@caremotoring.co.uk. Thank you. Have a happy and safe 2010.

GEM Motoring Assist’s Top Ten Tips for safer winter journeys:
Dec. 22nd 2009

David Williams, CEO of GEM Motoring Assist, said: “Whenever the bad weather strikes, we always hear about Motorists being caught out, breaking down or getting trapped in their cars. With some forward planning and a little common sense many of these incidents could be avoided.”

The BBC News website has published an interactive map plotting evey road death in the UK from 1999 to 2008. You can enter your postcde and find out the road deaths in your area in the last 10 years, and see which age group has the highest number of deaths - this may come as a surprise to you! Find out more here.

Read this report and then decide if you are going to read or send text messages whilst driving. Be under no illusion, if you choose to do so, and you kill someone as a result, a very real risk, you will have to live with that for the rest of your life!

I was totally unaware of the damage done to tyre inner walls by these types of speed cushions! Read about it here.

With Christmas just around the corner it appears we may be faced with another spate of carjacking! Read all about it here in the Telegraph online

A 17 year old boy, who had passed his driving test just 3 weeks earlier, has been jailed for 6 years after he ploughed into a group of teenagers. It is reported that he was 'showing off' and trying to frighten the group. Sadly he understood little of vehicle dynamics and the effect of centrifugal force, and lost control of his car, ploughing into the group, killing one 14 year old and seriously injuring many others. I have saved the Daily Mail article to a PDF document; please download it here, make a copy for yourself and recognise that a motor car is a very dangerous piece of machinery that must be handled with respect.

By contrast, you can read this report of another teenage driver who has become the Peugeot Young Driver of the Year. To some of you this young man may not appear 'cool', but then he is not in jail, does not have a criminal record and does not have to live with the guilt of having killed someone and ruined so many other lives through his foolish, immature actions. Congratulations too to all the other contestants in this competition that won this young man a brand new car and a great deal of respect; in my opinion they are ALL winners because they have been prepared to ensure their driving is of the highest standard so that they can be safe drivers for life.

The following article is from RoSPA and is an article in their latest 'Safety Connections' newsletter. To receive your own copy, click here to sign up.

With the clocks going back last weekend this will undoubtedly mark the start of the peak season for road accidents. The annual surge of accidents each November will only be slowed if road users take more time and care over the next few weeks.

572 pedestrians were killed on Britain's roads last year. Pedestrian deaths rose from 55 in October to 62 in November - the month in which the most pedestrian fatalities were recorded. In March 2008, 61 pedestrians were killed but in April - after the clocks moved forward an hour - this fell to 34.

In the long term, RoSPA would like to see a change in the law so that evenings are lighter all year round - find out more about RoSPA's Lighter Evenings Campaign. In the meantime:

With the onset of darker evenings and worserning weather conditions RoSPA has a range of resources designed to keep you safe on the roads.

Like the winter sun, which is so lovely to see but potentially so dangerous to drivers, so autumn leaves are another thing of beauty with danger lurking for the driver! No doubt you are well aware of the danger of wet leaves at this time of year, acting like an ice-rink for the unsuspecting driver, but are you aware of the damage that can be done to your vehicle by these leaves? If you regularly park under, or close to, deciduous trees, or you live in a beautiful 'leafy' environment, then you may find this article is well worth reading (and even if you don't, it makes for a very interesting read anyway, something you can talk about 'in the pub'!).
http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/beware-of-the-autumn-leaves_15027

In a very helpful article entitled Dazzling Danger for Drivers, the AA advises you on appropriate action to take to avoid this danger, a danger that sees October as the highest risk month of the year for accidents caused by dazzle from the sun.

Fuel saving and automatics do not generally go together, but this excellent article from our friends at SimpleMotoring gives an easy to understand explanation of the different types of automatic transmission available on cars today, and the potential fuel-saving advantages, depending on your personal level of expertise in this matter on your manual car! For help in saving fuel in your manual car, please contact me because I could save you at least 15% on your fuel bill, depending, as I said before, on your current driving skill in this regard.

The following is taken from a recent article by John Farlam of SmartDriving, an excellent website for learner drivers, driving instructors and drivers wishing to develop their driving skills to a higher level:

After passing my test I got lots of experience by writing off five cars and a lorry within three years and survived the experience! I could operate the controls OK and I knew all of the rules and regulations but I wasn't in the habit of thinking…

Understanding that driving is the skill of constant risk management on the road, managing not only the risks posed to you by other drivers but, most importantly, the risks you pose to others by your presence on the road and the actions you take, is at the core of our Virtual Driving Instructor programme for learner drivers. Click here to read the list of contents.

At last, the website learner and novice drivers (and maybe the not-so-novice too!) have been waiting for! This is not a site selling you car servicing or repairs; nor can you buy or hire a car here; you'll find no online shop selling car accessories either. So what will you find on this site that I am so excited about? Well, quite frankly, all the sensible advice you need for responsible car ownership. Here you'll find the answer to all those 'simple' questions - you know, the ones you daren't ask anyone in case you look foolish for not knowing! Click here

There's even a wonderful page of eco-driving techniques - techniques I often give to experienced drivers, some of whom, unfortunately, find it hard to believe what I say! Is it that age-old belief that women can't possibly have more knowledge on driving a car than a man? Well now I can say, if you don't believe me then look on the Simple Motoring website; take a look here now.

There's a section on car care, on servicing and repair, a page of FAQs (those questions you daren't ask!), and there's even a really useful page for learner drivers where I particularly like the page about driving lessons as it encourages the learner to have some private practice with a parent, or other legally qualified driver, which is precisely what our Virtual Driving Instructor programme is all about.

So, for a one-stop-shop giving down-to-earth, honest advice about owning and running a car, including learning to drive, then look no further than Simple Motoring. In my view, simply the best!

Fathers are 'better at giving driving lessons than mothers'
14th March 2009

You can read this interesting piece of research from the AA in the Telegraph.co.uk

This really does back up the value of our Virtual Driving Instructor audio driving lessons, from the point of view of the parent, as well as the learner.

Come on you mums, we believe you're the best! If you are a mum of a learner driver, and you live in Norfolk, then please give our podcast driving lessons a try and ask us for help if you need. Jackie would be delighted to come and offer her support.

Government ministers are considering reducing the speed limit on rural roads to 50mph, without any additional speed signs, since this would become the 'National Speed Limit' for all single carriageway rural roads and so is already covered by the national speed limit sign (see our item dated Sept. 26th 2008). Read about this proposal in the Times Online.

Valentine's Day Message to all young men in love (or lust!):
February 13th 2009

More young females are killed on the roads as passengers than as drivers. Make sure you don't kill the love of your life. Watch this video:

Parking Bristol Fashion

August 3rd, 2008

Click the link above to read more about this style of parking (opens in new window). It horrifies me that driving instructors behave in this way! Is it any wonder that the habit of parking on the pavement, with no thought for the pedestrians it was put there for, is becoming more common? Everywhere I go these days, including the street where I live, cars are blocking pavements, forcing pedestrians out into the road and into the danger of the traffic these drivers are trying ‘considerately’ to leave more space for! Yes, this is currently my pet hate. Please remember pedestrians include the blind and the disabled, mums with pushchairs, the elderly, dog walkers, children. Drivers, you are entitled to park on the road where it is safe, legal and convenient; you are definitely not entitled to park on the pavement! If you believe you will obstruct traffic, don’t park there. If you believe vehicles may have to slow down or stop to deal with your parked vehicle, then that’s fine, it really is up to drivers to deal with it, as with any hazard on the road. So, before you park, think: Safe? Legal? Convenient? If any of these does not apply, don’t park there, and certainly, please do not choose the pavement as an alternative.

With regards to driving instructors, well it is unforgiveable if any instructor actually teaches a pupil parking skills anywhere that is not safe, legal or convenient (this is actually tested in the driving test). However, driving instructors must occasionally allow their pupils to park somewhere which does not fulfil these criteria in order to enable the learner to assess for themselves why their chosen place is unsuitable. In this way we will hopefully reduce the high rate of such bad parking as we see today.

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Yours2Share
July 28th, 2008

A couple of weeks ago, just before going away on a long-awaited week of R&R, I met a lovely lady called Sophie Garrett who runs a fascinating website all to do with sharing things, all sorts of things, whatever you can think of (within reason!), and of course the discussion on cars ensued. We all know about car clubs and how they operate, but this is entirely different. I won’t bore you with it here, but instead give you 2 links to the site which I’m sure you’ll find very interesting (each one opens in a new window):

Running an informal car club

Baked Bean Club in Lewes

Given the right circumstances, people, location, this could be a solution for anyone needing the use of a car from time to time but unable, or unwilling, to meet the high cost of car ownership. Most certainly a very interesting idea.

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The Driving Theory Test, 12 Years On

July 17th, 2008

Drivers who passed before the Highway Code theory test was brought in 12 years ago are better at recognising road signs than younger drivers, according to research involving 3,211 drivers conducted by insurance firm elephant.co.uk – Daily Express

I found this little snippet in my daily bulletin today from the road safety charity Brake. Learners please take note: the theory test is set so that you learn all the rules of the road, together with laws covering drivers and the vehicles they drive. It is not a test like a school exam, take it, pass it, forget it!

I believe the reason this has come about is because the DSA publish the full question bank, with answers, therefore many learners simply use memory tricks to memorise questions and answers, so as to get them through the test. But because they have failed to have any understanding of the reason for the answers, they quickly forget what they have learned. This alone must represent one of the reasons why young novice drivers have such a high crash rate: if you can’t remember what the warning sign is warning you about, then this could lead you directly into danger!

One of the proposals contained within the ‘Learning to Drive’ Consultation document is to cease publishing the theory test question bank, a proposal endorced almost unanimously by the driver training industry:

We think the new theory test should assess thoroughly the student’s understanding of the subject matter as well as their knowledge. We shall investigate whether, if we discontinue publishing (and licensing) the question bank, we could encourage and achieve more thorough and rigorous learning and assessment. We welcome your views on this issue.

[Consultation is now closed, so we await to hear the conclusions from the DSA and DfT.]

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Extend your holiday one more night

July 14th, 2008

According to a survey by Saga Motor Insurance, holidaymakers are putting themselves at risk by driving home tired after long flights. Fatigue kills! Do not put yourself,or other innocent roadusers, at risk by attempting to drive straight home after a long flight - or even a short one if the day itself has been long and busy and your arrival back in the UK is late in the evening. Plan for this before your holiday and book one more night in a hotel close to the airport. Driving tired is as dangerous as drink driving and could land you in jail if you kill someone! So, enjoy your summer break, and make it just one night longer and book that hotel in the UK. Bonnes Vacances!

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Care Motoring News and Tips

Cyclists beware, the nights are drawing in!

Norfolk High Risk Collision Hotspots

‘Nimbyism’ strikes again!

Parking Bristol Fashion

The Driving Theory Test, 12 Years On

Extend your holiday one more night

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News and Events

driving tests to change in October

Smoking whilst driving kills!

Private Wheel Clamping to be Banned

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