Brands Hatch young drivers

Underage driving – Made legal! – Children and teenagers as young as 11 can sample life behind the wheel for the first time with YoungDrive! – Our driving school with a difference.

The Experience – YoungDrive! Is open to anyone aged 11 and over, allowing your youngsters to gain their first experience behind the wheel much earlier than they would on the open road. They will be taught the basics of driving by a DSA-approved instructor within the confines of the race circuit, creating a safe and stress-free environment, perfect for their first taste of driving.

They will be in control of a dual controlled MINI ONE as they practice essential car control and build up their confidence, which will prove vital for when they hit the road for real. Safety is paramount but the emphasis on having fun!

The cars are fitted with dual controls and pupils will be accompanied by a DSA-approved instructor and will share the car with up to two others.

The programme

·         Introduction and classroom briefing
·         In-car briefing on controls
·         Moving off and stopping
·         Steering through cone configurations
·         Clutch control and its purpose
·         Changing gears
·         Building up speed and steady driving (up to 40mph) on closed off sections of the circuit
·         Students rotate driving and watching from the rear seat
·         Debriefing and certificate presentation
·         Photo opportunity
·         Q and A for parents and students

Duration – the experience lasts 2.5 hours in total, in total, including registration, briefings and 35-40 minutes’ driving time.

Gift packs and delivery – When you order from MSV you will receive a gift pack that explains everything you need to redeem a voucher and book a driving experience day. All gift packs contain details on the relevant driving activities and include a personalised voucher and venue details

By: Unknown On 12:00

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Would you pass your driving test if you took it again today?

The insurance company Direct Line has conducted a survey to find out if drivers would pass their driving test if there were to take it again today. They conducted mock driving tests on 50 drivers around the country to see how they would fare if they were sitting a real driving test. Staggeringly 75% of those surveyed would have failed their test hid it been a real test, and those that failed did so with an average of 3-4 serious or dangerous faults.

Candidates taking a real driving test are only allowed to commit up to 15 minor driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults, so the survey conducted by Direct Line raises the question of whether drivers should be retested again after a certain length of time.

The problem with retesting drivers is quite simply the strain this would put on the DVLS, the examining body, where the current waiting time for a practical driving test exceeds 10 weeks in certain areas of the country.

When analysing surveys such as this one by Direct Line, it is important to understand the drivers surveyed a bit more; including their age, driving habits and where they live. How long have the participants held their driving licenses for? Have they been involved in any accidents since holding their license? How regularly do they drive each week? Did they conduct the mock driving test in the participant’s locality? And, what were the road conditions like compared with other days? Many things can affect a drivers performance on their driving test…most notably nerves! So it is important not to get too carried away with these results.

There is always help and support for drivers who feel they need to improve their skills. Some professional driving schools provide refresher driving lessons to helps work on areas that the individual needs help with, whether that be confidence building, parking or even motorway driving. Whilst you can do something to improve your own driving ability, the debate about retesting drivers is sure to run and run!

By: Unknown On 11:00

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Apple Watch distracting to drivers

While technology has improved many areas of our lives, there is one part of day-to-day life where the advance of wearable technology poses many dangers: driving.

Ever since mobile phones started to become widely used there have been attempts to stop people from chatting, texting and browsing while in the car. Sadly accidents caused by such activities remain commonplace, as Traffic Cops will attest.

Now, another problem looms: smartwatches. With numerous devices popping up that can sit on the wrist and ping notifications and messages to the wearer, those behind the wheel face even greater likelihood of being distracted.

This is exactly what the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) fears, as it warns those embracing wearables, especially the new Apple Watch, to remember the law of the land.

Neil Greig, IAM director of Policy and Research, said: “An iWatch [sic] has the potential to be just as distracting as any other smartphone device. Indeed more so if you have to take your hand off the wheel and your eyes off the road to interact with it.

“Enforcement will be difficult for the police, but powers exist to seize and interrogate devices in the event of a serious crash. The very device that distracted you also has the power to convict you.”

Underlining the risk such distractions pose, the IAM said that data from its simulator study on smartphone use between 2006 and 2010 found distraction from a mobile phone was a factor contributing to 1,960 road accidents where people were injured; this figure includes 110 fatal accidents.

Wearables could make this situation worse, the IAM added. “Constant alerts will require motorists’ regular attention. As opposed to using a legal hands-free piece of equipment the iWatch [sic] will require drivers to use two hands to operate the device – impacting speed, lane position and time spent looking at the road," it said.

The IAM noted that the Department for Transport has already confirmed that the Apple Watch will be treated the same as a mobile phone. As such, the penalty for using it behind the wheel is three licence penalty points and a £100 fine.

However, if the Watch causes death by dangerous driving a prison sentence of at least two years is enforced. Clearly, this is far too big a price to pay just to learn that someone on Twitter liked your picture of a cat. Watch the road, not your wrist.

By: Unknown On 13:00

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In-Car Dashboard Cameras: The UK is Finally Catching On

Dashboard cameras and accident witness recorders are fast becoming an essential aspect of in-car technology. They can save you hundreds of pounds on your car insurance and they can become a crucial piece of evidence in the event of an accident.

So is it any wonder why more and more motorists are having them installed? To date they have proved sought-after in countries like Japan, the US and Poland but the UK is now catching up. Sales have reportedly soared over the years, especially given the rise in ‘crash for cash’ scams.

Halfords revealed that it had a 150% rise in the number of dash-cams sold over the Christmas period last year and Digit4U, an electronics website, reported a 28% increase in the last quarter of 2013.

In particularly, taxi drivers remain the most popular consumer to purchase the product to monitor their on-call drives and use it as evidence in the event of an accident.

What exactly is a dashboard camera?

Simply put, it is a small camera that attaches to the dashboard of your vehicle and records your driving. There are various models and makes on the market to choose from varying in price; and some include video that collects data by plugging into the car’s computer.

How can they save you money?

This data can be used for insurance purposes. It can be sent and reviewed to your insurance company on a regular basis to ‘rate’ your driving. Good drivers can reportedly get up to 30% off their car insurance premiums which is a massive bonus.

However, it’s key to note that it can also increase your monthly payments should they find that your driving is awful.

More importantly, they offer much needed protection

Not only can they save you £££’s but dashboard cameras can also come really handy in the event of:

§  An accident

§  Insurance fraud

§  Road rage

§  False testimonies

§  Protect your no claims

If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation where you need supportive evidence for any of these scenarios, camera footage is key.

And they are a perfect solution for worried parents. If you want to keep a close eye on your teen’s whereabouts and driving, an in-car cam is ideal and some can be turned on remotely for extra security.

A camera can also be a deterrent for thieves

If you frequently have to leave your car in a remote location or in an unprotected area, these gadgets are brilliant as a low-cost alternative anti-theft device. Criminals can be deterred when approaching your vehicle to break in or vandalise it, knowing that they are in candid camera.

So you can watch over your parked car with the knowledge it is safe and sound. And if you are a petrol head adrenaline junky, you can even record a road rally or off-road track event using your own state-of-the-art technology!

So next time you are driving down the road and someone bumps into you, don’t get all hot headed and shout blasphemies at the other party- simply smile and have peace of mind that they are on dash-cam camera!

And for businesses, rest assured knowing that you can enjoy reduced fuel consumption and lower repair costs in your fleet of vehicles.

This article was written by Safi Ahmed, Director of Car Communications, the go-to-experts for all your in-car technology needs. We are the leading specialists in state-of-the-art car communications including hands-free car kits, DAB digital car radios and accident witness camera recordings.

By: Unknown On 15:00

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Driving between the lines

It seems hard to understand but new research seems to show that removing the white lines down the middle of the road actually reduces speeding.These findings have come out of government work to reassess road markings and street furniture generally because, they believe, drivers are being confused by the plethora of signage out there. For now, this page will ignore the issue that they clearly think that most of us are as thick as two short planks and look at what they are up to.Transport for London – For who is doing this work – believe that by removing central white lines that separate two lanes of opposing traffic will result in a significant decrease in the speed of vehicles. They are suggesting that rubbing out lines will ‘introduce an element of uncertainty into the minds of motorists’, thus causing us to slow down. It’s like some sort of reverse pavlovian exercise.They’ve tried it on three roads in London. At all three test sites it was shown that traffic slowed down. The biggest decrease on the seven sister’s road was by just over four miles per hour.

Their psychology appears to suggest that we motorists think that white lines, hatching and the like, provide some sort of magical barrier over which cars on the other side cannot cross. They take no account of the fact that most drivers don’t trust any other drivers on the road to do anything right and are, therefore, alert to dangers, but there you are. Such is their opinion of the great unwashed public. 

This all stems from finding out in the bosky avenues of Wiltshire in 2003 which appear to show similar reductions in accidents. If it was so good then, how come it hasn’t been picked up earlier? This is another knee-jerk reaction to the perils of speed because, as we know, officials like to blame speed for all motoring ills, seemingly forgetting about the phone users, texters and all the myriad other reasons why people have accidents.Most drivers have mostly become inured to the constant fiddling with the rules of the road but pretty soon now they are going to take umbrage for being treated like idiots. Mind you, they have got one thing right – there are indeed too many unnecessary signs.

By Beth Lloyd

By: Unknown On 12:00

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The truth about road rage..

The truth about Road Rage: what really gets drivers and their passengers hot under the collar?

Getting lost en route to a destination is the biggest cause of unrest on the roads, that’s according to a new report produced by the AA.

 An AA-population survey has revealed the most common reasons for arguing between driver and passenger. The study asked 23,085 AA members what they argued about in the car and constructed a list of 10 favoured topics.

In total 65% of people say they argue in the car, suggesting Britain’s roads are filled with as many ill-tempered disputes as amiable chats. The age group most likely to fall out with each other are the 18-24 year olds – standing at an impressive 73%. Meanwhile the coolest category is the over 65’s of whom only 60% admit to arguing.

Geography seems to make a different also, a Northern Irish drivers are the most likely to row base on area, compared to motorists in the South East, who were found to be relatively relaxed in the company of passengers.

When it comes to arguments, directions is comfortably the number one reason for discontent. It should come as no surprise that the biggest irritant to drivers and passenger alike is selecting the correct route to a given destination. And closely related to this, refusing to stop and ask for directions came third on the list of pet peeves, demonstrating just how divisive the subject is to most people.

Speeding was another topic to receive a high score, coming in second across the board. The Northern Irish clearly like an argument about how fast or slow they’re going, as they scored highest for this among the various geographical categories. Only the 35-44 did not score this a high second place.

For this age category its noisy children who cause the most upset, a finding which suggests that the clichéd image of children screaming ‘Are we there yet’ from the back seats may, in fact, hold true.

For women, the key topic of (heated) debate is directions, but for men this is skewed in favour of speed, with arguments occurring over how fast or slow they are perceived as going.

TOP TEN CAUSES OF ARGUMENTS IN CARS

1.     Knowing they way to go

2.    Driving too fast

3.    Not asking for directions

4.    Noisy children

5.    Shouting at other drivers

6.    Temperature in the car

7.    Not agreeing on where to eat

8.    Not agreeing on what music to listen to

9.    Topic of conversation

       Driving too slowly

       By Beth Lloyd

By: Unknown On 09:30

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Get caught speeding and face the new consequences

So, we’re sure you've heard by now that the government are thinking of introducing new disciplinary action against those caught speeding on the motorway.

Currently, if you get caught speeding on the motorway you get issued with a letter with intention to prosecute. From this, you could either get offered a speed awareness course or have to pay an £100 fine and be awarded 3-6 points on your licence. If you were speeding excessively, you may even have your licence revoked and be banned from driving or forced to retake your tests.

But now, they are thinking of introducing a new system in which if you get caught speeding on the motorway you will be issued with a (quadrupled) fine of £10,000.

That’s worth more than or almost as much as some of the cars motorists will be driving! 

The fine for getting caught whilst speeding on a dual carriageway is also going to increase four-fold from £1,000 to £4,000. This fine also applies for being caught whilst using your phone behind the wheel. No excuses any-more. 

If this new legislation is put forward and approved it will be the first change to the penalty system since 1991 and the idea has already been met by some opposition. People that are against this legislation worry that the increased fine will prevent people having the courage to challenged unjust speeding tickets/offences in court. 

So, we want to know what your opinion on the whole thing is. Do you think increasing the fine to £10,000 is a good idea or do you think revoking a licence is more of a punishment for drivers caught speeding?

Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below, tweet us @BigMotoring or post our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/BigMotoringWorld

By: Unknown On 17:12

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