Friday 21 October 2016

Top 10 Driving Distractions

10 Tick Good Garage Scheme logo Anniversary

In keeping with our tenth anniversary year, we thought we’d share a list of the most common driving distractions to remind you to stay safe on the roads.

1. Eating and Drinking – If you eat your breakfast on the way to work it is likely you won’t be giving the road your full attention

2. Listening to music – it is not so much the listening that can distract you, but the changing of radio stations or flicking through your playlist.

3. Using your phone – we all know that phones and driving don’t mix, but did you know that texting drivers are 23 times more likely to crash than those paying full attention to the road

4. Viewing an incident – most of us would admit to slowing down to view an incident on the road involving other motorists, but in doing so we are actually putting ourselves and others at risk of an accident on the road ahead

5. Dozing off – tiredness can be one of the worst driving distractions with around 5% of motorists actually admitting to nodding off whilst behind the wheel.

smiling toddler in car seat6. Other occupants – if you have ever driven anywhere with children you will realise how easy it is to become distracted by their arguments when you should be concentrating on the road

7. Pets – almost a quarter of UK households own a dog, and often these pets need to be transported to the vets, kennels, dog day care or just out with the family for the day. Barking or movement from the back seat or boot can be distracting when driving. We reveal how even F1 drivers can become distracted by children and pets!

8. Applying make-up – using your mirrors to check the application of mascara or lipstick is not the best way to stay alert when driving.

9. Adjusting devices or controls within the vehicle – just as changing the radio station can be distracting, so too can adjusting your climate control, altering your mirrors or moving your seat forwards or backwards.

10. Smoking – it is not just lighting a cigarette that takes your attention away from the road but also distinguishing one.

Even worrying about your vehicle can be a distraction, so remember to maintain regular servicing to give you one less thing to worry about.

Use our Good Garage Scheme website to find a trustworthy garage in your area.

Monday 10 October 2016

Good Garage Scheme Supports Tyre Safety Month

Tyre Safety Month 2016 logo. Don't chance it, check it
"Don't chance it, check it" is this month's message from road safety charity, TyreSafe.

The campaign has been supported by research by the charity that reveals more than one in four motorists are replacing their tyres when they were already illegal, the equivalent of over ten million illegal and dangerous tyres on Britain’s roads!

The tyre tread depth survey involved 800 tyre retailers from across the UK surveying 340,000 tyres and comes alongside findings from the DVSA that annually, 2.2 million fail their MOT due to tyre-related defects.  The Good Garage Scheme is lending its support to the campaign, encouraging motorists to get their tyres and cars professionally checked in this year's Tyre Safety Month.

Good Garage Scheme workshops across the UK can offer motorists peace of mind by providing an expert assessment of their vehicle’s tyres and overall condition. The legal minimum tread depth for cars in the UK is 1.6mm throughout a continuous band comprising the central three-quarters of breadth of the tread and around its entire outer circumference. In wet weather tyre tread grooves help to remove water from the contact patch between the tyres and the road surface, allowing the car to brake, steer and accelerate properly. Without adequate tread depth, the tyres may not be able to perform properly in wet conditions, reducing safety on the road.

Anndi Sheppard, the Good Garage Scheme’s Marketing Manager, comments: “Tyre safety and the need to raise awareness of the importance of carrying out regular tyre checks are important issues that every motorist needs to be aware of. The Good Garage Scheme is pleased to lend its support to this year’s Tyre Safety Month. Arranging a tyre and vehicle check with a Good Garage Scheme member is a simple way to put your mind at rest and ensure your car is safe and reliable as the weather begins to change this autumn.”


Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode to find your local Good Garage Scheme workshop offering a vehicle check. Many Good Garage Scheme members offer online service booking, making it even easier to arrange a check or service for your car. In addition, smartphone users can download a free iPhone or Android app to help them locate a nearby Good Garage Scheme workshop anywhere in the UK.


Watch Tyresafe's video here with a simple guide on how to check your tyres and why it's important.

Thursday 6 October 2016

More Motorists Are Booking Online

green button with mouse icon for booking online Good Garage SchemeResearch from the Good Garage Scheme has shown that more motorists are booking appointments online for car services, car repairs and MOTs. In fact, there has been a 14% increase in jobs booked online via the Good Garage Scheme website.

Customers can search for a Good Garage Scheme member garage offering online booking and go online at any time of the day to select a time and date for an MOT, car service or car repair.

The Good Garage Scheme member will then contact you to confirm the appointment and ask any other questions relevant to your request.

Looking for a garage with online booking? on green bar with tickWhy not visit the Good Garage Scheme website and book your next MOT, car service or Winter Check?

Simply click here to find your nearest Good Garage Scheme member garage.