New Driving Test Takes Effect Today

Britain’s biggest independent road safety charity IAM RoadSmart says the new look driving test, which it helped to design and evaluate, will deliver ‘big safety benefits and save lives by including more real life situations and introducing new drivers to the latest technology.

photo courtesy of IAMRoadSmart December 2017

The plans were announced by the Government on 30 December last year and will take effect from today (4 December). The new format was test driven by thousands of learners before its final implementation. Those who had taken the new test were more confident and crucially, for IAM RoadSmart, had undertaken slightly more driving on country roads and dual carriageways.

It is well known that learners who practice more in a wider range of traffic situations make safer drivers in the long run.

The changes include the following:

• Independent driving part of the test will increase from 10 to 20 minutes
• Following directions from a sat-nav
• Reversing manoeuvres will be changed (reverse around a corner and the three point turn will no longer be tested), but drivers will be asked to do one of three possible reversing manoeuvres instead including parking in a bay
• Demonstrating vehicle safety knowledge while  driving

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: “Experts from IAM RoadSmart have helped to design and evaluate the new elements of the test, and we are very excited about the road safety benefits it could deliver.

“Our key aim was to ensure the test reflects the real world as much as possible and also encourage learners to gain experience in as wide a range of traffic situations as possible. By doubling the independent driving element of the test and introducing a sat-nav for an unknown route, new drivers will have to practice more.

“A common criticism of the old test was that it always used the same well-known routes which Learner drivers could learn by rote! The new reversing manoeuvres replace the three-point turn, which no one ever used, and dealing with a bay is much more like everyday parking.

“Finally, asking questions whilst driving can help the learner to multi-task and deal with passengers. New drivers with relevant skills and more experience can only be good news for road safety.”

To find out more about IAM RoadSmart products and services visit the new website www.iamroadsmart.com


The Good Garage Scheme supports the work of IAM RoadSmart and thanks them for contributing this week's blog.

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Phones and Driving, a Deadly Combination

We all agree that driving is a highly unpredictable and risky activity requiring full concentration at all times. Drivers who divide their attention, because they're on the phone or distracted by something else, are significantly increasing their risk of causing a devastating crash.

Despite this, many drivers try to multitask – with mobile phones or other distractions such as eating – dramatically increasing their risk of causing a crash. More than two in five crashes are thought to be caused, at least in part, by driver distraction.

According to the Road Safety Charity, Brake, if you talk on a phone at the wheel – hands-free or hand-held – your risk of causing an injury or death is four times as high. Use a phone to text, email or browse the internet and the risk is much higher still. In fact, the impact of using a phone on reaction times is on a par with drink driving. Yet a huge proportion of drivers put themselves and others in danger for the sake of a call or message, whether flouting the law by using a hand-held phone, or wrongly believing that hands-free is a safe alternative.

What needs to be done?

Drivers can help make our roads safer by putting phones out of sight and reach when driving to avoid temptation, ideally in the boot. On long journeys, you should take regular breaks and use these to check for messages. Phones and driving are a deadly combination, and no call or message is worth a life.

Brake are calling on government to ban hands-free phones at the wheel, in line with the evidence that they increase crash risk just as much as hand-helds – it's the distraction of the phone conversation itself that causes the danger. The rise of in-built car 'infotainment' systems presents an added source of distratction and the government needs to act to regulate them.


Brake say that there also needs to a much higher penalty for phone use at the wheel – from the current £100 to at least £500-1,000 – so drivers take it seriously, combined with stepped-up enforcement by making traffic policing a national policing priority.

For more information on Brake, please visit their website.

The Good Garage Scheme supports the Road Safety Charity, Brake ahead of Road Safety Week in November.

Drive Less Live More

Why drive less, live more?

According to the charity, Brake, every day five people die on UK roads, and 64 more are seriously injured – causing needless devastation, trauma and suffering.

Brake witnesses this through its victim care services. The vast majority of these serious casualties, which went up by 4% last year, are down to driver error.

Brake believes road safety isn’t just about driving safely and legally or using the green cross code, although these are important. It’s about making our streets safe and pleasant for everyone to use freely, and doing everything we can to protect ourselves and people around us.
A big part of that is driving less, as little as possible, or not at all if you can.

It’s common for people to habitually walk the few metres from their front door to their car and drive, even if they’re only going round the corner. A quarter of car journeys (23%) are less than two miles. People who walk or cycle often have to face busy, noisy streets, full of pollution and fast traffic. Is this the way we want it?

Walking, cycling or using public transport not only helps to make our streets safer, more pleasant and less polluted, it has personal benefits too. It can save families a lot of money, help people live healthier, more active lives, reduce stress and illness, and help people connect with their communities.

That’s why Brake is asking everyone to consider how they use roads, and to see if they can drive less, live more, and walk, cycle or use public transport instead, to help make our roads and communities safer, happier, healthier and less polluted places.

The Good Garage Scheme supports the charity, Brake, in their efforts to help create a world that has zero road deaths and injuries, and where people can get around in ways that are safe, sustainable, healthy and enjoyable.

For more information about Brake visit their website.

New Year - New Car?

If you are thinking of buying a new car this year, be prepared with handy advice courtesy of the Institute of Advanced Motoring (IAM).

The prospect of a shiny new car is exciting. But don’t make a hasty decision. With advances in the latest road safety technology and the latest technical features in new cars, try to get the most out of your money.

Firstly, decide on the type of car you need. Do you need to ferry the children around and make the school run? Or do you want a car with enough luggage space for the holidays you have planned. It may be your car is simply a means to get from A to B. Just make sure your choice fits the purpose.

While we’re often led by the way the car looks, it’s important to be clear on your budget from the start. Make sure you know how much you are able to spend. The price displayed often isn’t the total price of the car. There are other costs to factor in such as insurance cost and other running costs too.

Don’t forget to check for hidden extras. There’s nothing worse than finalising the details of the car and then learn that there are additional charges for number plates and delivery.

It’s often the question on everyone’s mind. Petrol or diesel? Check out the running costs before you buy. Diesel cars offer better fuel economy but are more expensive. It’s important to factor in car depreciation. Think about how much the car will decrease in value in its first three years and how this will affect the price of the car if sold second-hand. VED is related to carbon emissions, so the lower the emissions, the better.

Once you know your budget, work out how you will be financing the car. Whether you’ll be taking out a loan, asking family and friends or using your savings, it’s important to plan a budget. Don’t be swayed by something out of your price range.

Most importantly, test drive it. There’s no other way of knowing if you’ll like it without driving it. Remember, if you’re going to spend a long time in it commuting, you need to make sure it’s what you want.

The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank the IAM for this week's guest blog. For more information on the Institute of Advanced Motoring, please visit www.iam.org.uk.

Packing Your Car for Uni

It’s that time of the year when 18 and 19 year olds all over the country are getting ready to take the university challenge and start what is arguably the best time of their adult life. It’s also the time when parents all over the country will be mourning their child’s departure from the family home and wondering where the last eighteen years have gone.

But as you pack up your belongings and prepare to load the car, there are a few things to think about if you want a first in road safety. Whether you’re driving 30 miles or 350 miles, remember to prepare yourself and your car for the journey ahead.

Example courtesy of IAM of how NOT to pack the car

Firstly, pack your possessions securely. Loose objects can not only be distracting to the driver, but if he or she has to brake sharply, these unsecured items could fly forward and hit people sitting in front.

Pack heavy items such as suitcases and boxes of clothes into the boot whenever possible.
Any loads in the boot should be made as small as possible and positioned to enable a clear view. Keep heavy items low down. Don’t allow your belongings to obscure your view through the rear window.

Always pack so that those in the car, especially the driver, have room to move. Feeling cramped causes stress and makes the journey less pleasant for both passengers and driver.

Remember, a full car uses more fuel so keep an eye on your fuel gauge. Be prepared and fill your engine up so you don’t have to worry about running out. Also, it is a good idea to check tyre pressures before setting off. Tyres on a full and heavy car usually require higher pressures.

Freshen up for "Freshers Week"
If your journey is more than two hours, stop off and take a break. If at all possible, share the driving especially if you intend to drive there and back in one day.

The Good Garage Scheme wishes to thank IAM (the Institute of Advanced Motoring) for this week's blog advice. For more information on the IAM, visit iam.org.uk.


If you are unsure about checking any safety aspect of your car, visit your local Good Garage Scheme member who will be happy to check for you.
 

Download the Good Garage Scheme app for peace of mind wherever you are in the UK.