Some people seem to just ace tests and if you’re one of them – I’m sadly not – I must admit to being very jealous!

One thing we’re asked by a lot of our pupils is the best way to prepare for their theory test, unfortunately, we don’t have a magic bullet.

If you’re like me, then it’s a case of: revise, revise, revise.

The theory test involves 50 multiple choice questions randomly chosen from a total of over 1000. In order to pass the test you need to get 43 questions correct.

I know this sounds overwhelming to begin with, but the fact that 1000’s of people have passed shows you that it is possible to pass your theory test.

We recommend taking mock tests to get your practice in. Mark down which questions you’re getting wrong. Write the question out and write down the right answer. A good thing to try and do is really try and understand the question and think about what the correct answer is. Don’t just try and memorise the answer, but ask yourself, “why is this the correct answer?”

It really is worth the practice.

Safe driving from Britannia!

One of the key aspects to learning to operate a car proficiently is the ability to master the steering wheel – While this sounds like a simple task, there might actually be more to this task than meets the eye.

Studies have shown that whatever you are looking at whilst driving will draw you in – So if you are staring at one fixed point on the road (i.e. another car), you will be more likely to hit it!

We recommend to keep your eyes straight ahead of you – And to continually move your gaze around – This will give you the best view of everything that is happening around your car, as well as score you extra brownie points with your examiner on your driving test!

Safe driving from Britannia!

Harold Veazy from Melton, Leicestershire, is 96 and is determined to keep on driving until he’s 100. He is the first pensioner to feature in a new documentary, 100 Year Old Drivers Ride Again.

The programme gets behind the wheel with some of Britain’s oldest drivers to find out why they still drive. However, the trip out with the cameras was not without incident for Harold, who was last year named Leicestershire’s oldest athlete and who works out at the leisure centre three times a week.

Viewers saw him narrowly miss colliding with an articulated lorry at the junction of Mill Street and Burton Street in the town. When asked how he felt about the incident, Harold said he felt stupid.

Harold will be 97 in September and recently got his licence renewed for a further 3 years. He says he prefers driving today compared with the time when he passed his test as cars are more comfortable. He says this is due to sat-navs and heaters.

Harold learnt to drive in the 1930s and argues that if God thinks he is okay to drive at 100 then he will drive at 100. Drivers older than 70 must renew their licence every three years, but they do not have to take a driving or medical exam.

What are your thoughts on this article? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

In modern-day driving, there are plenty of hazards to watch out for – From children and animals stepping out unexpectedly in front of your car, to those drivers who don’t seem to observe any rules of the road and cause you to react suddenly – We’ve all been there!

When approaching a hazard, it is best to know what to do ahead of time – But if a hazard is unexpected, how can we do this?

The best way is to have a Hazard Routine – A pre-planned process to follow when approaching any hazard. Everyone knows about Mirror-Signal-Manoeuvre – But if you also append this with Position-Speed-Look-Assess-Decide-Act – You have your Hazard Routine all ready!

Safe driving from Britannia!

After passing your driving test, you are likely going to want to be driving as much as possible – With friends, with family, on road trips during summer days and on nights on, so that you get to experience all conditions of driving.

But beware – When driving this often, especially at night time, it is likely that you will feel tired at some point behind the wheel. This can be incredibly dangerous, particularly if you are travelling long distances or on a motorway – As when driving at 60 mph, falling asleep for just one second will mean your car moves around 30 metres under no control at all!

Make sure to take a break whenever you start to feel drowsy when driving – Otherwise you are putting yourself and others in danger.

Safe driving from Britannia!

UK licences, along with French licences, carry the most weight globally according to recent research.

UK drivers are able to drive with their UK licence in Sweden, Italy and Spain without having to take any further steps. In Finland, Japan, Hong Kong and New Zealand, a British licence is nearly as useful, being valid for 12 months. After that, the licence will need to be exchanged but this can be done without taking any kind of test. The same applies in Russia and Canada, although a switch to a local licence is necessary after only six months.

German driving licences are almost as powerful as those of British and French nationals and are the third most accepted around the world, according to the research. They are followed by those held by motorists in Sweden, then Belgium, Finland, Italy and Spain.

However, there are minor road laws that Brits should be aware of. Italian law requires all motorists to carry a reflective jacket in their vehicle together with a warning triangle in case of a breakdown. In Spain, motorists are asked to carry a spare pair of glasses if they routinely wear them. Swedish laws require that drivers must always have their headlights switched on and set to a dipped beam, even in the daytime.

What are your thoughts on this article? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

Part of the learning to drive experience is the journey from being a novice student, simply following the orders of your instructor, to being a fully-fledged driver filled with confidence – And the difference between those two is the ability to make good, safe decisions when behind the wheel.

The trick of making good decisions is to know how to react when uncertain – For example, if you cannot see if the road is clear, then you will not know if it is safe to pull out of a junction. In these cases, the best course of action is to slow down your vehicle – Or stop, if you need to ensure you don’t put yourself in any danger – And then to proceed with caution.

You will find that this gives you much more time to consider the situation – For example, you may become aware of a reflective shop window across the street which allows you to clearly see into the road you are trying to pull into!

Safe driving from Britannia!