July 15, 2021
The driving questions that stump motorists the most

DRIVING laws can cause confusion and there can sometimes be a grey area over what could land you with a fine and what doesn’t.

The rules and regulations of driving often have motorists scratching their heads trying to figure out the legislation.

Some of the laws could land you in trouble with the police, with some having more serious repercussions than others.

Experts have encouraged drivers to check the legalities before stepping behind a wheel, in an attempt to keep people safe.

Here we run down the motoring myths and reveal what is legal and what is not.

Is it illegal to drive with an expired driving licence?

Motorists who are caught without a valid driving licence could face losing it for good.

It is illegal to drive without a licence that is not in date, and there are hefty punishments in place if you do.

Your car could be seized, and repeat offenders can even have their vehicles crushed or disposed of by police.

It could also land you with a fine of up to £1,000 and between three to six points on your licence. The date can be checked on the card under section 4b.

Is it illegal to drive with bare feet?

There is currently no legislation in place that requires Brits to wear appropriate shoes for driving.

However, suitable shoes are always recommended when behind the wheel so you can competently operate the pedals.

Driving barefoot carries the risk of having poor grip on the pedals, and if an accident is linked to this it could cause your insurance to be void.

Is it illegal to drive in certain footwear?

No footwear is illegal to drive in, so long as they are considered safe to do so.

Flip-flops or sandals may also be a risky choice as they can sometimes get wedged underneath the pedal or slip off.

There are some guidelines for what footwear is suitable:

  • Have a sole no thicker than 10mm…
  • … but the sole should not be too thin or soft.
  • Provide enough grip to stop your foot slipping off the pedals.
  • Not be too heavy.
  • Not limit ankle movement.
  • Be narrow enough to avoid accidentally depressing two pedals at once.

  • Is it illegal to drive with one headlight?

    Anyone who is caught driving with one headlight is breaking the law, and risks getting a fixed penalty notice.

    Police will pull over any vehicle that is not working properly, and hand the driver £100 fine. Points will not be added to the licence.

    If it is challenged in court you could face a fine of up to £1,000, so it is important for drivers to check their lights regularly.

     

    According to the highway Code, “lights, indicators, reflectors, and number plates MUST be kept clean and clear”.

  •  

    Is it illegal to drive without a shirt?

    Driving without a shirt is not illegal, as it should not hinder any movement or driving ability.

    However it might cause other drivers to take a second look at you while driving on the road.

    You also run the risk of police officers stopping you for indecent exposure, but depends on the situation.

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    Is it illegal to drive without an MOT?

    It is illegal to drive without an MOT, unless you are driving to a booked MOT test or from a garage for repairs.

    If you are caught driving by the police you can get a fine of up to £1,000, and the Automatic Number Place Recognition system will flag up any cars that do not have a valid MOT.

    It is important to carry proof of your MOT booking with you when travelling, so it can be produced to give as evidence.

    Anyone who continues to drive without an MOT is putting themselves and other road users at risk.

    Fines can go as high as £2,500 and multiple offences can lead to the loss of a licence altogether if you are already carrying points.

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    Is it illegal to drive with headphones?

    Driving with headphones in is not illegal, but it can lead to reduced awareness on the road.

    People may wear the devices to operate a phone hands free or listen to music, but it could cause a distraction.

    If you are deemed to be driving carelessly you could face a fine of £100. But if your case reaches court then it can go up to a maximum fine of £5,000, nine penalty points and a possible driving ban.

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    Is it illegal to drive without a spare tyre?

    It is not illegal to travel without a spare tyre, but there are rules that have to be followed if you choose to do so.

    Any tyre has to comply with tyre laws, which means ensuring that the pressure is suitable for driving.

    They must also meet the minimum requirement of 1.6mm across the central ¾ of the tyre width.

    Anyone who is found to be driving with a tread that is lower than the legal minimum can be given up to three penalty points and a fine of £2,500 per illegal tyre.

    Is it illegal to drive with loud music playing?

    Driving while playing loud music is likely to be safer than listening through headphones, and is not illegal.

    However it can still land you with a penalty if it is deemed a distraction. It can result in a £100 fine and three points on your licence.

    In circumstances that are deemed more extreme you can be hit with a £5,999 fine and a driving ban.

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April 1, 2021
Britannia After Lockdown

On Tuesday the 6th of April our dedicated office staff will be returning back to the office after working from home since December.

This will be to carry on answering the telephones, emails, livechats and to process an payments, once the instructors return back to teaching on the 12th April the office will remain closed to the public, if you have any enquiries this can be done online or over the phone, please if you need to purchase lessons this too needs to be online or over the phone.

Any vouchers that need extending can be posted in and we will look at extending them.

All lesson instructors and pupils unless exempt will need to wear a facial covering and sanitize hands,the teaching cars will be fully sanitized before and after each lesson.

We would like to wish everyone a safe , happy bank holiday and happy easter!

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November 2, 2020
Update On Lockdown Measures.

Update on lockdown measures in England

Following the announcement on Saturday 31 October 2020 around further lockdown measures being introduced in England, we are working closely with the Government to agree the impact these will have on DVSA services.

All driver and rider training and tests will be suspended in England from 5 November until 2 December 2020. We will be contacting affected test candidates soon.

We’ll keep you updated on the situation and provide further guidance when we’re able too.

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May 4, 2020
More than 9,000 motorists are still legally driving with 12 or more points on their licence

SOME 9,349 drivers are still legally on the roads with 12 or more licence points, data shows. Most have pleaded “exceptional hardship” in court to avoid a driving ban of up to two years.

Being unable to work is more than  often an argument — but footballers and celebs have got off the hook by claiming they would have to stop helping charities.

The DVLA told Auto express Express: “A court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify the driver.”

Jack Cousens, of the AA, said “eyebrows will be raised” at the figures. “There are concerns from the Sentencing Council that the ‘exceptional hardship application’ used by drivers to keep their licence is used too frequently “It’ll be interesting to see what conclusions they come to.” Lord Justice Holroyde, chairman of the Sentencing Council, said: “The Council is aware of public concern that offenders w ho have incurred 12 penalty points or more are not always disqualified from driving.

“There are legitimate reasons why this might happen; the law allows for such a disqualification to be avoided or reduced for reasons of exceptional hardship.

“We have recently consulted on proposed new guidance that will set out clearly the matters to be considered by the courts when deciding exceptional hardship applications.

“We will consider the responses to that consultation, and will issue guidance that will help make sure these cases are dealt with fairly, consistently and in accordance with the law.”

 

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April 27, 2020
Speed awareness courses will be held via online video chat app Zoom during coronavirus lockdown

TTC, which runs them for UK Road Offender Education, is now offering remote options. One speeder reckoned: “I couldn’t stop laughing when I saw the course was being run via Zoom. I thought we were meant to watch our speed.”

Courses are offered to offending drivers as an alternative to prosecution, a fine and/or points. Anyone who does not want to take an online course will be contacted by police over “the next steps available.

TTC’s Jim Kirkwood said: “We’ve always taken great pride in delivering excellent face-to-face driver training across our business that changes the attitude and behaviour of drivers for the better.

“The business environment has changed out of all recognition and we needed to react quickly.

“We are now moving drivers to take their currently booked classroom course onto the online version, via a secure video link within a Digital Classroom.

“These courses are offered by UK police forces to drivers who commit offences as an alternative to prosecution, fine and/or points on the licence.

“If drivers choose not to participate in the online course the police will make contact to advise the driver directly about the next steps available.”

Zoom has become a household name since the start of the COVID 19 outbreak- connecting families and friends, hosting Cabinet meetings and even online gym classes.

Last December, Zoom hosted ten million meetings a day. By the end of last month, the figure had increased to more than 200 million!

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April 24, 2020
BRITS tiring of lockdown have hit the roads this week – with the AA seeing a 10 per cent rise in journeys since the start of restrictions.

BRITS tiring of lockdown have hit the roads this week – with the AA seeing a 10 per cent rise in journeys since the start of restrictions. As the UK heads towards  the fifth week of full coronavirus lockdown more people have been seen struggling to stick to the rules.

As Brits were first easing into lockdown our  major roads were mostly empty, but now as the restrictions carry on with no end date in sight there are more cars out and about.

Edmund King, AA president said: “The majority of drivers are still following Government advice to only make essential journeys by car, however, this week we have seen traffic and breakdowns creeping back up. “It is a worry that some drivers seem to have got bored being locked up at home and are now venturing out in their cars.

“Breakdowns have increased by about 20 per cent this week and traffic seems to be 10 per cent  higher than under earlier lockdown conditions. “It is important to cut out non-essential travel as one crash can tie up the emergency services for hours and may also result in a precious NHS hospital bed being taken. The message is still to stay home and help to save lives.”

Shoppers have been seen heading to DIY stores as cooped up Brits relax to the rules. This morning MP Brandon Lewis told of his fears people will be struggling to stick to the lockdown after so many weeks inside.

He said: “I think there is always a risk when you are doing something like this, particularly those living alone, will be finding it really difficult. “We’ve got to look at the success we’ve had in flattening that curve. We’ve lost too many lives already. “When you follow the guidelines, when you stay home, you are doing something directly personally that is not just helping the NHS, but saving lives.”

The warm and sunny weather has made  the corona virus lockdown even harder for Brits, with the forecast to be hotter than Lanzerote today and tomorrow.  Its bringing fears the high temperature will be too tempting for some as the the weekend comes at the end of five very long weeks being stuck at home .

As the death toll hit 18,000 yesterday, Hyde Park in London was packed with young Brits exercising, while a group of paramedics were seen enjoying a well-deserved break in the sunshine.

In the government press conference, it was announced that traffic on Britain’s roads is beginning to increase during lockdown. Graphs show all motor vehicle traffic spike since yesterday – the first significant rise since April 14.

 

 

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April 22, 2020
LOCK AND ROAD Drivers racing at THREE TIMES speed limit on empty coronavirus lockdown roads with one clocked at 134mph in 40mph zone

RECKLESS drivers have been speeding at over three times the limit on empty roads during the coronavirus lockdown.

Police chiefs have slammed the speed demons for using empty motorways as a “personal racetrack”, as one driver from London was recently clocked doing 134mph in a 40mph zone.

While data from the Department of Transport has shown a decrease in motor vehicle use of two thirds over the past month, senior officers say that speeding is up by nearly 50 per cent, the Daily Telegraph reported. Police have warned that incidents caused by speeding could take up “vital resources” in the NHS and the police that are already stretched by the coronavirus crisis.

Superintendent Julie Ellison, from the Greater Manchester Police, said the force had seen “a massive increase in speeding offences” since the beginning of the lockdown. She added that one driver in the city was recorded doing 115mph on a 40mph road, with another reaching speeds of 129mph on the M62.

It comes as the Metropolitan Police are even set to launch a special unit to crack down on speeders in the capital, which has seen seven people killed in road traffic accidents since the beginning of the lockdown. Superintendent Andy Cox, from the Met Police, will be heading the unit and vowed that police would come down hard on “unacceptable” speeding. He told the Telegraph: “In some roads where we have checks, the average speed has increased by more than 50 per cent and one 20mph road is averaging 40mph. “Such behaviour is totally unacceptable and increases the chances of a serious collision.

 

It comes after police arrested a biker who was caught doing 150mph on a motorway earlier this month. Police followed the bike off the M23 to Fulking, West Sussex, where the rider momentarily managed to slip out of sight. Chief Inspector Michael Hodder said the biker was “lucky to be alive” and urged drivers not to speed on empty roads.

It was revealed today drivers booked on speed awareness courses will be taken online as all class based courses are suspended until June.

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April 17, 2020
PUMP WARS Petrol prices set to be slashed at historic levels due to coronavirus – with 10p discounted per litre

PETROL prices across the country are set to be cut at historic levels following the coronavirus outbreak, experts reveal. Forecourts around the country are under more pressure than any point in the past seven years to slash the cost of fuel.

The recent figures from the RAC reveal the price of oil has dropped  more than $50 a barrel to just $30 in the past week. This results in the gap between what UK petrol stations are paying and what drivers are being charged is at the widest in recent history. In some cases, this difference is around 12p per litre for petrol and 9p per litre for diesel. Despite this difference, the RAC is  expecting big price cuts to take effect from as early as next week.

If retailers reduce pump prices to reflect what they’ve been buying on the wholesale market, around 10p per litre should come off the price of fuel. This should mean average unleaded prices would drop to around 112p per litre and diesel to 115p per litre, prices which we last saw in late 2016.

Supermarket chains are expected to be the first to reduce their fuel prices during periods of declining wholesale prices. Normally, cuts of around 2p per litre are announced first, although last month Asda cut diesel prices by up to 4p in a single day. This is an indication that the major retailers are expected to cut further in one go than they have ever before.

It currently costs an average of £67 to fill a standard 55-litre car with unleaded petrol, and £68.50 with diesel. But if prices fall as they’re expected, this would save drivers around £5.40 per tank of petrol and £5.30 per tank of diesel.

Decreasing consumption of oil as a result of the coronavirus is considered to be the biggest reason for the cheaper fuel prices. Simon Williams, fuel spokesman for the RAC, said: “The oil price has fallen dramatically as a result of several major oil-producing countries ramping up supply at a time when demand is reducing due to the coronavirus outbreak.

This has led to wholesale petrol prices dropping to their lowest levels in four years and means there is now enormous pressure for pump prices in the UK to drop significantly, by around 10p a litre from where they are today. A drop of this size would see average petrol prices fall to 112p per litre, and diesel to 115p per litre, and we’d expect supermarkets to sell the fuels for as little as 108p and 111p respectively.

All eyes are now on the UK’s fuel retailers, large and small, to cut fuel prices considerably, and fast. It is vital that drivers are given a fair deal and retailers accurately reflect the lower wholesale prices at their forecourts.

 

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April 14, 2020
Driverless vans that deliver medical supplies and food see demand surge during coronavirus outbreak

DRIVERLESS delivery vans that transport goods are being used to help restrict physical contact during the coronavirus outbreak. Chinese start-up Neolix has experienced a huge increase in sales since the virus shocked the country earlier this year. The four-wheeled robots are being used to transport medicine, food and other goods across city centres.

The tiny autonomous vehicles are capable of navigating any environment without a driver at the wheel. The Bejing-based company has taken  orders for more than 200 vehicles in the past two months, according to its founder Yu Enyuan. Before the virus outbreak, it had only produced 125 units since manufacturing began last May 2019.

They are also being used to sterilise abandoned streets, after thousands of workers were forced to be quarantined. The use of driverless vehicles was previously limited in China, but these rules have been relaxed since the outbreak has made the streets virtually empty.

The Chinese Government is even offering to subsidise the cost of the driverless vans, with discounts of up to 60 per cent in some areas. Yu Enyuan, the founder of Neolix, told Bloomberg: “Demand has been surging since the virus outbreak and more importantly, people’s perception toward driverless delivery has had a complete 180-degree shift.

People realise that such vehicles can get things done when it is risky for a human being to do so.

The industry has entered into a fast expansion phase because of the virus. He expects the company’s production to increase to 1,000 units.

 

 

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April 8, 2020
Learner driver given £800 fine for going for lesson with mum during lockdown

A teenager has been slapped with a $1,600 fine – about £800 – after going out for a driving lesson with her mum during the coronavirus lockdown. Hunter Reynolds and her mother Sharee were pulled over by a police officer in Victoria, Australia at the weekend

The 17-year-old student was given the on-the-spot fine for breaching the “stage-three coronavirus restrictions” in place across the country. Under the restrictions, people should only be out driving to buy food or other necessary goods, to attend work or education, for an emergency or to provide care.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton says driving lessons do not count as education under the Covid-19 restrictions set by Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton. He said: “This isn’t driving around the corner, it was driving 40 minutes from Hampton down to the Peninsula Link.

“It’s quite possible it will be withdrawn because the public is now aware they can’t be doing that activity, unless of course it’s mixed in with driving to the shops where you are exempt to go and buy food.”

Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville said people should not go looking for loopholes in the restrictions to avoid fines.

More than 100 fines were issued from nearly 1,000 spot checks in the 24 hours to 8am on Monday.

Hunter said she did not initially understand what they had done wrong as the learner plates were correctly displayed, she was observing the speed limit and they were not stopping anywhere.

“That’s not exempt and it’s not lawful to occur.

“Are we able to send a message to the public without having to fine in this circumstance? The fact it’s been raised has given actual clarity of the circumstance.

“(The police officer) said it was because of unnecessary travel,” Hunter told Seven news in Australia.

“I’ve been following all the Covid-19 guidelines – so I thought – I haven’t been seeing anyone or anything, so I was really surprised.”

Australia has more than 5,700 confirmed coronavirus cases, and its death toll rose to 40 on Monday after five additional deaths were recorded overnight.

 

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