Smart motorways are designed to make use of the hard shoulder and are managed by the Highways Agency regional control centres. They use CCTV so that Highways Agency traffic officers can be deployed to incidents if they occur and help to keep traffic moving.

Different types of smart motorway include:

– Controlled motorway – Controlled motorways have three or more lanes with variable speed limits. The hard shoulder should only be used in a genuine emergency.

– Hard shoulder running – The hard shoulder will be opened at busy times and the speed limit will be reduced. Drivers cannot use the hard shoulder unless overhead signs show that you can do so.

– All Lane running – There is no hard shoulder on these sections of motorway. Variable speed limits must be obeyed and no stopping is to be allowed on the motorway. If a motorists needs to stop in an emergency, they must use an emergency refuge area, motorway service area or leave at the next junction.

– A red X symbol will show that a lane is closed because of an incident or people working in the road.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School says, ‘Making use of the hard shoulder is a great idea overall since traffic will flow better with four lanes instead of three.’

However, Jane Hunt of Britannia Driving School argues, ‘I totally disagree with completely removing the hard shoulder – in the event of an accident, it is going to make people harder to stop and how are emergency services meant to get through?’

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

Young drivers seem less likely now to learn to drive, a new study has revealed.

During the peak times of 1995-1997, more than half of males aged 17-20 were driving their own cars. However it seems that this figure has taken a drastic plunge in more recent years, now at a slump just a little over the one-third mark.

The main reasons for this decline are attributed to be the rising costs of learning to drive, as well as the infamous costs of insurance premiums, buying a car, and the general costs of keeping a car on the road.

Another factor prevalent in modern-day travel is the use of mobile phones. Whereas driving your own car requires the driver to maintain focus on the roads at all times, using public travel as an alternative can prove to be more cost-effective, as well as allowing the traveller to spend some quality time on the internet.

What are your thoughts on this subject? Is driving less attractive for young people now than ever? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

Many driving pupils will testify to the fact that the secret of their success was purely down to the skill of their driving instructor. Likewise, many pupils struggling to pass their test may attribute their bad luck to their mentor’s lack of skill in the passenger seat. Whatever the case, Britannia knows that it is important to find a driving instructor that you like.

This does not necessarily mean that you have to become best friends with your driving instructor; think back to your days at school, and you will probably agree that some of the better teachers you had were some of the stricter ones. Whilst it is important to get along well with your driving instructor (nobody wants to be stuck in a car for an hour a week with someone they can’t stand, and the same goes for your instructor!), it is more important to focus on whether or not you consider them to be a GOOD instructor, as no matter how well you get on together, no amount of friendship is going to get you to pass your test.

Firstly try to identify their pass rate – get feedback from past pupils if possible, and try to go after an instructor based on good recommendations. This will give you a much better chance of success if you know your instructor has had a good amount of success in the past. Secondly, always listen to what they say. Even though you may be having private lessons from a parent or older friend or relative, the vast majority of the time the instructor will be correct in their instructions, so take in all that they have to say.

Finally try to relax – your instructor will want to strike up a good relationship with his or her pupils just as much as you do with them, so just try your best and enjoy the process of learning to drive.

Safe driving from Britannia!

What are your thoughts on this article? Sound off in the comments section below!

Not only is eco-driving a way to drive that reduces fuel consumption and is better for the environment, but also forms part of the criteria on the practical test.

So here are Britannia Driving School’s top tips for eco-driving:

– Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.
– Drive within the speed limit as not only is it safer but it also reduces fuel consumption.
– When slowing down or driving downhill, remain in gear but take your foot off the accelerator early. This reduces fuel flow to the engine to almost zero.
– Plan ahead to avoid congestion and road works, and to make sure you don’t waste fuel
– Don’t waste fuel warming up the engine, move off when the engine is cold.
– Reduce drag by removing accessories such as roof racks, bike carriers and roof boxes from the car when they are not in use.
– Check tyre pressure since under-inflated tyres are dangerous and increase fuel consumption.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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

So you have started your driving lessons, you’re quite handy at pulling away and reversing, and you’re feeling pretty confident overall about your general driving ability?

One of the next steps you’re going to face is the challenge of learning the manoeuvres. Many driving pupils will say that this was by far the hardest part of the learning to drive process, and many road-legal drivers describe this as the most nerve-wracking part of the Driving test.

So what can you expect from learning your manoeuvres? Here are Britannia’s top tips to help you out with this:

The UK Driving Syllabus has 4 Set Manoeuvres –these are:

– The Turn-In-The-Road (Often incorrectly called a 3-Point Turn) – This requires a good level of clutch control and reversing ability.
– Reversing Around A Corner – This requires a high standard of reversing and steering ability.
– Bay Parking – Trickier than it looks, but an essential manoeuvre for use on car parks.
– Parallel Parking – A notoriously awkward manoeuvre, but practice makes perfect!

Sometime the examiner will also ask to see an Emergency Stop, although this is not strictly labelled as a Set Manoeuvre.

Most instructors will advise you to leave manoeuvres until later on in your learning to drive process to ensure that you have mastered the basic controls of the operation of a car before attempting anything trickier.

For all of the above manoeuvres, a good deal of clutch control and steering control are essential to master these. You will also need a lot of patience, as it is unlikely you will have these perfected on the first try, but if at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again! We are sure you will be an expert maneuverer in no time!

Safe driving from Britannia!

What are your thoughts on this article? Sound off in the comments section below!