November 9, 2015
Driving Tests And Bad Weather

The DVSA have released guidance on exams during bad weather. The main priority for the DVSA is to make sure that it’s safe to go ahead with the driving test for the candidate, other road users and the examiner. All candidates should be assessed fairly, to prove they are capable of continuing to learn without further supervision. Therefore, letting them take their test in adverse weather conditions may disadvantage them.

During the winter, driving examiners actively try to continue testing wherever possible. They will regularly check the road conditions and use areas which are unaffected. They’ll also regularly monitor local weather forecasts and use this information to make informed local decisions. This means that although early morning tests may be cancelled, there’s still a chance the afternoon appointments may go ahead.

During snowy spells, examiners have to consider issues such as visibility of road markings and general road conditions of the local area. They may also need to make some adjustments, for instance, offering to meet the candidate at a suitable location close to the test centre if the test centre car park is covered in snow.

Pupils can get in touch with DVSA and stay up to date about whether or not driving tests are going ahead by either phoning the test centre, calling the DVSA, or contacting them via social media.

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October 29, 2015
Convicted AA Instructor Picked Children Up From School Gates

It was reported in MailOnline recently that a paedophile driving instructor filmed himself sexually abusing children in the back of his AA car after picking them up from the school gates.

The former AA instructor, Matthew Ottley, lured two children into his vehicle after befriending the at the school gates. He would then drive them to a remote country lane and abuse them, according to the article published last week. Ottley pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual activity with a child and arranging or facilitating child prostitution or pornography at Maidstone Crown Court. He was also charged with two counts relating to filming the episodes over a four-day period last November.

Ottley was released on bail until sentencing next month. According to the CPS, a further three counts of abuse would remain on file after Ottley denied the charges.

According to MailOnline, Ottley’s own driving school (I Drive Safely)’s website boasts of nearly 20 years professional driving experience with ‘a 100% pass rate’ and say they specialised in ‘helping particularly nervous pupils.’

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October 28, 2015
Blind Man Fulfils Driving Dream

An 88-year-old blind man has fulfilled a lifelong ambition to drive a car. John Cramond from Stranraer, South Scotland, lost his sight as a young boy and never had the opportunity to get behind the wheel until last weekend.

He mentioned his dream of driving a car to Leonard Cheshire Disability volunteer co-ordinator Bill Milven. He approached driving instructor James Edgar who has a dual control vehicle and together they hatched a plan to allow Mr Cramond the chance to drive.

Last Saturday morning Edgar took Mr Cramond to a war-time airstrip near Stranraer where he spent an hour behind the wheel. He proved to be a speedy learner and stated he was buzzing with excitement all day and couldn’t wait to tell his family.

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October 26, 2015
Van Bully Fired

A white van man who was caught on camera driving aggressively behind a learner driver during her test has been sacked.

In the footage, the van driver was seen to race up behind on the learner during her test. He then repeatedly pulled up close to her rear bumper, threw up his hands, accelerated sharply, honked his horn and revved his engine.

But the driver stated he had been dismissed from his job and deeply regretted the incident, tearfully admitting that he wanted to meet the woman to apologise for his behaviour.

The 56-year-old said he had been under pressure to make a delivery and that he ‘just lost it’. He said that he made a mistake that day and had been trying to make up time. He admitted that he didn’t mean it and that it was his fault.

The driver also revealed that he planned to carry out an Advanced Driving Course to prove that he was willing to learn from his mistakes.

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October 15, 2015
Van Bullies Pupil On Test

An appalling video shows the moment a white van man tried to bully and intimidate a learner driver – as she was taking her driving test.

The footage, taken on Monday morning in west Edinburgh, shows the learner driver travelling within the speed limit in a residential area when the van races up behind her.

Forced to slow down, he repeatedly pulls up close to her rear bumper in an apparent attempt to intimidate her into breaking the limit – meaning she would fail her test. Then, when the learner stops to allow oncoming traffic with the right of way to pass, he throws up his hands, accelerates sharply, honks his horn and revs his engine whilst shouting at the clearly marked driving school car.

During the test the driving centre examiner reportedly told the candidate, ‘ignore the man in the van, he is completely in the wrong’ and she went on to pass the driving test.

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October 7, 2015
Test Waiting Times

The DVSA has apologised for the increase in waiting times for driving tests. Certain areas have seen a substantial increase in waiting times for tests and a number of driving instructors have complained to the DVSA.

The DVSA said that were three reasons for the increase:

The economic recovery – more people are taking driving lessons again

More examiners retiring

There has been a surge in people in their 20s taking tests, after leaving it longer to learn to drive

There were 407,000 car driving test between January and March 2015, a 5.2% increase on the same period last year with demand increasing. The DVSA said that it had forecasted the increase in demand and also knew that there were a number of examiners retiring and began recruitment in October 2014, with further campaigns in March and October this year.

Various options have been considered to deal with the increase in demand such as the involvement of the private sector and examiners taking a photograph of the driver as soon as they have passed, so their licence can be processed quickly.

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October 5, 2015
Learner Banned For Drink-Driving

A learner driver was found to be over the alcohol limit after police followed him. Richard Parfitt was seen driving alone, slowly without lights in Poulton in Blackpool.

Parfitt, 32, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol without insurance and not in accordance with his provisional licence.

He was banned from the road for 18 months, fined £465 with £85 costs and ordered to pay a £150 court charge with £46 victims surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Prosecutor, Pam Smith, said that police saw Parfitt at the wheel of his wife’s car at about 1am. A breath test showed 68 micrograms of alcohol in his body – almost double the legal drink drive limit of 35ml in 100ml of blood.

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September 30, 2015
Learner and teacher caught drink driving

Two men allegedly two times over the legal drink drive limit were a learner and his supervisor, police said.

Officers tracked down learner Lucas Herliczka, 39, in a Vauxhall Corsa after police were called about a road traffic incident. He was arrested with his ‘acquaintance’ who was supervising in Southampton. The legal limit is 35mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The two men were twice the legal limit, police say.

Herliczka was charged with drink-driving on the Southampton road and will appear before Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 13 October. The passenger who was with him, a 32-year-old man from Oxfordshire, was later released with no further action.

Learner drivers can be supervised by someone at least 21 years old who holds a driving licence for three years or more – but on the rather sensible condition they are not under the influence of drink or drugs.

Hampshire Constabulary was unable to explain why the second man was released without charge.

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September 28, 2015
Driving From The Age of 11?

Young drivers account for almost a quarter of all road accidents so why does one company put children behind the wheel of a car from the age of 11?

A lot of drivers would most likely be apprehensive about the idea of even letting anyone between the ages of 10 and 16 get near the steering wheel of their car. However, there are a number of programmes across the country offering off-road training for children aged 11-16.

A former off-road instructor in Leeds argues that the issue with the current UK driving test is that it contains no motorway tuition, no lessons how to drive on country roads, overtake safely, night time tuition. Essentially, if you’re lucky on your test and you have no upsets, after 40 minutes you are given free rein on the road, including country lanes and motorways.

The driving test is indeed outdated. There are plans to add a sat nav into the independent drive and other changes. However, major changes need to be made. For example, there ought to be a mixed amount of tuition, with hours of driving at night, on the motorway, rural roads and also some element of monitoring after you pass your test also.

In addition to this, giving youngsters early experience of driving is the best way to improve our roads. There are calls to see driving on the national curriculum.

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September 24, 2015
14 Facts If You’ve Ever Failed Your Driving Test

If you’ve ever failed your driving test (especially if you have more than once) the following facts will most likely apply to you:

1. You think every examiner is out to get you.

2. You seem to be spending all your money on retests and driving lessons.

3. It’s always other road users’ fault.

4. Your eyesight becomes blurry.

5. You completely forget how to drive on test.

6. You don’t tell your friends, family or work when your next test is.

7. You wish people would stop saying ‘you’ll do better next time’.

8. You start to resent the friends with driving licences.

9. You grit your teeth when accepting lifts from others.

10. You watch other people’s driving like a hawk.

11. And then you realise they’ve already picked up bad habits since passing.

12. You feel embarrassed taking public transport.

13. You feel even more embarrassed when you have to show your green licence as ID.

14. You give up believing you’ll pass before your start your test.

As disheartening as it is to fail your test, the key is perseverance and staying calm despite the nerves.

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