Many new and inexperienced drivers are put off by the daunting prospect of driving on the motorway. However this needn’t be as terrifying as most people think if you follow the basic rules.

Here are Britannia’s Top Tips for Motorway Driving:

– Perform your pre-flight checks. Check your oil, fuel, tyre pressure, brakes, clutch fluid and windscreen washer fluid to ensure that these are fully prepared for your journey.

– Plan your journey. Avoid looking at maps, and don’t rely on your sat-nav. Also ensure that you allow enough time to take a fifteen minute break every two hours to avoid fatigue.

– Remember the 2-second rule. Leave at least 2 seconds of reasonable space between yourself and the car in front, to prevent the possibility of a collision in the event of a sudden stop.

– Make sure you indicate before making any lane change or leaving the motorway.

– Keep an eye on those mirrors – the situation is liable to change much faster on a motorway than a normal road.

– Try to stay clear of larger vehicles such as trucks, coaches, etc., as these present more of a hazard.

– Stay on the left at all times, unless overtaking. After overtaking, return to the left lane as soon as it is safe to do so.

– Should the worst happen and you break down, pull into the hard shoulder as soon as possible, and call for help immediately. Emergency phones are situated along most motorways and will automatically relay your location. While you wait for help to arrive, you should stand clear of the hard shoulder for your own safety.

Following these simple rules will make motorway driving much easier for you. We are sure in no time you will be wondering what all the fuss was about!

Safe driving from Britannia!

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It is a well-known fact that traffic is getting worse, and it has been revealed that the ten worst roads for congestion in Britain are all in London. Despite London’s efforts to combat traffic by enforcement of the congestion charge, traffic jams have been on the rise.

UK drivers wasted a total of 30 hours in traffic congestion in 2013 with the London commute zone having the biggest increase in hours wasted, rising from 72 hours in 2012 to 82 hours in 2013. Of the 25 most congested cities in Europe for urban traffic, London was second only to Brussels.

The most congested road was the A4 in the afternoon peak between central London and the junction 3 of the M4 near Heathrow in west London, with 91 annual delay hours. The second worst road was the M4 going in the opposite direction in the afternoon between the M4 junction 3 and central London, with 73 hours of annual delays.

After London, the most congested areas were Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Nottinghamshire and Greater Birmingham.

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A UK teenager has been given a speeding fine – whilst on a driving lesson.

Stacie Ralphes, a seventeen year-old from Weymouth, Dorset, was clocked by a speed camera whilst travelling at 36 mph in a 30 mph zone.

With only 12 hours of driving experience to her name, the health and social care student was shocked to receive the fine whilst on her driving lesson with the AA.

As the car did not belong to her, the letter was forwarded to her home address after being received by the AA. Ralphes was offered a choice between a compulsory fine and three points on her (currently green) license, or a driving awareness course instead, the latter of which she accepted, at a cost of £110.

Whilst deciding not to appeal the speeding fine, the issue was raised with the AA, who have offered to pay the price for the course, as a gesture of good will, although they do deny any responsibility for the transgression.

This should stand as a warning that according to current UK laws, the operator of a vehicle (with a full license or not) is fully responsible for the speed at which they are travelling, and it is this individuals duty to ensure that they do not break speed limit laws. A driving instructor, whilst in possession of dual controls, is there to guide and advise the pupil, and to avoid any accidents, although the speed of the vehicle rests solely with the person behind the wheel.

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A review by the Department for Transport has called for elderly drivers to be allowed to continue driving until they are 80 before having to renew their licences, making the DVLA, who are struggling under the weight of renewal applications, more efficient.

Safety campaigners, however, warn that the move could cost lives and insist that regulations for older drivers should be strengthened, not relaxed.

Under current law, drivers must send their licence to be renewed when they reach 70, declaring if they have any medical conditions which could affect their driving, and confirming they can still read a number plate at 65ft. After 70, they must reapply every three years to keep driving. However, with the population living longer while still being fit to drive, the DVLA is finding it hard to cope with the amount of renewal applications.

The Department for Transport argues that raising the renewal age could relieve pressure on the DVLA ‘with little or no impact on road safety’. Safety organisations argue otherwise, with calls even being made for all drivers to be regularly assessed.

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With hints of the weather starting to improve as we edge ever-so-cautiously into spring, many of us will be tempted to load up the car and go for long drives into the country, or even on summer holiday trips away. But along with long journeys comes driving fatigue, a proven deadly hazard. Here are Britannia’s top tips to fight the tiredness:

– If you will be driving more than 2 hours, take a stop every two hours, just for fifteen minutes or so. Whilst this will length your journey time somewhat, it will dramatically improve your concentration when driving.

– If driving with a partner, friend or relative who is also able (legally) to drive your car, share the journey, so fatigue is only half as likely to set in.

– Stay hydrated. Lack of fluid in the body is a huge cause of tiredness.

– Avoid travelling late or in the dark, as this exacerbates fatigue.

– Be aware of your alertness – if you start to feel drowsy, pull over at the earliest opportunity and take a short walk around a service station. If in need, drink a cup of strong coffee or other caffeine-based beverage, but be wary that this will only work once in a journey.

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Katie Homer, 26, has been banned from the road after being caught on camera driving north up the hard shoulder of the southbound carriageway of the M5 for four miles until leaving the motorway at junction one for West Bromwich.

She also circled a roundabout twice before being finally stopped by police in the early hours of December 4 last year. She was spotted leaving the motorway up the entry slip road at 2.30am.

CCTV footage released by West Midlands Police shows Homer speeding down the wrong way, forcing vehicles, including a lorry driver, to swerve out of her way. She was recorded as having 79mcg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath – more than twice the legal limit of 35mcg.

She was given an interim disqualification from driving at her hearing last Thursday and was released on bail until her sentencing hearing on March 28.

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A new survey of 1500 drivers has found that UK drivers are easily distracted… with children in the car as the biggest culprit of driver distraction.

Almost a third of the drivers surveyed have admitted that their children proved the biggest disruption to their concentration whilst behind the wheel, with a variety of other interferences affecting their driving.

May drivers attributed a busy lifestyle to a need to use their mobile phones whilst driving (despite many admitting to using phones when driving purely for Social Media). Other interruptions to a normal flow of driving included changing the radio channel, paying attention to passenger’s instructions when driving, trying to comprehend the sat nav’s directions, or even ogling attractive pedestrians.

Whatever the cause of your distraction when driving, remember that the road requires your maximum concentration. Anything less is simply bad driving.

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A teenager with learning difficulties, who was told aged just seven that she would never be able to drive – has defied the odds and passed her practical driving test… on her first time!

18-year old Abigail Elstone, who suffers from dyslexia and dyscalculia, which gives her problems with reading and writing and comprehending arithmetic, has recently passed her theory test on the ninth attempt, and her practical test on her first attempt.

The teenager, a hairdressing student from Cannock, West Midlands, has said:

“It feels so amazing to be able to drive. Even though it took nine times to pass the theory I did not want to give up. I am so happy to have passed. It is a big achievement for me and I am very proud.”

Abigail has been described as an inspiration by not giving up despite struggling with the theory tests, as well as by managing to pass her full practical test before she even turned eighteen.

What are your thoughts on this article? Do you know someone who overcame adversity to drive?

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With the now infamous flooding pouring in all over the country, it is inevitable that our roads are soon to be swamped. Whilst here at Britannia we do advise against driving around any flooded areas, we do know that sometimes it can be unavoidable when you reach an unexpectedly waterlogged road.

Here are our top tips for driving in flood zones:

– Keep an eye as far ahead as possible. If the road ahead is even slightly flooded, approach with caution. Do not enter a flooded area if you are unsure where the flooding ends.

– Drive slowly to avoid soaking other cars and/or pedestrians.

– Drive on the highest section of the road you can to avoid submerging yourself in water unnecessarily.

– Ensure that you keep your revs high all the time whilst driving through water.

– When in deep water, keep your foot firmly on the accelerator at all times- this will help to prevent water from travelling up the exhaust of your car and causing damage.

If your local area is at risk of flooding, do try to avoid any journey at all, unless absolutely essential. Driving in flooding can only put both yourself and your car at risk.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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