A new survey has revealed the shocking statistic that almost one million drivers have been under the influence of drugs when behind the wheel – placing themselves and other road users at danger.

Experts say that drug-driving is becoming more and more of a significant social problem, with these rates on the rise for drivers caught under the influence of illegal substances or those under suspicion of the same.

Three per-cent of the 1,000 drivers questioned by the survey admitted to using drugs behind the wheel. Whilst this does not seem like a large number within itself, when applied to the 30 million driving population of the UK, as opposed to a limited 1,000 cross-section, the number suddenly suggests that approximately 900,000 drivers are behind the wheel under the influence of drugs – and perhaps many more that are not ready to own up to the offence.

With those convicted of the crime facing penalties ranging from a £5,000 fine, a driving ban of one year, or even 12 months behind bars, it is understandable that many others wouldn’t come forward, and it could be likely that many more unknown drivers are under the influence of drugs when behind the wheel.

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Safe driving from Britannia!

We have all heard of “passenger-seat” and “back-seat” drivers – but one motorist has taken this figure of speech a little literally.

A 20-year old Spanish driver has recently posted a video of himself online, in an apparent attempt to spark some controversy on the internet – however his plan has backfired on him drastically.

The man shared a video of himself in his car, seemingly behind the wheel – however several seconds into the footage, the man turns his mobile phone camera to the side to reveal that he is in fact manually operating the steering wheel from the passenger seat the whole time.

The reckless driver also continues to overtake a large lorry at high speeds, all the time steering the car from the wrong seat.

The video did indeed gain some popularity after going viral on the Internet – however it was this online notoriety that led to Spanish Police posting a copy of the video on their YouTube page to publicise the incident in the hope of identifying and punishing the so-called “irresponsible” driver.

The young man eventually handed himself into police custody, and was served a six-month suspended sentence on the condition of not breaking the law again in the next two years, as well as having his driving license revoked for one year.

It seems that this particular young man was attempting to pre-empt the arrival of the driver-less car before Google – but his recklessness has cost him dearly.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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The UK government announced yesterday that driverless cars will be allowed on public roads from January next year.

It also invited cities to compete to host one of three trials of the tech, which would start at the same time.

In addition, ministers ordered a review of the UK’s road regulations to provide appropriate guidelines.  UK engineers have been experimenting with driverless cars but concerns about legal and insurance issues have so far restricted the machines to private roads.

The term driverless cars tends to refer to vehicles that take charge of steering ,accelerating, indicating and braking during most if not all of a journey between two points, much in the same way aeroplanes can be set to autopilot. Unlike the skies, however, the roads are much more crowded, and a range of technologies are being developed to tackle the problem.

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With more drivers on UK roads now than ever in history, it is much more important for modern motorists to practice their safe driving. Whilst all legal drivers have learned the sufficient skills to pass their driving test, a large proportion are quite open to the fact that they lapse into bad driving habits once they have their pink license – but something needs to be done about this.

Whilst it should go without saying, driving after drinking is still a common issue. Even the slightest amount of alcohol can affect your reaction time and make you a danger to other road users. Likewise, always ensure to drive according to the weather around you – take note of the conditions outside, and adjust your driving to suit the weather.

Driving when tired can have just as serious consequences as driving when drunk. Take regular breaks on long journeys, and try to avoid driving altogether when fatigued. Avoiding distractions such as mobile phones, music or other passengers when behind the wheel will significantly reduce the risk of an accident and make you a safer driver.

Finally, always make sure you wear your seat belt – they are there to save your life in the event of a collision. Even if you are only driving for a couple of minutes to the shop, being on the road puts you at danger of being in a crash, and having your seatbelt on for those couple of minutes could make the difference.

As always, safe driving from Britannia!

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Whilst the last few weeks most of Britain has been experiencing a welcome heatwave, giving us a hot summer to remember, many motorists may not be aware of the negative implications this could have on your vehicle.

Driving in heat can have certain repercussions on your car, ranging from mild annoyances and uncomfortable driving experiences, all the way to full-blown catastrophes if the problems are not prevented or treated fast enough.

For example, whilst many drivers are aware of the problems cold weather can have on your battery life, it is a relatively little-known fact that opposite conditions can have the same detrimental effect. If your car is not stored in a cool location such as a garage, then prolonged exposure to the hot elements can significantly decrease the batteries life span. Always check this and ensure that the battery is fully charged before any journey, especially any long trip.

Also always make sure that your Air conditioning unit is functioning properly. Whilst it can be nice to have the windows down instead when driving along, if your car is stationary for a prolonged time (such as in a traffic jam) during the heatwave, then opening the windows will simply be allowing more unwanted hot air into the vehicle. Check that your Air-Con is working before setting off for a drive.

Do you have any other tips for our summer drivers? Let us know in the comments section below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

Google has been advocating the benefits of its self-driving cars for years, so a team of stuntmen decided to put the technology to the test.

The tests were carried out at the Mojave Desert, California.

As they went around the track at speeds of 50 mph, the motorists switched on the smart cruise control and lane assist features, which allowed the cars to drive the 6.4 mile circuit unaided.

At this point, a large lorry with a flatbed drove alongside and four of the stuntmen climbed out through the roofs, and jumped unaided onto the back of the HGV.

Only the driver at the front of the convoy stayed in the car, knowing there were four cars travelling behind him with no-one at the wheel.

He then crossed his arms, with the lorry pulling up on front and slamming on the breaks.

The Hyundai’s automatic emergency braking system immediately kicked in and the car came to a standstill before it could smash into the track. The four driverless cars behind also slammed the brakes on – preventing a serious accident.

The cars did exactly what Hyundai promised they could and all drivers and vehicles came out unscathed.

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Most motorists are aware that pulling over on the hard shoulder of a motorway is in fact an offence, unless there is an emergency. However, this does not seem to prevent many drivers from using the hard shoulder as anything from a place to pull over to make a phone call, to a convenient place for a snooze after a long motorway drive.

Here are some of the best (or worst) excuses for pulling over on the hard shoulder:

– One driver seeing the word “Fire” showing on his dashboard display panicked and pulled into the hard shoulder, expecting his car to be ablaze within minutes. It turned out that was the title of the Adele track he was listening to on his CD player.

– Disoriented drivers checking maps or re-setting their sat-navs.

– One driver pulled up after realising his insurance policy had expired – so that he could call around for the best quote to renew.

– Photographing their children in the car on a sunny day.

– Falling asleep after feeling sleepy when behind the wheel.

– Picking flowers for a loved one.

– Having a drink and chatting to fellow passengers.

– Trying to find the best location for mobile phone signal along the motorway (this one raises so many questions…)

These are just some of the strangest excuses we have heard for drivers illegitimately using the hard-shoulder. What bizarre excuses have you heard for appalling driver behaviour?

Let us know in the comments section below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

It has been found that more than a quarter of those found guilty over cyclist deaths did not receive driving bans.

In 2013, 109 cyclists were killed on UK roads and more than 3,000 were seriously injured.

Campaigners are arguing that drivers are being let off too lightly and want tougher penalties. In the last seven years, 148 people were charged with killing a cyclist. Of those found guilty, 44% went to prison. The average jail sentence was less than two years while the average length of driving ban was 22 months. For 26% of drivers, no ban was imposed.

Pro-cycling group and the sport’s governing body, British Cycling, says it wants tougher bans and longer prison sentences, especially for repeat or serious offences. Driving groups think it is wrong to demonise one type of toad user and that it is impossible to increase penalties just for cyclists.

The maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving is 14 years and five years for death for careless driving.

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