The UK government has plans to ban the use of translators in Driving Theory Tests.

Although this is likely to provoke cries of unfairness, many supporters of the plans say that it will help immigrants learn to speak English – helping to keep them safer on English-speaking roads.

Over 1,000 successful passes for the theory test have had to be revoked in the last 5 years, due to the outcome of investigations into claims of interpreters helping candidates to cheat.

In the years of 2008 and 2009, one in five tests involving a translator was discovered to be cheating. This suggests that a large proportion of candidates have erroneously passed their Theory tests, despite insufficient knowledge.

Transport Minister Stephen Hammond said: “By stopping driving tests in foreign languages we will cut out the risk of fraud and help to ensure that all drivers can read road signs and fully understand the rules of the road.”

Driving can be a dangerous practice, and allowing motorists behind the wheel who fall short of the requirements needed to drive in the UK would be inadvertently asking for trouble. Removing the use of interpreters in the theory test will resolve this issue.

What are your thoughts? Should we allow candidates to take the Theory test using an interpreter? Let us know your views in the comments section below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

We all know what’s it like on test day! You’ve prepared and you know you can pass it but you’ve got the jitters. What do you do?

You know us better than to think we wouldn’t have an answer. Here are our 5 top tips:

1) Get organised. You can do this is by having everything prepared the night before. Have your driving licence and papers ready so you’re not worrying about these the next day – which won’t help your nerves.
2) Know the car. Will you be taking your test in a car that you have learnt in? If you’re asked to open the car bonnet do you know how?
3) Make a good impression on your examiner – you know, a smile. Of course, if you make a serious mistake you’ll still fail, it’s much better doing your test in a pleasant environment.
4) Keep your eyes on your speed. We don’t need to explain this one.
5) Don’t give up! If you feel you’ve made a big mistake, keep going. Don’t give up. Show the examiner you can recover from mistakes.

Those are our tips!

Good luck.

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

Recently the news reported that 80-year-old Coronation Street actress Barbara Knox had been arrested for drink driving.

The reason we bring this up is because many people, and we’re not saying Knox is one of them, lull themselves into the idea that because they’ve been driving for decades, they can push the limits.

What do we mean?

They drink one more than they should and feel that it will be okay because they’re experienced and they’re not driving far.

Or they think about the fact they’ve driven the same route for years and have never had an accident.

But there’s never an excuse. You shouldn’t get behind the wheel if you are over the limit. Of course, many of us won’t have our offences listed in the tabloids, but we risk so much more: losing our licence or causing a serious accident. And we don’t want either of those things for you.

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

Katie Homer, who was spotted driving the wrong way down the M5, has been spared jail. CCTV footage showed her driving north up the southbound carriageway swerving into lorries and going round a roundabout twice.

She was given a four-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, at Wolverhampton Crown Court. She was also sentenced to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for three years, and ordered to pay £200 costs.

Homer has pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and dangerous driving at a previous hearing. The sentencing judge told her she had committed a ‘very serious driving offence’.

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

With the release of a news story today detailing a woman’s filming of an aggressive road rage driver (resulting in a car crash), Britannia has decided to provide you with its list of the best tips to avoid Road Rage:

1.) Plan your journey. Try to avoid routes that will be crammed with high congestion, as this is a contributing cause of road rage. Stay to calmer roads, and you will find your attitude much more relaxed too.

2.) Play the correct music. Studies have shown that the music you play can severely affect the way that you drive. Avoid heavy metal or heavy bass, and try to play softer music whilst behind the wheel.

3.) Maintain steady breathing. When you feel the onset of Road Rage, take a step back from the situation, and breathe slowly, allowing yourself to calm down before you launch into a fury.

4.) Drive courteously. Just like many other drivers on the roads may annoy you, you could just as easily be annoying many other drivers, likely without realising it. Drive with respect to others, and they will be more likely to do the same to you.

5.) Finally remember, it is not personal. If somebody has cut you up, or caused you to swerve or brake sharply, the chances are that they have made a driving mistake, or perhaps they are just a bad driver. They almost certainly did not do it intentionally to aggravate you, so don’t take it personally.

Hopefully following these tips will help you to reduce that road rage, and stay calm in high-pressure driving situations.

Safe driving from Britannia!