We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and no doubt a lot of you will be spending the day indoors after the festivities of yesterday. For those of you planning on hitting the sales today, remember to drive carefully.

A lot of people will be in a rush to get to the sales and roads are likely to be extremely busy and it is inevitable to some road users, in their rush to hit the sales, will not be following the rules of the road.

If you are out on the road, drive at a slower speed and be mindful of other road users. Give plenty of time for your journey and concentrate on the road at all times. If you have had some alcohol on Christmas Day, it is advisable to stay at home as you may still be over the limit.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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Everyone at Britannia Driving School would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

We hope that whatever your plans today, you have a wonderful and fun day with your loved ones. Take the time off to relax and enjoy your day.

If you are driving today, we advise you to be careful on the roads and have a safe journey.

Best wishes from all at Britannia!

So we’ve finally made it, tomorrow is Christmas Day. With a bit of luck, your car has served you well over this busy Christmas period, with all your shopping and delivering of presents (although many of us will still be delivering until late tonight… you know who you are!)

Tomorrow over 4 million of us will take to the roads of the UK to visit friends and relatives, and although you will be busy enjoying the festivities of the day, do not forget to take care of your car this Christmas Day. Unfortunately traffic and congestion do not take Christmas Day off, so be wary of other cars around you, and try not to contribute to the heavy volume of vehicles on the road tomorrow.

Also keep in mind that your car can break down at any time, and that tomorrow is no different. Remember to perform all of the necessary pre-flight checks – oil, fuel, tyre pressure, and central heating, plus all of the other essentials needed to complete your journey. The last thing you want is for your car to break down and leave you stranded for the best part of Christmas Day!

Finally, drive safely this Christmas Day. At Britannia, we know that nobody wants to be stuck behind the wheel on Christmas Day of all days, but remember to take your time, be aware of other road users and pedestrians, and take into account that at this time of year the weather can be at its most treacherous.

Merry Christmas tomorrow, from all here at Britannia Driving School!

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Warnings have been issued for rain and heavy winds across England and Wales. Most train companies have cancelled services or are running a reduced service and road disruption is likely.
The strength of winds is likely to increase throughout the day and particularly in the late afternoon and evening. Britannia’s advice is to only drive if you need to and try to get to your destination before the late afternoon.

If you do need to drive during the times when the weather is expected to be at its worst, keep the following points in mind:

– Keep both hands on the steering wheel and keep your speed down. The quicker you are driving, the less control you will have of your vehicle especially in high winds.
– Be aware of other vehicles being blown into your path, in particular high-sided vehicles who are most affected by high winds. Also take particular care around cyclists and motorcyclists.
– Trees and debris are also likely to cause obstructions in the road at this time. It is important to keep your speed down and drive with great care as hitting debris at high speed can be incredibly dangerous.
– If you do need to drive, plan your journey carefully checking both weather and travel bulletins regularly.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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Drivers suffering from neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia or Essential Tremor are being given a new hope for their future behind the wheel of a car, after a revolutionary new treatment has proven to be effective at numbing the symptoms of their conditions.

Deep Brain Stimulation (or DBS) involves implanting small electrodes into specific areas of the patient’s brain, and transmitting minor electrical impulses that can help to regulate abnormal activity within the brain, which should help to ease people suffering from conditions that involve involuntary movement such as spams or shaking.

The treatment was tested with 65 subjects, 23 of which were Parkinson’s sufferers undergoing DBS, 21 sufferers that were not currently undergoing DBS, and 21 non-Parkinson’s sufferers.

After each group had completed a trail drive of three times, the results that came back showed a significant improvement between those of the Parkinson’s patients currently taking DBS, and those not currently taking any treatment, with the former performing better in almost all categories.

In fact, the results seemed to suggest that Parkinson’s patients taking DBS performed just as well as the people without Parkinson’s at all, in most categories, and suggested positive benefits for Parkinson’s sufferers taking DBs to continue driving.

Whilst this treatment becoming mainstream may still be a long way off yet, there is still a glimmer of hope for any people suffering from illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease who cannot enjoy the pleasure of driving due to their condition.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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The drink-driving message is a clear one this Christmas with Think! launching a campaign to demonstrate the serious impact drink-driving can have on an individual’s job prospects. The effects of alcohol can still be the same the day after drinking. The legal limit is 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml and the consumption to reach that level depends on a number of factors including age, metabolism and weight. Drug-driving is also an increasing problem – the penalty for driving under the influence of drugs is the same as drink-driving and is also a serious concern.

Below are some other points to consider when driving this Christmas:

– Speeding: as Christmas draws closer, everyone is in a rush to complete that last bit of shopping but remember stick to the speed limit to avoid serious consequences or the risk of a penalty. Make preparations for adverse weather conditions as well and drive accordingly.

– Mobile phones: It is a criminal offence to use a mobile handset not only whilst driving but even if the engine is running.

– Pedestrians: Look out for pedestrians whilst driving and the same rules apply if you are a pedestrian – take extra care when crossing roads and stick to the pavement.

– Cyclists: The rise in cyclist deaths in recent months demonstrate the vulnerability of cyclists so make sure you look out for them. If you are a cyclist abide by the road rules and do not cycle after drinking.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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You have probably already fallen victim to the notorious traffic associated with Christmas. With a combination of a sudden rush of people to the stores to get those last few bits and pieces for Christmas as well as a surge of people socialising this season, the roads are likely to be heaving with traffic.

Try to embrace the Christmas spirit this festive season, and don’t contribute to the heavy congestion on UK roads. If you are one of the lucky few to have broken up for your Christmas holidays early, try to use this great gift of time to your advantage, and go out to do your shopping on the quieter times of the day, when others will be at work and leave before the dreaded rush hour traffic starts. Every little helps.

If you are not lucky enough to have this time to get out and about for your gift-buying needs, then try to avoid the busy periods on the roads. Make the most of shops being open later this winter, and head out after the evening rush hour has died down, or wait to get most of your shopping done on relatively quiet Sundays instead of its significantly busier counterpart Saturday.

Also try to spread your schedule out – don’t try to get everything done in one day, as this unnecessary stress, compounded with the strain of Christmas traffic, will only cause you undue worry. Instead plan ahead, and choose the most convenient times for you to avoid the busy roads.

Safe driving this Christmas from Britannia!

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Nearly one in six drivers have admitted to ‘bump parking’, carrying on driving until they hit the adjacent car, with the figure being as high as 26% when considering drivers in London.

Bump parking is one of many bad parking habits, others include parking on double yellow lines (committed by 9% of drivers), parking in disabled bays without a blue badge (5%) and deliberately parking over two bays (6%).

Drivers are warned that though bump parking may seem an easy option at the time, they could end up paying a higher cost later especially if it results in damage to their own car.

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With the threat of snowy and icy conditions looming ever nearer at this time of year, it is good to ensure maximum safety for both yourself and your vehicle to minimise the risk of an accident or of breaking down and being rendered helpless in these harsh conditions.

Below are Britannia’s Top Tips for Driving in Ice:

– Give yourself time to prepare. Leave the house a substantial amount earlier to allow more time for your journey, as well as time to prepare your car if it needs de-icing or any other pre-journey maintenance.

– Ensure that all of your windows are fully clear. We’ve all seen the joker driving around with just a small gap in the ice on his windscreen, entirely oblivious to the majority of the traffic around him. Give yourself maximum visibility to reduce the risk of an accident.

– If your lock is frozen, never breathe on it, as the moisture is likely to condense and freeze in sub-zero temperatures, rendering your lock useless. Instead use a cigarette lighter to warm your key, this should do the trick.

– Plan your journey. If the route you would normally use is likely to be dangerous with heavy snow and ice, try to avoid this way and plan an alternative route, using more main roads that are much more likely to have been cleared of snow and gritted, even if this way takes longer, safety has to come first.

– Finally, carry a safety kit in the boot of your car. In the event of breaking down, you will be thoroughly glad you planned ahead this far. Keep an old phone with fully battery in this kit, as well as the necessary scraper and can of de-icer, torch, first-aid kit, change of clothing, blankets, jump leads, tow rope, bottle of water, and any other essentials that will come in handy in the event of an unexpected break-down far from help.

Using these tips should keep you much safer and disrupt your day-to-day schedule as little as possible this winter.

Safe driving from Britannia!

Have we missed any essential tips for driving in winter? Let us know in the comments section below!