A safety system which detects if a driver is struggling to stay awake is to be tested out on coaches for prevent catastrophic crashes. The system will track drivers’ eye movements with an infra-red camera, that also works in the dark or through glasses, and when it is detected that a driver is about to fall asleep an audio alert will sound and a vibration will be sent into the seat to wake the driver up.

The position of the head is also monitored to detect possible distraction. The system is first to be trialled in coaches owned by five different firms over nine months. If the trial is successful, the companies wound consider installing the devices in all of their coaches.

This will improve the safety of coach travel, and may even be used in cars if successful.

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With the Christmas season firmly in place, it is not uncommon for people across the country to be embracing the festive period and revelling in much merriment with a few celebratory beverages. Britannia Driving School often stresses the obvious importance of never driving after drinking… but what about driving the next day?

A recent study has suggested that driving the day after a boozing session can be just as dangerous as driving when fully intoxicated. The study, conducted by the University of the West of England, shows that reaction speeds are dramatically slowed down, and lapses in concentration are much more common when suffering from the effects of a hangover.

The simulation presented its users with the real-life situation of driving to work the morning after a night out, and monitored many different factors with the driving. Many subjects of the test were shown to still be impaired by the after-effects of a night out drinking, and were considerably more dangerous behind the wheel than a driver who had not been drinking the night before… even though subjects claimed to feel fully fit to drive at the start of the test.

So if you are going to be drinking this Christmas Day, and intend to make the Boxing Day sales bright and early, feel free to enjoy yourself, but do try to avoid over-indulging if you will be driving the next day, or otherwise leave the car at home while you hit the shops.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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Frosty weather is on its way, Britannia warns drivers not to leave their car unattended with the engines running as this is exactly what car thieves look out for on a frosty morning. Research has found that 40% of drivers let their car’s engine clear icy screens before they drive off but the danger here is that if they pop indoors even for a moment, they are at serious risk of having their car stolen.

Here are Britannia’s tips for defrosting your car this winter:

– Do not leave your car unattended. If you need to go indoor, switch off and lock the car.
– Switch on the heated rear screen and mirrors to warm the glass whilst using a scraper and de-icer on the exterior of your car.
– Use air conditioning to dry the air and keep cold glass mist-free
– Do not drive off until all of the glass is clear.
– Do not use just-boiled water to clear glass as it could crack the glass your wipers to the glass.
– Use a soft brush to clear all the snow off the car, ensure the front grille is clear and make sure all lights are clean and are working properly
– Use a lint-free absorbent cloth to wipe misted-up windows.

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Christmas time is finally upon us. This means lots of fun, laughter, and of course plenty of drinks in and around the festive period. But this also means that the amount of drink-drivers on UK roads is now higher than at any other point in the year.

Recent figures suggest that as many as one in eight deaths on Scottish roads can be attributed to motorists driving whilst over the legal limit.

If you are planning to drink and still drive this Christmas, remember that if caught you are liable to lose your licence as well as having a criminal record for up to twenty years of your life.

Kenny MacAskill, the Justice Secretary, forced the point home to many when discussing the issue of drink-driving over Christmas, reminding us all that “Having even one alcoholic drink, then driving, makes you three times more likely to die in a car crash.”

So this Christmas, by all means enjoy the Seasonal period, but don’t even consider driving, as many drivers over the limit are not even aware that they were over the limit at all, having had “just one” or “just a couple of small drink” before getting behind the wheel. The bottom line is, if you are drinking this Christmas, don’t drive at all.

Merry Christmas, and Safe Driving from Britannia!

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The government launched its Think! Drink Drive Christmas Campaign yesterday. It reveals the huge impact that a drink driving conviction can have on an individual’s current job and future employability.

According to the Department for Transport, 27% of people rely on their car to get to work, and would have to give up their job if they were caught drink driving and alternative jobs would require a criminal records check. A third of convicted drink drivers surveyed say they have been limited on the jobs they can do since their offence by not being able to drive.

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As Christmas approaches, driving safely becomes more important – people are rushing around trying to buy presents, it gets dark earlier, the number of drink-drivers rises and the weather doesn’t help conditions.

Here are Britannia’s top tips for driving this Christmas:

– Give plenty of time for your journey, there will be a lot of cars on the roads and journey times will be longer.
– Don’t drive whilst tired and take regular breaks.
– Do not drink and drive, if you are going to a Christmas party and plan to drink, leave your car at home and arrange another mode of transport.
– Check your brakes and tyres before a journey as well as your anti-freeze in case of frost.
– Carry a hot flask and a blanket in case of a breakdown.
– Check traffic and weather updates for road closures and extreme weather conditions.

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Safe driving from Britannia!