The British have always thought themselves to be polite, not complain and wait patiently for things. Although this might not be true when we take to the roads!

Research found that UK commuters are none of these things, with a third of respondents admitting to speeding, 14% travelling too fast for the road conditions and 13% changing lanes without looking.

Perhaps even more interestingly of all those questioned, a fifth of them were not regretful and blamed their habits on other road users.

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Do you think you’re safe whilst driving? Think again! New research has provided shocking figures that reveal that over 3 million Britons have fallen asleep whilst driving… and this is only in the last year!

A survey for the car insurance firm LV suggests that out of 38 million UK drivers, 3.4 million of these have admitted to doze-driving. This equates to almost one in every ten drivers.

One in five of those surveyed owned up to struggling to stay awake behind the wheel, and almost one in three was guilty of driving whilst drowsy!

Many of these drivers attributed their weariness to long monotonous roads, sleep deprivation, long hauls on the way to a holiday, or leaving work late.

The survey also suggests that at an average speed of 50mph, and an average distance of driving whilst dozing of 26 metres (or 85 feet), this equates to over 55, 000 miles covered by drivers who weren’t even fully awake at the wheel in the last year!

Whilst this may sound like an amusing statistic, over the last 5 years at least 3,357 accidents have been caused on UK roads related to motorists driving whilst tired.

John O’ Roarke, The Managing Director of LV Car Insurance has said: Falling asleep while driving, even momentarily, is extremely dangerous but taking regular breaks from driving can help prevent it.

“If you know you are going to be driving long distance, plan ahead and make sure you have sufficient time to rest.”

So if you’re taking a long journey, or driving after a long day, make sure you don’t feel too tired, or simply delay your journey if you do.  If you start to feel tired in the middle of a journey, pull over into a service station and drink a cup of strong coffee and take a short nap while you wait for the caffeine to kick in. This may cost you a little time in your day and make the long journey even longer, but if you risk driving whilst tired, it could end up costing you much more.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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A driver lied to a nurse about his blood sugar levels, never informed the DVLA about having diabetes and then lost control of his car hitting a pedestrian.

Darren Lock, 41 drove his car in Bedford last June despite knowing his blood sugar levels were low and caused destruction along the way.

He caused drivers to swerve, clipped a wing mirror and drove with his front bumper hanging off before he finally stopped, only after hitting a pedestrian.

Mr Dawkins, who was hit, suffered two broken neck vertebrae, a broken arm, broken leg, a punctured lung and a burst artery. He had to spend a week in intensive care due to the injuries.

Prosecutor Kevin Barry issued Mr Lock with a three year driving ban and jailed him for six months.

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A trainee driving instructor was forced to flee from his car when it suddenly burst into flames during an exam.

The fire service rushed to the scene on Johnston Avenue, Hebburn, South Tyneside, early Saturday morning, to tackle the blaze in the Peugeot 307.

The vehicles driver was in the middle of a lesson during his training to be a driving instructor. He was currently in the car with his own driving examiner, who had requested he pull over so that he could ask him a few routine questions.

Whilst in the midst of the questioning, the pair noticed some smoke coming from under the dashboard. Despite heavy rainfall outside of the car, the two men decided to exit the vehicle, and not a moment too soon, as within a few minutes the car had erupted completely into flames.

Tony Brew, the Watch Manager from South Shields Fire Station said that the two had made the right decision to leave the car for their own personal safety, because: “The fire spread very rapidly. There’s a lot of plastic and electrical wiring in the dashboard and it’s very flammable.

“We can’t be 100 per cent how the fire started, but we think it was an electrical fault.”

He added: “It was raining very heavily but the car was well alight by the time we got there. The car was a write-off but nobody was injured.”

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Motorists in South Wales are being stopped at random and asked to read a number plate of a vehicle parked 20m (65ft) away.

During the crackdown held earlier this year, police stopped more than 800 drivers, handing out 29 cautions and seeing 9 drivers lose their licence due to bad eyesight.

Of the drivers found to have bad eyesight, as expected many were older drivers however, the police want to urge younger drivers to be responsible and get their eyes tested regularly.

South Wales Police’s road safety manager, Insp Wayne Tucker said: “We find these days young people aren’t having eyesight tests in schools like they used to and as they get older they’re not going to the optician and don’t realise the danger they are putting themselves and others in by driving.”

The random checks are thought to be continued and extended to the M4.

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With fuel costs continuing to rise, now is a better time than ever to think about how to save yourself money in terms of driving. And with latest figures declaring that just by driving a little more fuel-conscious, you could be saving yourself up to £350 per annum, what better reason to start being a little more economical?

Read our tips for fuel-efficient driving here:

–          If stuck in traffic/stationery for more than a couple of minutes, simply turn your engine off. Forget any myths about your car using more petrol to turn back on again – most cars use no extra fuel to turn on the engine, unless you are pressing the accelerator, so you will be saving a fortune if you’re stuck in a jam behind an accident on the motorway.

–          Drive in a higher gear as soon as you can – This will enable you to drive at a lower engine speed, and therefore reduce fuel consumption. Move up to a gear between 2000 and 2500 rpm.

–          Think ahead – try to visualise when the road may be bending, and keep an eye on the traffic in front to avoid any sharp braking, and allowing you to accelerate and decelerate smoothly, without the need to put the vehicle under any unnecessary stress.

–          Drive slowly – Whilst this rule applies to safe driving in all circumstances, it is also vital for economical driving. Even just 15mph difference in your speed can have as dramatic an impact as using 25% more fuel.

–          Keep your car streamlined – avoid any aerodynamic drag on your car by resisting large spoilers on the back, as well as by keeping the windows closed, especially when travelling at high speeds.

–          Regularly check your tyre pressure – this is advisable to do at least once a month, and vital before any long journeys. Not only do under-inflated tyres add to your fuel usage, but they can be dangerous to drive with, not to mention illegal. While down there, why not check your tyre tread as well, to be on the safe side.

–          Remove excess weight from your car – This doesn’t just mean that annoying friend who always calls “Shotgun”. Go through your boot and your back seats, and you’ll be amazed at the rubbish that collects inside a car over a period of time. Remove racks and roof boxes too, as well as anything that is not absolutely essential to your journey, and see your fuel go further.

–          Switch off the air-con – If you’re going slow enough, simply open a window instead. Air conditioning can have a major effect on fuel consumption as your engine powers the machinery, so only use this when it is crucial.

Employ these tactics in your day-to-day driving, and watch your money go further, as well as your vehicle.

Safe driving from Britannia!

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Feeling nervous about your upcoming driving test? Fear not, help is at hand, with Britannia’s advice to beat the anxiety.

–          First things first: make sure you have a good night’s sleep for several days prior to your driving test. Research has shown that a succession of full nights sleeps enable the mind to function at its best, as opposed to one full night’s sleep. And don’t rely on Caffeine or Energy drinks to waken you up – this is a stimulant, and as such it is almost certain to heighten feelings of anxiety.

–          Have the right state of mind: Approach the test with a positive outlook, and you already have a much higher chance of passing. Don’t worry about failure; just consider how great it will be to have all those lessons pay off. Don’t dwell on previous failures, just bear all of your successes in life in your mind – you wouldn’t be taking the test if your instructor didn’t think you were capable, so remember, you can do this!

–          Try not to see the test as a “test” – Treat today as going for a simple drive. As long as you ensure you drive correctly and safely (which you should be doing anyway, examiner or no examiner!) you will be absolutely fine.

–          Prepare well for the test: try to book the test for a time of day that suits you – earlier in the day if you feel that this is your peak time and that you will perform your best here or later if you consider yourself to not be a “morning person”. Also in the weeks running up to your test, focus on your weaknesses whilst driving in your lessons so that you can turn these into strengths during your test. Even try a mock test with your instructor so you are as prepared as possible for whatever the test can bring.

–          Eat a banana- bananas are full of B vitamins, which reduce nerves, they contain tryptophan, which is a protein the body converts into serotonin, a hormone that releases happy feelings and will ensure you maintain a positive outlook on your test, and contain vast amounts of potassium, which will help regulate your heartbeat during stressful situations, and encourage oxygen levels to the brain, increases your concentration. Get a banana down you, and you have Biology on your side too!

The important thing to remember is that you are physically capable of passing your test – otherwise you would not be taking it. Don’t let nerves get the better of you on your test day – this is only one drive of forty minutes – you have driven longer than this on every lesson you have taken. You can do this- good luck, and happy driving for the future!

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A motorist snapped another driver playing a game on his iPad whilst driving on Scotland’s busiest motorway.

The driver was travelling at 65mph on the M8 motorway whilst resting his iPad on the steering wheel. But what shocked the motorist who took the picture, was he was playing the Real Racing Game on his iPad.

The photographer said: “He was sitting playing the Real Racing game on his iPad and glancing up at the road every now and then,”

“At one point he undertook us still playing the game on the iPad.”

He went on to say: “Could he not have been content just to do the real thing safely.”

Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists said: “The research we have done has shown even using a smartphone at the wheel is more dangerous than having drugs or alcohol at legal levels in your body.

The photographs of the driver have been passed on to the police and they said that further inquiries will continue.

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Learning to drive is a daunting process for most; however this can be exacerbated if you do not have the right driving instructor at your side. Whilst you may think that any instructor will be as appropriate as the next, your likelihood of progress within your lessons, and therefore your road to eventual success in your test, depends greatly upon if your instructor is suitable for you.

Here are some tips to help you find the best driving instructor for you;

–          At the end of each lesson, review the lesson yourself, and see if you feel you have made much progress today – if several lessons with one instructor pass without a noticeable improvement in your driving skill, this could well be due to the instructor’s lack of aptitude more than your own. Start considering if the instructor is right for you.

–          Do you enjoy your lessons? Whilst the aim of driving lessons is to get you on the road, it can never hurt to enjoy yourself along the way. Research shows that students who enjoy learning have a much quicker learning time frame than those who have a negative view of their education. This can mean anything from having a laugh and joke with your instructor to simply considering them a good teacher – but enjoyment is vital.

–          Don’t be afraid to shop around – Some students can spend up to £1000 or more on driving lessons- this is your money, and if you feel that you’re not getting your money’s worth, you are in no obligation whatsoever to stick with one instructor. Whilst it would be preferable to have the stability of one constant instructor, if you feel they are not right for you, then you are more than welcome to move on to another instructor.

Finding the right instructor is a vital part of learning to drive- make sure you choose carefully!

Stephen Mansbridge, 51, leader of Guildford Borough Council was handed a 40 month driving ban after he was caught over the drink drive limit.

The ban, a £1665 fine, £87 court costs and a surcharge of £120 were handed to Cllr Mansbridge at Guildford Magistrates Court on April 30th. The ban and fine were decided after looking at a previous offence committed by Cllr Mansbridge nine years earlier.

He said: “I am deeply sorry for this dreadful lapse of judgement and regret my actions in every sense possible….I commend the officers of Surrey Police for acting quickly and sensibly and fully accept the punishment of the court, which I did not seek to contest in any way.”

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