Once you have passed your driving test you can drive alone, but you must be careful, you are on probation for two years. If you get 6 penalty points, which means going past a speed camera too fast twice, your licence will be revoked and you become a learner again. This means applying for another provisional license and passing the theory test again before taking another driving test.

Another and more important reason for being careful is your lack of driving experience. To gain experience first drive on roads you are familiar with, than venture further afield, if possible take an experienced driver with you.

Map reading is another skill you will find useful as a driver that means map reading to work out how to get from where you are, to where you want to be. Sat Navs are very good but sometimes they can take you a long way round. You should practice following their direction on local roads before venturing into unfamiliar areas.

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This is the safest way of buying as you get the maximum protection of the law. But there are dodgy dealers, so look for an established firm with a good reputation. Ask friends if they can recommend anyone.

Look for a garage whose cars have been part-inspected by the AA or the RAC. Ask to see the report on the car you want to buy. It will not be as detailed as one you pay for yourself, but will provide useful information. Or choose a dealer with a quality checking scheme, such as Ford Direct, Rover Direct or Vauxhall’s Network Q.

A trade association sign may mean that the firm follows a code of practice. The Retail Motor Industry Federation’s Motorline or the Scottish Motor Trade Association can tell you which local dealers subscribe to a code of practice supported by the Office of Fair Trading.

Before buying any car, and especially a used car, it is important to check the car’s condition thoroughly and test it out on the road. How does it feel on the road? Do the brakes provide smooth, reassuring braking? Rattles and ‘clunks’ will soon reveal themselves, even on a short trip around the block. If the car is more than three years old, check that it has a current MOT which states that the vehicle complies with certain criteria at a given date – it is not, however, a guarantee that any fault which may develop will be put right by the dealer.

A full service history is also very important to ensure that the vehicle has been properly looked after, and check that the mileage is warranted in writing to avoid any potential problems in the future. Ask to see the registration document and service record – does everything match up?

Identical twin girls from a small town on the north Wales coast have passed their driving test on the same day.

The twins aged 17 first passed their theory test on the same day and then went on to pass their practical driving test within an hour of each other.

Their driving instructor is no stranger when it comes to twins passing as he had previously got another set of twins through their test on the same day.

Both girls currently share a car but hope to own their own cars one day which they feel will give them their independence.

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Mercedes is previewing the third-generation A-Class with this, the Concept A-Class, due to be unveiled at the Shanghai motor show in a couple of weeks time. Forget all you thought you knew about the baby Merc too – the A-Class has got sexy!

After a famously wobbly start, the A-Class has flourished and made the most of its clever sandwich floor packaging and mini-MPV practicality. Spacious inside for such a compact car, it’s matured into a decent baby Mercedes and spawned the bigger B-Class too.

But even with that Mercedes star on the bonnet it struggled to give off the air of desirability and prestige the badge stands for. So for the third-gen A-Class Mercedes is clearly having a significant re-think.

The Concept A-Class is a much lower, sleeker and sportier offering. Mercedes’ claims that it looks like “a car that might have come from another planet” are possibly a bit strong but it’s certainly a big step forward.

London’s transport network is thought to play a key role in transporting tens of thousands of passengers on their way into London for wedding celebrations on 29 April 2011.

London Mayor Boris Johnson announced last month that there were to be 750,000 limited addition oyster cards available with the image of Price William and Kate Middleton with the words “To commemorate the marriage of Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton 29 April 2011.”

It is thought that the cards will be extremely popular as they cost the same as a standard oyster card and will be a nice memento of the day.

The electronic card system has been in place since 2003 and this is the first time they have introduced a limited edition of the cards. However, it is not the first time that London Transport have celebrated royal weddings as in 1981 a special ticket was produced for the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana.

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2 million people are thought to be attending street parties today with more than 4000 formal applications put in for road closures and many others arranging street parties at short notice.

David Cameron has clearly stated that if you want to have a street party then have one. It is hoped that councils will allow communities to come together in a stress free environment and ignore health and safety legalities gone mad.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond had already informed councils to relax over health and safety and allow road closures if possible to do so.

This is a national occasion where we can come together and celebrate just like we did 30 years ago.

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By all accounts the “green” car market is a fledgling one. According to statistics from research firm Datamonitor, and as featured in last week’s trends feature, hybrid and electric cars make up just 0.9% of the UK car market.

It isn’t surprising, when Datamonitor’s figures indicate that consumers still perceive environmentally friendly vehicles to be out of their price range, despite a range of incentives available. But more than half of those in Datamonitor’s survey say they aren’t aware of such incentives, such as Government subsidies on some models, free parking in London, a waiver of the congestion charge and free access to public recharging points.

Clearly more needs to be done to persuade people of the benefits of buying green, as the environment as a stand-alone selling point merely falls on deaf ears. But this industry needs to take a step back.

Just what does it all really mean? Of course, this burgeoning new sector should be applauded for taking steps to help us all reduce our carbon footprints and overall global carbon emissions. It won’t get anywhere though if they can’t convince enough people to purchase. And they can’t get enough people to purchase simply because they are confused – myself included.

This brave new world of green motoring is littered with jargon for starters. Electric, plug-in hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell – just what’s what? Who sells what and who should buy what? Your average car buyer, who has grown up with a pretty average vocabulary of diesel, petrol, hatchback, four door and the like, will have no idea.

People would rather carry on driving their polluting fuel guzzlers because they understand them. Most people can talk the lingo with their local car dealer and they can compare like for like. But they just don’t know what they are getting into when they cross into this parallel universe with all these scary alien names.

To have a better chance of achieving mass take-up, the industry needs to start off simple. Forget these fancy words that do more to depress than impress. Pick one exhaust reducing model and make it the industry standard that all car brands should develop, so a real market begins to generate. Consumer choice might be key in some markets, but while this sector is still so nascent it needs to take baby steps.

Once one green model becomes the industry standard, then car brands can add it to their portfolio and perhaps even start phasing out some older, fuel-reliant models.

They can pour a significant amount of resources into developing the technology and communicating that one standard well, before introducing other so-called green models and having people leave before the party has even started.

Despite all this talk of hybrid, electric and hydrogen, Honda’s UK marketing director Martin Moll reckons that the industry will eventually move in the one direction by putting its money on the hydrogen model.

It seems then that hydrogen will supersede hybrid and electric. So if the industry knows this is going to happen, wouldn’t it be better off focussing on bringing out this technology sooner than spending lots of money developing models that people may not even be driving in 20 years time?

If car brands put their vain bragging desires aside to produce one green standard, then more in-roads would also be made towards the development of the right infrastructure to support it, whether it’s through widespread charging points or garages stocking hydrogen at the pumps – whatever it may be to literally get this sector off the ground.

Datamonitor analysts predict sales in the UK of hybrid and electric cars will reach about 75,000 a year by 2015. That’s still miniscule compared with the size of the entire car industry. But if each car manufacturer was aligned towards a common goal there could be real progress.

The royals wedding coach which will transport them does not have some fancy bullet protection system, it’s in fact an armed cop that will protect Prince William.

In the event of an attack, the armed royal cop is expected to sacrifice himself in order to save the prince. However, it’s a different story for Kate Middleton as she would be left to fend for herself. The only other person on the coach will be there to calm the horses in an emergency.

The 1902 wedding coach also used by Charles and Diana when they wed will be open and William and Kate feel this is the best option as tens of thousands of people want to see the couple on this special day. Rain will be the deciding factor as to whether they use a closed coach.

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It is common knowledge that car insurance premiums have increased consistently over the last few years. There are many reasons for this, including increased numbers of uninsured drivers, insurance fraud and lower investment returns.

While it may have become more difficult to get cheap car insurance, it is still possible. Knowing your way around the insurance options and the best ways to grab a bargain will put you ahead of the rest. So, it is time to get educated on car insurance; who knows, it could save you a fortune.

There are three basic types of car insurance available and which one you choose will depend on your circumstances. Car insurance is compulsory and if you do not have it you can be prosecuted and will end up with a fine and points on your licence. This will also mean that you may find it hard to get insurance in the future.

Comprehensive car insurance

This is the most expensive type of insurance you can buy. It will cover you for accidental damage to your own car and/or a third party’s car. This applies whether it was your fault or not.

You will also be covered for damage to property or injuries sustained by another person. In addition you will be able to claim if your car is stolen or vandalised and for the loss of any possessions which are kept inside the car. There are usually limits set on the amount you can claim, however.

Third party, fire and theft car insurance

As the name suggests, this type of insurance covers your car in the event of fire or theft, but not for accidents. Any damage to another person’s car or property will be covered. This is a good option if you car is not very expensive and if you think you would be able to survive without it if it is written off.

Third party only car insurance

This will cover you for injury or car damage caused to another person. Your own vehicle will not be covered and so it is really only suitable if your car is not worth insuring at all. This may be a good option for those on a tight budget, but it does come with risks.

If you own your car via a finance company you may want to take out Guaranteed Asset Protection in addition to your standard insurance policy. This agrees that if the car is written off the insurer will pay off any finance still owed on the car. It may also include paying for a deposit for a new car.

Insurance companies will often offer additions to your policy, including, mostly notably, breakdown cover. This is usually cheaper to buy as part of your insurance policy and can be invaluable if you travel away from home often. In addition to this, your policy may also cover you for legal expenses.

The cost of your premiums will be calculated based on a number of factors. Insurers base their quotes on the risk posed by the driver and the experience they have of other drivers with similar backgrounds. Premiums are usually based around following factors:

* Your age. Young drivers are statistically involved in more accidents.

* Your gender. Young men are on the whole more likely to drive faster and more recklessly than young women.

* Your job. If your jobs means that you must travel long distances or if you work shifts or long hours this could affect your premium.

* Your driving background. If you have points on your licence or a history of speeding or drink driving you can expect your premiums to be significantly higher.

* The type of car. More powerful and faster cars are often more expensive to insure. If you own a classic or unusual car it may be best to approach a specialist car insurer for the best quote.

* Where you live and how you store your car. Some areas will attract higher insurance rates because of car crime in the area. If you car is stored in a garage you may be able to get lower premiums.

The best way to get a lower car insurance quote is to try a comparison site. Not all insurers are listed on these so you may want to contact others directly. It is important that you do this every time your car insurance comes up for renewal as sometimes insurance companies only offer the best deals to new customers.

Hopefully the world of car insurance now seems less daunting and you will be confident when it comes to considering the ways in which you can lower your car insurance premiums.

Nine out of ten motorists say that speed humps cause them most annoyance on the roads.

Surprisingly speed humps were only introduced in 1991 and the idea behind them was to slow down traffic and decrease risk of accidents. They are also intended to reduce traffic volume down residential roads.

Most speed humps measure around 12-14 feet in length and 3-4 inches in height. Many span the width of the road however, some wider roads will have two or three individual road humps beside each other.

The idea is simple and should work yet speed humps seem to cause just as many problems as they are looking to prevent.

One of the most important issues is the slowing of emergency vehicles. Other motorists find their cars being damaged due to badly installed speed humps or due to simply not slowing down. Many motorists will increase their speed between road humps and slow just before approaching, this not only defeats the point of having them but increases pollution.

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