Owning a car can be a real headache sometimes. If it’s not to do with the rising costs of insurance premiums, it may be to do with needing to fix a breakdown or a problem with your vehicle, especially when it is needed urgently – But is there any alternative?

Sometimes it’s unavoidable to take your car off the road for a short while. In this case, you will want to stop paying for the tax and insurance – This can be done by declaring your car as off-the-road by means of a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notice). However please note that a SORN cannot be transferred frm a previous owner, so if you buy a car that you wish to keep off the road, you will need to make a new SORN.

Safe driving from Britannia!

As a learner driver, you have most likely heard a variety of old adages about how to drive. One such tip we here at Britannia know very well is “You only learn to driver after passing your test” – Which you may have heard, but how much truth is there to this figure of speech?

Most good driving instructors will tell you that driving for the practical test is entirely different from real-world driving. This doesn’t mean that once you pass the test you can start driving how you please – Quite the opposite in fact – As once you pass your test, you will realise that being a good driver means leaning a lot more than it takes to pass the test.

Safe driving from Britannia!

We all know what it’s like to be a learner driver – A plethora of information to take on board, with the stresses of practising for your theory test and practical test – It can be hard work. Luckily, a good driving instructor should be on hand to offer advice when needed, which will help you to be the best driver you can be, in the shortest space of time.

Although many people may offer advice for your driving, the tips from your instructor will be the most valuable. Not only have they likely spent more time with you when you are driving than anyone else, they are also the most experienced with learner drivers and the most knowledgeable about the driving test – So if they offer you advice, do yourself a favour and listen to it!

Safe driving from Britannia!

One of the many things you will notice when you finally pas your driving test and start driving is how different it is from walking, in so many ways – Not only can you get to places much faster, being able to drive also offers you a level of comfort not available with walking or taking public transport, as well as the freedom to drive anywhere you like.

But is driving better than walking in all ways? Some drivers still opt to walk to some places, not for the convenience, but for fitness and health purposes, one aspect that we might lose out on if we completely substitute walking for driving. Also pedestrians are not known to be prone to road rage and can easily avoid sitting in endless traffic jams, one hitch many drivers would love to avoid.

What are your thoughts on this article? Let us know in the comments below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

Driving in the summer can be a great joy – With the roof and windows down, enjoying the sun and the heat and – If you’re lucky – Being able to enjoy a summer holiday or even a Bank Holiday off from work and getting away for the weekend, there’s nothing quite like summer driving.

But one thing many drivers forget is that in Britain, it is still just as likely to rain the summer, so you need to be wary about this. Try not to driver too fast in the rain, as it will make it harder to stop, and keep your headlights on to increase your visibility around yourself and your visibility to other road users.

Safe driving from Britannia!

We all know the advantages of driverless cars – From making us safer on the roads to allowing us to rest easy on a busy morning commute to work, we here at Britannia are sure a good many of us would enjoy being a passenger in our own autonomous vehicle.

However, car giant Audi is working on a way to make their self-driving cars more like humans – In the sense that it will replicate some of the minor intricacies of driving that humans do, for example the habit of driving close to the lane markings before indicating to change lanes – With the idea that this will help ease the transition for human drivers driving alongside self-driving cars.

What are your thoughts on this article? Let us know in the comments below!

Safe driving from Britannia!

We are all aware of the activities dangerous drivers get up to when behind the wheel – From drink-driving to speeding and more, these are well-known habits that even the perpetrator is most likely aware will likely land them a heft fine if not a driving ban.

But what about the lesser-known driving crimes you may be committing every day without realising it? As it turns out, there is a lot you may be obliviously guilty of, such as driving with snow on the roof, driving in the middle lane on a motorway for too long, sounding your horn whilst stationary, flashing your headlights, leaving the engine running in a parked car, and many many more.

Safe driving from Britannia!

Any experienced driver will tell you that there are times that you won’t mind driving – Sunday for example, or on the way to a holiday destination – And there are times when you definitely don’t want to be behind the wheel – Such as the commute during rush hour, or in the middle of the dreaded school run.

But there’s no way around it, those of us with children simply have to go through the school run – But if you’re the parent doing this, just make sure to drive as safely as possible, due to the high volume of cars around as well as the likelihood of children crossing the roads around you. Exercise patience and courtesy, and hopefully the school run won’t be as bad as you might imagine.

Safe driving from Britannia!

Being a learner driver presents a variety of obstacles – From overcoming the initial fear or the first lesson all the way through to mastering the manoeuvres in preparation for your test, there are certainly a lot of challenges presented.

One of the main struggles you may face is mastering clutch control. This is a vital part of being a capable driver, and so it is important to get it right. There are no straightforward rules to this – Every car is different when it comes to the clutch – But we would advise taking it slowly to begin with, until you get used to feeling where the biting point is. Rushing this will simply result in stalling the car and the additional stress and embarrassment of this, before you start over.

Safe driving from Britannia!

Learning to drive can be a struggle at times. With the variety of challenges presented to us when we are going through our driving lessons, be it learning to master clutch control, perfecting the dreaded hill start, or coping with driving in high traffic situations, sometimes the stress can be unbearable.

But it is important to remember when you are in these situations not to let this get you down. If you are struggling to pick up one task, simply ask your driving instructor to let you focus on these more in your lessons, until you get it right – Then move onto the next. The next thing you know, you’ll be putting in for your test!

Safe driving from Britannia!