There are a variety of emergencies that can happen when out and about in your car – From your car catching fire, to the bonnet flying open on the motorway – But by far one of the most terrifying experiences any driver can go through is having your brakes fail on you.

This scenario however can be easily avoided by a simple routine test, that you can and should carry out each and every time you set foot in your car. Always make sure to test your brakes twice before properly starting your journey – Once with a static test, by pressing the brakes before you even start the engine – The brakes should feel firm and offer some resistance, rather than being loose or floppy – And secondly just after you pull away at low speeds (not an emergency stop), to ensure your brakes are able to stop your car from moving.

Safe driving from Britannia!

Candidates for the driving test are having to wait over twice as long to sit the test, according to recent figures.

Whilst the DVSA states a target time of just six weeks for learners to be able to take their test, the Department for Transport website has announced the waiting times are in fact currently at around 14 weeks.

The head of operations at DVSA conceded that there were delays with booking the test, and said that they were working to address the problem as quickly as possible.

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When first learning to drive, there is certainly a lot to take in – From first learning the controls of the vehicle such as the indicators and the windscreen wipers, up until understanding how your car reacts at higher speeds, there is much more to it than meets the eye.

It is important to really get to know your own car. Remember, each vehicle is different, and the correct way to do something in a friends car may not work in yours. For example, the biting point may be much higher or lower, or the brakes may be much sharper between two cars.

Always ensure to really understand your own car to make you the best driver you can be.

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Learning to drive offers many challenges – From first learning how to pull away, getting to know the feel of the biting point, up to mastering the dreaded hill start, there is a lot to learn in such a short space of time.

One point many learners face on the driving test is the emergency stop – However most trainees will say that this is not the hardest part of the test, and in fact find it easy. But it is important to know how to do this correctly, to avoid failing your test on such a simple point.

Always make sure to maintain control of the vehicle when doing this, to ensure a safe and stable emergency stop.

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Many young and inexperienced drivers think that learning to drive is all about the time running up to passing the driving test – Whereas better drivers will tell you that this is only the tip of the iceberg, and that the best drivers do the most learning in the months and years after earning their pink license.

The truth is that being a good driver has a wide variety of challenges – From building up the courage to finally tackle motorway driving, to driving abroad for the first time, your whole lifetime will keep bringing you new driving problems to overcome, so remember you will never stop learning, and aim to be the best driver you can be!

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One of the most common peeves motorists face these days is the issue of inconsiderate drivers – Other road users who show little to no courtesy when behind the wheel, which we all know can be a source of aggravation to many.

We recommend showing some manners when you’re out and about in the car – Not driving too closely behind other drivers and letting drivers pull out in front of you rather than keeping them waiting are good examples of this. Not only does it make you a safer driver, it will also buy you brownie points on your driving test!

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As much as we find ourselves yearning for the start of the summer, we still have to face the fact that we are still in the midst of winter, and so we have to drive accordingly to the conditions.

One of the many hazards of being behind a wheel during the winter months is that of strong winds. It is essential to make sure you drive safely when gale force winds are in action, as this can cause a variety of dangers to motorists, from causing your car to change directions unexpectedly to the threat of falling trees at the roadsides.

As always, give your journey more time when winds are strong, and ensure to give other drivers and motorcyclists especially more room when passing.

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Learning to drive a car is a major milestone in most people’s lives – Up there with your first holiday, graduating from university, getting married – Or even having a child.

In fact, having a child will likely impact on your driving more than you realise. Gone are the days of reckless speeding and carefree attitude to being behind the wheel. You will find yourself growing ever so cautious when you have your children in the car, perhaps even being more than willing to hold back a long line of cars behind you as you crawl along at a steady 20 miles per hour, just to avoid any risk whatsoever to your young ones.

Remember, when you have children in the car, they are your responsibility – Make sure they are securely fastened in, and that they have a car seat if needed. By all means, keep an eye on your children – But make sure they don’t distract you from the road!

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The process of learning to drive has many milestones – The first driving lesson, passing the theory test, passing your practical driving test, getting your own car – All memories ingrained into the memory of every qualified driver.

One of the most daunting prospects facing any new driver is the task of the first long distance journey, especially if you are tackling it alone. Whether this is for work or for leisure, the first long trip you take will likely make you very nervous, so be sure to tackle this in a reasonable way.

Try not to think of it as one long journey – Instead, break the trip up into segments roughly just a few miles apart. Not only will this give you ample opportunity for regular breaks (A must on long drives!), it will also help you to tackle the trip in small steps – Before you know it, you will be at your destination, wondering what all the fuss was about!

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It’s the old cliché – Women are poor drivers, and are dangerous behind the wheel – Well, finally we here at Britannia Driving School are happy to put that myth to rest once and for all, and gladly announce that it is in fact the opposite that is true.

That’s right, it turns out female drivers are actually better than their male counterparts. Women behind the wheel have outscored men in driving tests as well as when being observed anonymously on one of the UK’s busiest junctions, Hyde Park Corner.

Despite these statistics, it seems that women are less confident than men when it comes to driving, with only 28% thinking that they are better drivers than men.

Safe driving from Britannia!