Today's theory question is:
You discover a motorcycle rider is
lying in the middle of the road, unconscious. There are no other
vehicles involved in the accident. The FIRST thing you should do is
Wednesday 3 December 2014
Wednesday 5 November 2014
Wednesday 22 October 2014
Defective tyres lead to millions of MOT failures
Friday, 17 October 2014
New figures obtained under a Freedom of Information request have
revealed that millions of drivers are placing themselves and other road
users in unnecessary danger by driving on unsafe or illegal tyres.
According to data supplied by the Driver & Vehicle Standards
Agency, more than 2.2 million cars failed their annual MOT test in 2013
because of the state of their tyres.
“It beggars belief that so many motorists can fail their MOT because of
unsafe or illegal tyres,” comments Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe.
“Your safety on the road is totally dependent upon the condition of your
tyres so it’s vital that you check these regularly throughout the year,
let alone just before you take your MOT. Furthermore, they are also one
of the easiest items on your car to check, so there really is no excuse
for this amount of tyre related failures.”
Reinforcing the scale of the problem of dangerous and illegal tyres,
recent figures released by the Department for Transport showed that more
than 968 road casualties were caused in the UK in 2013 because of an
accident involving illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres.
However, to help drivers understand the importance of making regular
tyre safety checks and identifying what to look for, thousands of
garages and tyre dealers across the country are offering free tyre
safety checks as part of October’s Tyre Safety Month. Locations of
participating outlets can be found by entering your postcode into the
dealer locator on www.tyresafe.org.
“We are entering the most treacherous period of the year when the roads
can become very wet and slippery so it’s essential that your tyres are
in the best possible condition,” continues Jackson. “Driving on
dangerous or illegal tyres can leave you vulnerable to a number of
hazards such as longer stopping distances, loss of grip or an increased
risk of aquaplaning but these can all be minimised with appropriate
safety checks.”
To help drivers improve their safety on the road, TyreSafe recommends
that drivers carry out three key safety checks at least once a month.
Firstly, tyre pressures should be checked to ensure they are in line
with the vehicle manufacturers recommended settings. Tyre tread depths
should also be examined to ensure they are well above the legal minimum
of 1.6mm. Finally, the tyre should be given a thorough visual inspection
to ensure it is free from cuts, lumps or bulges and there are no items
embedded in the tread.
Drivers looking for more information about how to check their tyres
themselves or to find the location of their nearest fitting centre
offering free tyre safety checks should visit www.tyresafe.org.
Article taken from the Driving Instructor Association website. www.driving.org
Tuesday 21 October 2014
Friday 17 October 2014
Drivers favour motorway tests
Friday, 10 October 2014
More than half of drivers support the introduction of mandatory motorway driving tests.A survey for car leasing company Flexed.co.uk found that 52% of motorists believed that all drivers should have to pass a motorway driving assessment before being allowed on them.
Meanwhile, 70% of drivers between 17 and 24 wanted the introduction of a motorway driving test for all drivers.
Forty-one per cent of male motorists surveyed wanted the introduction of a motorway-driving test for all drivers compared with 64% of women motorists.
Alex Wignall, customer care at Flexed.co.uk said: “I think there has been a consensus amongst motorists for a long time that drivers should have to pass a test to drive on the motorway.
“There are too many drivers of all ages who are inexperienced on motorways and are not familiar with the important differences which separate it from other types of driving.”
Article for the Diving Instructor Association. www.driving.org
Thursday 16 October 2014
Wednesday 1 October 2014
Tuesday 30 September 2014
Friday 26 September 2014
Today one of my pupils took their driving test. This is always a nerve racking time for both my pupil taking their test but also for myself as I want them to do well and pass first time. I still remember taking my test many years ago and how nervous I was so I know how they feel!
Just to add to my anxiety, my pupil decided he wanted me to sit in on the test. This is fine and I'm always more than happy to go on the test if my pupils want me to. If they don't pass, it is useful to have seen what went wrong first hand so I can help them to improve for their next test, however it is not the most relaxing experience sitting in the back of the car watching your pupil on test hoping that they will deal with each situation you see coming as well as you know they can.
My pupil drove very well throughout the test and completed the left reverse manouvre, which was one that he had said he hoped he didn't get, with relative ease. He went on to the independant driving section of the test where he was asked to follow severeal different signs throughout the 10 minutes. He showed good progress when he overtook several vehicles on the dual carriageway.
I was very pleased to hear that he had passed when we got back to the test centre, so big congratuations!
Now all that's left for me to do with him is some motorway training and wish him all the best with his driving from this point forward.
Just to add to my anxiety, my pupil decided he wanted me to sit in on the test. This is fine and I'm always more than happy to go on the test if my pupils want me to. If they don't pass, it is useful to have seen what went wrong first hand so I can help them to improve for their next test, however it is not the most relaxing experience sitting in the back of the car watching your pupil on test hoping that they will deal with each situation you see coming as well as you know they can.
My pupil drove very well throughout the test and completed the left reverse manouvre, which was one that he had said he hoped he didn't get, with relative ease. He went on to the independant driving section of the test where he was asked to follow severeal different signs throughout the 10 minutes. He showed good progress when he overtook several vehicles on the dual carriageway.
I was very pleased to hear that he had passed when we got back to the test centre, so big congratuations!
Now all that's left for me to do with him is some motorway training and wish him all the best with his driving from this point forward.
Thursday 25 September 2014
Wednesday 24 September 2014
Sunday 21 September 2014
Friday 19 September 2014
Just to try and help out anyone that is going to be taking the thoery test soon I thought I would post a theory test question each day.
Today's question is:
You can take a practice theory test if you visit my website www.davidbackham.co.uk
Today's question is:
With anti-lock brakes fitted, to stop quickly in an emergency you should
You can take a practice theory test if you visit my website www.davidbackham.co.uk
Tuesday 16 September 2014
I came across this article on the DVSA website on revised prices for the theory test starting next month. Could be useful to anyone thinking of taking their theory test soon.
The cost of car and motorcycle theory tests will drop from £31 to £25 in October 2014, and then to £23 in October 2015.
The cost of car and motorcycle theory tests will drop from £31 to £25 in October 2014, and then to £23 in October 2015.
The fee for car and motorcycle theory tests will fall by £6 in October 2014, taking the cost of a test from £31 to £25, with a further drop of £2 in October 2015.
Theory test fees for other categories of vehicle will also be reduced. The changes have been confirmed following a public consultation.
Read the full response to the consultation.
Book tests at the new price
The changes for 2014 apply to theory tests taken from 1 October 2014.
You can book tests for this date onwards from 20 August 2014.
You’ll have to pay the old fee if you choose a test date before 1 October 2014.Keeping costs down for motorists
Making the announcement in June 2014, Stephen Hammond said:We want to keep costs down for all motorists – that’s why we have frozen fuel duty – and by reducing the cost of the theory test we will save aspiring motorists around £9 million annually.Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Chief Executive, Alastair Peoples, said:
This has been achieved without compromising on the vital role the theory test plays in making sure that new drivers know The Highway Code and the rules of the road. I am delighted that theory tests will now offer better value for money while continuing to meet these rigorous standards.
By agreeing new contract arrangements for the delivery of theory tests we have secured significant cost savings, and it is right that we pass these savings on to our customers. We want to make sure that we continue to keep pace with customers’ needs and deliver services in a way which is both convenient and cost effective.
www.gov.uk/dvsa
Welcome
Welcome to my Blog.
I've been a driving instructor in Basingstoke for approximately 8 years. Most of that time has been with a large driving school such as BSM and the AA. I have now gone out on my own as an independent instructor and have been working under my own name for about a year.
I have started this blog to run alongside my website www.davidbackham.co.uk. I hope to supply more information and articles to people who are thinking about learning to drive. Also for anyone that already has a driving licence but would like to improve the standard of their driving further.
I've been a driving instructor in Basingstoke for approximately 8 years. Most of that time has been with a large driving school such as BSM and the AA. I have now gone out on my own as an independent instructor and have been working under my own name for about a year.
I have started this blog to run alongside my website www.davidbackham.co.uk. I hope to supply more information and articles to people who are thinking about learning to drive. Also for anyone that already has a driving licence but would like to improve the standard of their driving further.
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