Continue reading »]]> Even after taking driving lessons, the final day scares many of the new learners. It is very important to keep your head cool before you take the driving test. You should never let your anxiety overcome your mind. For this you have to understand the reason behind your nervousness, and then try to overcome it. Here are a few tips that can be useful for you to stay cool on your driving test day.

Practice and practice: The first thing that you need to do before taking a driving test is, practice. Make sure that you always drive in the presence of a licensed and experienced driver. After a lot of driving practice you can easily stay cool on the final day.

Rest before your driving test: You should take proper rest before your driving test. A good sleep keep you fresh and helps you to stay cool while you drive. It also keeps you active, a basic requirement for a perfect driver. If you are feeling tensed, take 3-4 deep breaths and then head out on the road with confidence.

Eat: Nervousness might just kill your hunger. But you should have some food before your driving test. It shall save you the pangs of an empty stomach. Hunger might just divert your attention while you drive. Do not eat too much. You might feel lazy and fatigue might attack you. It is said that eating a banana can aid your concentration.

Be familiar with your fear: Do not compare yourself with other friends or relatives who have already passed in the driving test. You may take your own time for it. It is important on your part to overcome the fear of failure. Arrive early on the scheduled day and relax. There is nothing to panic. After all it is just a test.

Schedule your driving test properly: You should not schedule your driving test on any important day. This can make your mind unstable and keeps you out of track., affecting your test. So, schedule the test on a day when you are free. Also keep in mind the time of day. If you are not a ‘morning person’, don’t book the first test of the day. Likewise if you are a ‘worrier’, don’t book the last test of the day so that you waiting around getting more worked up.

Driving Test Nerves: For proven help to settle those driving test nerves consider downloading the Driving Test Nerves audio track, which walks you through the driving test procedure and helps you put your thoughts in perspective. Details can be found here: www.DrivingTestNerves.com

Be confident about yourself, your abilities and stay cool!

Continue reading »]]> One of Britain’s most iconic publications is undergoing a digital revolution today as Transport Secretary, Justine Greening, marks the Highway Code’s 81st year by launching it as an interactive app for smartphones. The best-seller’s technological transformation will make it even easier – and more fun – for road users to keep up to date with the rules of the road.

Much of the Highway Code’s content has changed considerably since its launch in 1931. For example mirrors were not even mentioned in the first edition and drivers were advised to sound their horn when overtaking.

Moved with the times

How road users access its content has also moved with the times. It is already free to read online, can be downloaded as an ebook and there are also Facebook and Twitter accounts offering regular topical reminders.

Now a new app for the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch will make it even easier to keep up to date with the rules of the road through a more intuitive, interactive format.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening said:

“With more and more of us using smartphones and other devices it’s vital that products like the Highway Code adapt to be as accessible as possible.

“The app makes it easier for everyone to keep their knowledge up to date and is a great example of how new technology can help to improve road safety.

“The Highway Code has been helping to save lives for more than 80 years and, with innovations like this, I am confident it will do so for many more to come.”

Easy to find rules

The new app includes the complete contents of the Highway Code with a search facility making it easy to find rules and information. There are also interactive features like quizzes, a stopping distance calculator and a tool to help users identify road signs.

The Official Highway Code app is available on iTunes for £3.99.

For other official Highway Code publications visit the TSO shop.

The Highway Code is free to view online at direct.gov.uk/highwaycode.

]]> http://www.acclaimmotorschool.co.uk/highway-code-app-launched-to-improve-road-safety/feed 0 http://www.acclaimmotorschool.co.uk/uks-new-drivers-now-in-safe-hands-of-laser-wielding-robots http://www.acclaimmotorschool.co.uk/uks-new-drivers-now-in-safe-hands-of-laser-wielding-robots#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 12:45:45 +0000 admin http://www.acclaimmotorschool.co.uk/?p=1153

Continue reading »]]> Secure token biz Gemalto has landed the contract to print the next 80 million identity documents for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), including next-gen driving licences to be deployed next year.

The new licences will feature laser-etched edges, making them even harder to copy, but they’ll also be compliant with EU standards regulations. The contract also includes digital tachograph cards (aka swindle sheets), and biometric residence permits, although we’re waiting for clarification on how the latter falls into the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s remit.

Gemalto is better known, in these pages, as making the secure chips embedded in credit cards and SIMs, but in common with most players in that market it also prints difficult-to-forge documents even if (unlike some of the competition) it didn’t emerge from that business.

It was formed in 2006 from the merger of Gemplus and Axalto, both important players in the secure token business, and has been busy expanding its offerings up the value chain into secure transaction management, landing the contract to run servers for the US operator cartel ISIS.

Like that deal, this is an open-ended contract, simply being referred to as “multi-year”, but the DVLA contract is just about printing the millions of hard-to-forge documents at its Fareham site in Hampshire, which is being developed to integrate with the DVLA systems for personalisation. ®

Continue reading »]]> DSA is urging all driving test candidates booked to take a test on Thursday 10 May to attend as usual, despite the potential for strike action by driving examiners who are members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union.

DSA’s chief executive Rosemary Thew said:

“All candidates have the opportunity to change or cancel their practical test by giving DSA three clear working days notice. Not all examiners are members of the PCS union. Even if they are, we can’t be sure that they’ll support the strike. So we’re asking candidates to come for their test as normal so it can go ahead if possible. We’re sorry for the inconvenience this will cause and will do everything we can to minimise disruption for our customers.”

Candidates whose tests are cancelled

Candidates who turn up but can’t take their tests because of strike action will not have to contact DSA to rebook. They should hear from the agency with a new date within five to ten working days.

If candidates fail to attend they won’t be able to claim out-of-pocket expenses if their tests are cancelled and they’ll need to rebook their own tests.

Theory tests

Theory tests are not affected and will be taking place as planned.

Customer service centre

DSA’s customer service centre for practical tests might also be affected by the strike action. Customers will still be able to book, change or cancel their driving test online at direct.gov.uk/drivingtest.

Details about claiming out-of-pocket expenses can be found at www.direct.gov.uk/drivingtestexpenses.

Continue reading »]]> One in seven parents have broken the law for their offspring – and one in four of them had no idea that they were doing so.

So what is this brand of criminality that is so rife among parents? And why is it so alarming?

Fronting

The crime in question is known as ‘fronting’ and occurs when a well-meaning parent tries to help out in order to make their offspring’s insurance more affordable. They claim to be the main driver of the car, and add their child as the second driver – even though the child does the vast majority of the miles in it. It might seem like a cunning plan because it can shave hundreds of pounds off the cost of a policy.

This is why it’s so common. The research found a quarter of motorists (27 per cent) would front on a car insurance policy to save money; one in seven (or 14 per cent) have already done so for one child or more, and 13 per cent haven’t yet but would do so. A further 15 per cent would consider “fronting” on a policy as they are looking to save cash

Breaking the lawThe poll also found British motorists are puzzled over the legality of “fronting”. One in four (23 per cent) think it is legal, while a third (33 per cent) admitted to not knowing. While not perfect, older drivers are just slightly more clued up than their younger counterparts; a fifth (20 per cent) of over 55s think it is legal, compared to 24 per cent of 18 – 34 year old drivers.

Peter Harrison, car insurance expert at MoneySupermarket, said: “Ignorance may be bliss to motorists who think “fronting” is a legitimate way to reduce the cost of motoring for their family and stay on the right side of the law, but in reality it’s quite the opposite. “Fronting” on a car insurance policy is illegal and it is worrying how many motorists are willing to take this risk.”

Repercussions

“Despite the obvious attraction of cutting costs on your car insurance policy, there will be serious repercussions if you are caught falsely claiming to be the main driver of the vehicle,” says Harrison.

In the best case scenario you will be charged the correct premium as a lump sum. However, there are many more serious options. For a start the policy could be cancelled. You would then have to declare this every time you apply for insurance in future, which means many won’t offer you any cover and your costs will rise.

Insurers can also refuse to pay-out for any claims, or can settle a third-party claim and recover the cost from the parent.

In the worst case, Harrison says: “It would be classified as fraud by an insurer, and could invalidate the policy. It could also result in the younger driver ending up in court being charged with driving without any insurance.” This could lead to high fines and six penalty points (an automatic ban for new drivers).

High riskAnd while you may think you’re unlikely to get caught, insurers are increasingly likely to launch an investigation. So, for example, if an accident occurred at university hall of residence, they may investigate how often the car is based away from the home of the main driver, including examining CCTV footage. Fraud costs insurers millions of pounds a year, so they are quite happy to spend a small fortune investigating it.

There are, the experts highlight, some much better ways to bring the cost of insurance down within the law.

• Shop around – People who use MoneySupermarket to compare car insurance prices save on average £375.
• Buy online – Many car insurance providers offer discounts to customers that buy online.
• Mileage limit – Consider a mileage limit or to only drive at certain hours of the day.
• Car security – Make sure you have an alarm and immobiliser.
• Drive a car with a smaller engine – A newer, more reliable car that is less likely to be used by ‘boy racers’ will have a cheaper premium. Aim to drive a car like this for at least two years after passing your test – and forget about turbo-charged cars, with big spoilers, fat tyres, alloy rims and other “sexy” extras.
• Parents – If at all possible, avoid being added to a parent’s insurance policy. It prevents you from building up your own no-claims bonus. However, adding a more experienced named driver to your policy may bring down your premium.
• Pass Plus – This is a certificate where a young driver who has already passed his or her driving test receives specific lessons in night, motorway and town traffic driving; achieving Pass Plus can earn significant discounts (as much as 35%) on your car insurance.
• Payment method – Drivers looking to keep the cost of their car insurance manageable may opt for the convenience of paying by monthly instalments, rather than in an annual lump sum. Those who decide on monthly repayments can expect to pay an additional APR for this option though, so shopping around for the best deal is crucial.

Continue reading »]]> Recent survey findings from ingenie®, the car insurance brand for young drivers, have revealed that 58% of 17-25 year old drivers agree that smartphone apps are causing young people to be more distracted at the wheel

ingenie (http://www.ingenie.com) commissioned the survey of 1,000 young drivers, conducted by One Poll, which has uncovered the extent of how smartphones and social media are distracting 17-25 year olds when behind the wheel.

The latest ingenie survey revealed:

• Over 40% admitted to answering their phones while driving without a hands-free set
• 44% said they had sent a text message, and 62% said they had read a message while they were driving
• 1 in 6 male drivers under 25 has crashed due to mobile phone usage at the wheel
• One third of under 25s who use Facebook on their phone admitted to using it whilst driving
• 18% of under 25s who have Draw Something on their phone have played the game whilst driving – 17% for Angry Birds
• Hands-free kits encourage 53% more young drivers to make longer calls at the wheel (longer than 5 minutes)

The results collected from the survey suggest that the increasing range of apps and functionality available on mobile devices is contributing to young driver distraction – even mobile games, which take a high level of concentration are taking young people’s attention away from the roads.

On the growing range of dangerous distractions created by smartphones, ingenie founder and CEO Richard King said, “We’re in the middle of a perfect storm, where the rapid growth of social media and mobile is creating a new breed of in-car distraction. We’re increasingly using smartphones to occupy ourselves during down time, but driving is an active pursuit and it really does need our full attention. As well as not texting or making calls, we should all pledge not to tweet, update our status or be tempted by anything else our phone has to offer whilst driving.”

King added, “At ingenie we’re doing our bit to prevent distraction – we won’t send driver feedback messages to your mobile if we know the ignition is on, and when our contact centre makes outbound calls, the first question they’ll ask is ‘are you driving?’”

ingenie commissioned the survey ahead of its #DontDriveDistracted campaign on Twitter to reduce road crashes related to driver distraction. The campaign launches on Friday 27^th April with celebrity supporters Gary Lineker, Omid Djalili and Williams F1 Team driver Bruno Senna – each making a pledge to cut out distracting behaviour behind the wheel. For each person who makes a pledge on Twitter to not drive distracted, ingenie will donate £1 to RoadSafe.

Gary Lineker, Omid Djalili and Bruno Senna have each recorded their own video pledge, found at http://www.ingenie.com/distraction. Drivers across the UK can then either make a similar pledge, or write their own, and contribute to ingenie’s donation to RoadSafe.

About ingenie:

ingenie is a digital car insurance brand for young drivers aged 17-25 that uses the latest telematics technology (read more: http://www.ingenie.com/telematics) to build a picture of a driver’s individual style and reward those who drive well with cheaper insurance premiums.

Richard King, ingenie founder and CEO, had previous start-up success in the technology/insurance sector as co-founder and executive director of Innovation Group plc, which he helped grow from a start-up to a listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2000 with a peak valuation of £1bn. Chief Underwriter Chris McKee was formerly on the board of Direct Line and has more than 30 years’ experience in direct insurance. Steve Broughton, a highly respected insurance industry professional of more than 30 years, is the chairman of ingenie. In addition to his executive career at RSA Insurance Group, Broughton is also a former chairman of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau and is currently the Chairman of Tesco Underwriting Limited.

ingenie was launched at the end of 2011 with investment from footballer turned broadcaster Gary Lineker (who also supports the brand as an ambassador), Williams F1 Team (who provide expertise in telematics and assist in promoting the brand and road safety) and leading figures from UK business including Sir Martin Broughton, Chairman of British Airways and Gavin Patterson, Chief Executive of BT Retail (BT Group PLC).

http://www.ingenie.com

About RoadSafe

RoadSafe is a leading forum for promoting and devising solutions to road safety problems. Its mission is to reduce road deaths and injuries by sharing knowledge and encouraging innovation. The not-for-profit partnership brings together the motor industry and related companies, traffic engineers, the police and road safety professionals.

http://www.roadsafe.com

Continue reading »]]> A team at Newcastle University is developing new technology aimed at helping older drivers stay on the road.

Many give up because their reaction times have slowed down – but this means they become more isolated and inactive. One of the Intelligent Transport team’s developments is a “Granny-Nav” which identifies the safest route, such as avoiding right turns.

The Age UK charity said such developments could help the elderly maintain their independence.

The work is part of a £12m “social inclusion through the digital economy (SiDE)” project, led by Newcastle University, which aims to see how technology can improve peoples’ lives.

The researchers have converted an electric car into a mobile laboratory. The “DriveLAB” has navigation tools, night vision systems and intelligent speed adaptations.

It can monitor concentration, stress levels and driving habits via glasses that can track eye movement, and monitors to assess where the key stress points are for older drivers.

The car also has night vision systems to help driving in the dark.

‘Maintaining independence’

Around 20 drivers in their 80s from across the north-east of England and Scotland have so far taken DriveLAB out on the road.

The team looked at developing a bespoke sat-nav because the elderly drivers they spoke to said finding a route they were comfortable with was a major factor in making them feel comfortable driving.

Many avoid turning right because they do not feel confident about judging the speed of oncoming traffic.

It also uses pictures of local landmarks, such as a post box or public house, as turning cues for when people are driving in unfamiliar places.

Phil Blythe, professor of intelligent transport systems at Newcastle University, said: “For many older people, particularly those living alone or in rural areas, driving is essential for maintaining their independence, giving them the freedom to get out and about without having to rely on others.

“And people base their whole lives around driving a car, having mobility.

“But we all have to accept that as we get older our reactions slow down and this often results in people avoiding any potentially challenging driving conditions and losing confidence in their driving skills. The result is that people stop driving before they really need to.

“What we are doing is to look at ways of keeping people driving safely for longer, which in turn boosts independence and keeps us socially connected.”

‘Windscreen displays’

Dr Amy Guo, who is leading the older driver study, said it had produced some surprises.

“For example, most of us would expect older drivers always go slower than everyone else but surprisingly, we found that in 30mph zones they struggled to keep at a constant speed and so were more likely to break the speed limit and be at risk of getting fined.

“We’re looking at the benefits of systems which control your speed as a way of preventing that.”

The team is also looking at displaying information on the windscreen, rather than the dashboard – so drivers do not feel the need to look away from the road – and systems that can detect if the car has strayed out of its lane.

Car manufactures have expressed interest in the work, and Prof Blythe said some of the technologies could be seen “soon”, with others within “five to 10 years”.

Michelle Mitchell, charity director general of Age UK, said: “Ability, not age, should determine how safe someone is on the road – so any research should look at all drivers and what makes them safe or unsafe.

“When it comes to driving, everyone is responsible, at whatever age, for making sure they are safe on the road.

“The emphasis should be on supporting older people to continue driving safely so that older people retain their ability to get out and about.”

Continue reading »]]> In total, nearly 900 people have failed their driving test 16 times or more in the last five years

It looks like some people never learn…

Nearly 900 people have failed their driving test 16 times or more in the last five years.

And one woman from Ilford, Essex, failed the £31 theory test, which has to be passed first, 105 times, spending an astonishing £3,255. Overall women appear to be worse drivers with 563 appearing on the list obtained from the Driving Standards Agency compared with 316 men. And 23 women failed 25 times or more but only five men.

A woman in Middlesbrough was the worst, getting her licence at the 35th attempt after spending £2,626 on the £75 test. [that should read '£62 test' - only scam websites charge £75...Acclaim]

The worst male was from Knaresborough, North Yorks, who passed his at the 29th attempt.

Yorkshire accounted for a fifth of those on the list with 149 women and 38 men failing the test more than 16 times. Passing was hard for those in the West Yorkshire town of Heckmondwike with 49 on the list.

Steph Savill, of Foxy Lady Drivers, a support network for female motorists, said: “Women are much more cautious and not as confident as men behind the wheel and can take on average 15 more lessons to pass.”

Continue reading »]]> According to a survey commissioned by leading high street car insurance broker Swinton, just under half of young drivers admit to making or receiving a calls or texts when they are driving.

Swinton surveyed 2,900 young drivers(i) aged between 17 and 25 and found that two fifths (42.76%) admitted to the offence regardless of this being an crime that warrants a fixed penalty notice of GBP 60 and 3 points on a licence.

More worryingly, one in ten (12.35%) young drivers do not even consider it dangerous to make or receive calls while driving.

Changing tracks on a iPod/mp3 player was deemed ‘less’ dangerous than using a mobile phone with a third (33.66%) saying it’s not a risk when behind the wheel.

Regionally, young drivers in the North West were deemed the biggest risk takers with nearly one in five (17.82%) stating that using a mobile when driving is not dangerous.

The temptation to use phones behind the wheel is increasing with modern cars now offering built-in iPhone docks and smartphone holders.

Steve Chelton, Claims Manager at Swinton said, “Young drivers are only allowed six penalty points in their first two years of driving so it is vital that they drive by the rules of the road. Penalty points on a young drivers licence will only increase an already costly premium.”

Continue reading »]]> Arseng Rashid admits causing death by dangerous driving after clipping kerbs, driving over roundabouts and speeding at 85mph

A 17-year-old novice driver who killed two of his friends while showing off in his mother’s people carrier has been jailed for five years.

Arseng Rashid, from Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, lost control after driving straight over two roundabouts and clipping two kerbs, which caused the Toyota Corolla Verso to overturn as it sped down a slip-road on to the A66 in Stockton on 11 September.

Now 18, the defendant admitted two counts of death by dangerous driving after his 17-year-old schoolmates Josh Hopkins and Joshua Stevenson, who were trapped in the seven-seater, died in the crash.

Two other friends, who had been driven around Teesside for hours before the smash some time before 6am, were also injured and have lasting mental scars, Teesside crown court heard.

After picking his friends up for a “mooch”, Rashid launched the vehicle into the air as it went over a humpback bridge near Kirklevington prison at an estimated 80-90mph.

Some 20 minutes before the fatal crash, he overtook a furious taxi driver at 85-90mph in a 30mph zone, Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said.

Minutes later, a CCTV camera caught Rashid driving the 2.2-litre diesel on the wrong side of the road at 68mph in Yarm Road, which is again a 30mph zone.

Rashid had passed his driving test only 10 weeks before he killed his friends.

The teenagers – but not Rashid, the prosecution accepted – had earlier stopped to smoke cannabis, the court heard. The teenager also later passed a roadside breath test.

The friends were on their way to a McDonalds at Teesside Park, via the A66, when Rashid went straight over two mini roundabouts.

One of the surviving teenagers later told police Rashid had said: “Shall I go straight over or round?”

The car clipped two kerbs, and as Rashid lost control it flipped over. There was no evidence of any braking.

Egerton said police had found a 39-metre trail of debris before the car came to rest, by which time all its windows were broken.

Hopkins, in the front passenger seat, and Stevenson, sitting behind him, were both unconscious but alive after the smash. They died at the scene.

A police accident report concluded “excess speed and inexperience” were to blame.

Judge Peter Fox, the recorder of Middlesbrough, said Rashid had deliberately and intentionally driven dangerously.

“You have affected the lives of many,” he told the defendant.

The judge branded his earlier speeding “outrageous”, adding: “This is no mere recklessness. This is no mere error of judgment. You knew what you were doing.” Rashid nodded as the judge said: “This is a very bad case. You know that.”

Fox criticised the teenager’s comment to a probation officer that most young, inexperienced drivers “experiment” by going straight over mini-roundabouts, branding the statement “arrogant rubbish”.

Rashid was sentenced to five years, starting in a young offender institution, and was banned from driving for five years, after which he must take an extended test.

“You have only just passed your test,” the judge told him. “It is to be hoped that, when allowed, you will have learned your lesson.” Mohammed Nawaz, defending, said Rashid loved and respected the friends he had killed.

“He knows he will have to bear now and for the rest of his life the responsibility of knowing his actions caused their death and his actions caused pain and distress for a very significant number of people,” he said.