Learner Drivers to Drive on Motorways

March 10, 2012

Learner Drivers to Drive on Motorways

Learner drivers on driving on motorways is something which has been debated for a long time. The alteration in the regulation should come into force later on this year and will help to fix the issue of pupils who have just passed,from driving on our fastest roads without any coaching.

Within the plans proclaimed by the Road Safety Minister, Mike Penning, it will be entirely possible for pupils to undergo motorway training if accompanied by a fully qualified instructor. The minister gave for instance his own child who in minutes of gaining her licence might have driven on the motorway if she had wanted.

The modification in the law will not be mandatory because some students reside in out of the way locations and will find it impractical to get to a motorway for instruction.

As outlined by the Department for Transport many young drivers who were less than 21 years old were killed in crashes on the motorway between 2006 and 2010. Worries that we are educating learner drivers how to complete a test and not really prepare them for a lifetime spent as a driver.

The minister for road safety was responsible for banning the posting of test routes and answers to theory questions. Learners will be inspired to think more on their own.

In another change the Minister for road safety wants to exclude trainee driving instructors from offering tuition to learners unless the unqualified driving instructors themselves are being supervised. Some pupils have no notion that their driving instructor may in actual fact be a trainee driving instructor.

The minister for road safety said he planned to stop trainee driving instructors from training learner drivers until they themselves are qualified. Several of those trainee instructors never reach the required standard and never become fully qualified and yet we entrust them to teach pupils.

The revolutionary initiatives are actually welcomed. It will be interesting to observe the specifics of how this will likely come into force. Lots of pupils express the idea of driving on the motorway alarms them and that training from a driving instructor would assist.

The plans have also been promoted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists who believe that motorway driving tuition is crucial. Motorways are our safest roads. However, without the proper training and supervision they can be deadly.

What Makes A Good Driver – Self Discipline

December 4, 2011

What Makes a Good Driver?

Self Discipline

The final attribute needed to be a good driver is self discipline. It is easy to drive by our own rules when we are driving by ourselves. Speeding is the most common one. Some drivers decide that speed limits don’t apply to them or that 30 is a minimum speed not a maximum. The driver who parks on the pavement with no regard for parents with push chairs. Those drivers who park illegally in disabled bays. Not obeying all the traffic signs. Ask yourself if there was a police car behind you would you drive the same way?

You may think that attitude and self discipline are the same things. You need to have good attitude but you must also have self discipline to drive correctly all the time. Imagine you are late for work, will you still drive correctly, safely and legally or will you bend the rules. Self discipline will encourage you to drive safely all the time.

Some drivers who drive many miles per year, much more than the national average feel sometimes wrongly that they are good drivers. People who see themselves as professional drivers; chauffeurs, van drivers, taxi drivers and even driving instructors sometimes wrongly assume that because they are “professional” drivers that they must somehow be better than everyone else on the road. Sometimes the complete opposite is true. Many people who drive all day long especially those who travel long monotonous journeys along motorways often use their cars as their office. Making phone calls with or without hands free, sending texts, fiddling with their sat navs and even reading paperwork.

There are many police programs such as “Road Wars” that highlight the sort of things that people do whilst driving. Ask yourself how many times a day do you see drivers on their mobile phones or sending texts. As a driving instructor I must see it at least half a dozen times a day. Illegal use of mobile phones causes a large number of accidents on UK roads.

Modern cars make it so easy to drive fast with very little skill required to get to that speed. Drivers equipped with all the mod cons; ABS, traction control, power steering can somehow feel safer in their cars. They feel almost invincible. However one thing that hasn’t changed in almost 100,000 years is human reaction time. Our cars have progressed at an alarming rate but we haven’t. You may feel safe at 80 mph, driving about 2 car lengths away from the car in front, in the wet, but if the car in front does an emergency stop do you really think you will react in time?

So next time you take your driving lessons with All Ways School of Motoring’s driving instructor make a mental note of how many bad drivers you see on the roads of Aldershot.

If you want to learn to drive and need a driving school in Aldershot then please feel free to contact us.

Zebra Crossings a Dying Breed

November 25, 2011

Zebra Crossings a Dying Breed

The United Kingdom’s zebra crossings are 60 years old but, like many animals it is faced with serious threat. The first appeared in Slough, Berkshire, in the early 1950’s. However, more than one thousand have been taken away during the last 5yrs.

Some others have been replaced by more advanced solutions with flashing signs and lights.The actual number of deaths on the crossings has doubled since 2007, partially caused by a growing reluctance of car drivers to stop at zebra crossings.‘Zebras are regarded as substandard to other pedestrian crossings since there is no red light showing cars that they should stop,’ said a representitive of road safety at the AA.

‘In some UK villages, there is pressure from residents for local authorities to fit pelican crossings because they believe they are less dangerous, so zebras are increasingly being phased out.’

The UK government introduced the crossings because the number of accidents involving pedestrians on the roads was escalating. They updated crossings designated with small metal studs on the tarmac, that proved too difficult for road users to see.

A wide variety of diverse colours were thought of, including blue and yellow as well as white and red stripes.Finally black and white was finally found to make the best visible impact. James Callaghan MP, who later became prime minister, was the first person to notice the likeness to the zebra, and the first pedestrian crossing was invented.

However, the sheer numbers of deaths was still way too high and therefore the “panda crossing”, a signal-controlled crossing was introduced in 1962A zebra crossing costs around £10,000, whilst the pelican crossings, which are operated in part by the pedestrians, are about £35,000.

Five people died on zebra crossings in the past year, and 144 were injured, in comparison to only three deaths in 2006. One explanation is charges for road users failing to stop at the crossings are cheaper here than in other places in Europe. In The United Kingdom motorists can be charged a £60 fine and three points, whereas the highest fee in Belgium may be £2,000.

The most widley known zebra crossings is situated at Abbey Road in north London – used on the Beatles album “Abbey Road”.

All Ways Driving School offer driving lessons in Aldershot at an affordable price.

What Makes a Good Driver – Knowledge

October 17, 2011

What Makes a Good Driver?

Knowledge

So we’re progressing through our list of “what makes a good driver?” Your driving lessons are there as a guide to give you the basic skills needed to be able to drive on the roads unaided. Remember that it takes many years and many thousands of miles before you may consider yourself a good driver. All Ways School of Motoring provide driving lessons in Aldershot, Eweshot, Crondall, Farnborough, Ash, Church Crookham, Ash Green, Fleet, Normandy, Dippenhall, Frimley Green, Bentley, Frimley, Mytchett, Lower Bourne, Tongham, Heath End, Elstead, Badshot Lea and Weybourne.

When we talk about knowledge we are talking about the highway code.
Learner drivers and people who have passed their test in the last year or so will have a good understanding of the highway code. Especially as the highway code is part of the theory test. However what about people who have passed their driving test 20, 30, 40 or more years ago. Not only does the highway code change from time to time but also can you really remember everything you learned all those years ago? Do you own a current version of the highway code? If not then go out and buy one today.

Lets see how much of the Highway Code you can remember.

What is the difference between a triangular sign and a circular one?

What are the four colours used on motorway studs and what do they all mean?

What should a driver do if they see something dangerous fall from a vehicle or indeed their own vehicle?

How should you re-join a motorway after your vehicle has broken down on the hard shoulder and subsequently been repaired?

Ask your driving instructor about any questions to do with the highway code if you don’t understand anything. Driving lessons are not just about the ability to drive but also about your knowledge of the laws of driving.

All Ways Driving School offer driving lessons in Aldershot at an affordable price.

What Makes A Good Driver – Attitude

July 1, 2011

What Makes a Good Driver?

Attitude

We have already looked at some of the requirement’s to be a good driver. Next in our series is Attitude. All Ways School of Motoring will teach you that having the right attitude will help you to drive safely for the rest of your life. So that when you’re on your own driving around Aldershot you will do so safely.

Anyone can learn to be a good driver in the sense of passing a driving test. However it’s what you do with that ability once you have passed. Will you continue to drive safely once your parents or your driving instructor isn’t sat next to you? Will you continue to practice the good driving habits that you have been taught?

Unfortunately attitude cannot be measured by the examiner. In fact the pupils with the most natural ability are the ones more likely to crash once they have passed. The reason being is that because they have good driving skills and bags of confidence, they are more likely to take risks and drive too fast once they have passed. In fact after many years of teaching I have noticed that any pupil who has become a boy racer since they passed their test has always crashed their car. As an instructor you hear through the grapevine about former pupils who have decided that fast is fun will sooner rather than later crash their car. If you talk to them they will always have a good excuse about; they were unlucky or a car pulled out in front of them or there was black ice. However the fact that they decide to forget what they have been told and drive too fast and too reckless is ultimately the reason they have crashed.

It takes many years of experience to be able to drive well. Don’t feel that once you have passed your driving test that you will be able to speed around the streets of Aldershot like Jenson Button.

All Ways Driving School offer driving lessons in Aldershot at an affordable price.

What Makes A Good Driver – Skill

June 25, 2011

What Makes a Good Driver?

Skill

Next in the series of “What makes a good driver?” is skill. At All Ways School of Motoring we will teach you the skills necessary to make you a skilful driver. We provide driving lessons in Aldershot, Ash, Normandy, Bentley, Heath End, Weybourne, Tongham, Frimley, Frimley Green, Church Crookham and Crondall.
You make for a better driver if you can change gears smoothly. Not only will this make for a more comfortable ride but you will also put less wear and tear on your car.
Similarly when accelerating, cornering and braking you will want to your passengers to enjoy the ride and not be thrown all over the place. Maybe when you first learn to drive that is how you did things. However by the time you are at test standard you will want everything to be nice and smooth.
Try and drive like a chauffeur. Imagine you are driving a VIP about and they want the best and smoothest ride possible. Try stopping at the side of the road and being able to pull up so that you can hardly feel the car stopping.
Take that on another step and try cornering so that the passengers aren’t thrown about in their seats or lurching forward. The position of your car when entering a corner, the correct speed on approach and being in the right gear are all important for a smooth drive. That doesn’t mean that every corner is taken at a snail’s pace, it means that you get the balance right for the bend. The general rule of thumb is slow in quick out. However that is only easy when you mastered the controls well. It is a fine line between getting it right or wrong. I’m sure that you have seen cars buried into the side of the road. Very rarely is it the cars fault, most times it’s the fault of the driver, who hasn’t the required skill or competence to drive correctly.
It is very hard to become a skilful driver overnight. It sometimes takes many years to master. Some people will never manage to achieve good skill even after a lifetime of driving.

All Ways School of Motoring will teach you to master the controls correctly. Don’t just simply look to pass your driving test. Try to impress the examiner that you have good control of your vehicle. We provide driving lessons in and around; Farnham, Farnborough, Ash Green, Dippenhall, Lower Bourne, Elstead, Badshot Lea, Mytchett, Fleet and Eweshot.

All Ways Driving School offer driving lessons in Aldershot at an affordable price.

What Makes a Good Driver – Anticipation

June 21, 2011

What Makes a Good Driver?

Anticipation – Defensive Driving

Next in our series of “What makes a good driver” is anticipation. When you start your driving lessons in and around Aldershot, your instructor will highlight the potential hazards and get you to think about what might happen next.

Anticipation is the ability to read and be aware of the things that are happening around you. This in turn will lead to defensive driving, which is another important quality in any driver. Imagine if you drove with your eyes closed, are you going to be able to anticipate anything? “No”, is the answer that comes back to you. This goes to show that if you only look as further as the end of your bonnet you, you will not be able to anticipate the potential dangers around you. To be able to read the road around you it is important to keep changing where you look and not to be fixated with the tarmac or the boot of the car ahead of you. By doing this you are more likely to be able to anticipate what may happen ahead or around you and therefore allow you to start to react a little bit sooner than the next driver.

Defensive driving is the ability to second guess what might happen and as a result drive more cautiously. You will also become a smoother driver by reacting to things much earlier sometimes 1 mile ahead and hence will not have the need for harsh breaking. Over many years of driving you will see thousands of clues as to what might happen; kids kicking a football on the pavement, what do you think is likely to happen next? A pair of feet behind a car or van. An ice cream van parked at the side of the road. A dog not on a lead. In fact there are so many potential clues that it will be impossible to list them all here. It has been said that experienced drivers react 2 seconds quicker than inexperienced drivers. That’s because with many years of experience you can often guess what may happen next, when you see these clues and as a result you may already start to slow down in anticipation of the potential hazard.

Consider an inexperienced driver who is approaching a zebra crossing. On the pavement is a teenage lad texting on his mobile, only a few steps away from the crossing. So what should be going through the drivers mind? Well the driver should anticipate that the lad will step onto the crossing without looking. As a result the driver should have started to slow down in good time so that if the lad does step on we are ready to stop safely without the need for an emergency stop. If the young lad walks past the crossing and doesn’t step on then no harm done. At least you have saved a potential accident by anticipating.

When you take driving lessons with All Ways Driving School, your instructor will work on these skills to ensure that you become a safe and competent driver for life.

All Ways Driving School offer driving lessons in Aldershot at an affordable price.

What Makes A Good Driver – Concentration

June 20, 2011

What Makes a Good Driver?

At All Ways School of Motoring we pride ourselves with our high standards and level of commitment. We offer driving lessons in Aldershot, Farnham, Farnborough, Ash, Ash Green, Normandy, Dippenhall, Bentley, Lower Bourne, Heath End, Elstead, Weybourne, Badshot Lea, Tongham, Mytchett, Frimley, Frimley Green, Fleet, Church Crookham, Crondall, Eweshot.

We have often been asked “What makes a good driver?” In this series we will endeavour to cover the necessary attributes needed to become a good driver and we will be looking at these over the next few weeks. We feel that there are 6 attributes needed are:

  • Concentration
  • Anticipation
  • Skill
  • Attitude
  • Knowledge
  • Self Discipline

Not necessarily in that order, however you do require all six. Let’s look at the first of these;

Concentration

Concentration is the ability to keep your mind on the job in question, in this case, driving a car. Many 17 and 18 year olds want to learn to drive and as such want to take driving lessons as soon as possible. However if you are thinking about your exams that may be coming up soon or whether your local football team will win next Saturday, that’s fine, but don’t think about that when you’re driving.

Maybe you’re are a mum going to pick up the kids from school and you’re wondering if you remembered to turn the oven off or will you have enough time to get to the local supermarket. Don’t think about these things whilst you’re driving. If you are a local builder and you are worried about where the next bit of work will come from or if your last customer will pay you on time. Don’t think about it whilst you are behind the wheel of your van.

Unless you concentrate on your driving, you may hit a pedestrian or another vehicle, ask yourself, who is to blame? Quite possibly you could argue that the small child you have just hit should not be out on the road on her own, however the accident may have been avoided by good concentration. It only takes a second in lapse in concentration for an accident to happen. A way to learn how to concentrate whilst you’re driving is to give yourself, out loud, a running commentary as you drive along. You can do this while driving on your own or with passengers. You may feel a little self conscious but you will be amazed at how much more you will see and not see by saying these things out loud. If you have a passenger they can highlight the things you may have missed and you will be able to learn from that.

If you concentrate on your driving then accidents are less likely to happen.

All Ways Driving School offer driving lessons in Aldershot at an affordable price.

Belt Up in The Back

June 17, 2011

Belt Up in The Back

Child seats have been compulsory for many years now. However one woman found to her horror that she wasn’t able to fit 3 child seats in the back of her family car. Luckily she’s discovered a devise that has solved her problem.
“On New Year’s Eve I opened my front door to find my husband emerging from a vehicle that was more sporty than workhorse. The kind of car that he had dreamed about every time he got into our trusted but unfashionable MPV. It was an Audi estate, beautiful even to my untrained eye. He assured me that it was ‘a good deal, buying it before the year end got us two free services’, my eyes glanced over the car. ‘It looks a bit narrow. Will all of us fit in?’
Unfortunately for my husband, we didn’t. He had banked on the fact that 3 booster seats would fit all three boys safely and legally into the back.
No amount of shopping around for booster seats and trying to squeeze them in as tight as possible would do it for us. We appeared to have a car that was perfect for a family of four.
A look online revealed that many parents had the same issue. Cars that happily seat five adults don’t seem to cope with two adults and three young children, which means families of 3 or more children are pushed towards people carriers and sport utility vehicles.
I didn’t like the idea of driving around in a Chelsea tractor. People carriers send the message that we were looking to expand our family or carrying a football team around.
Apparently French and Scandinavian families are more likely to have three or more children. Therefore cars from these countries are usually designed to allow for this.
Finally, after ages looking online, I discovered Multimac which is a bench-like system of either three or four child seats, that can be bolted into the car. They have five-point harnesses and all the required safety approval.
The invention was inspired by one man’s desire to get his own four children into a normal sized car. It took 13 years before he was finally able to sell the Multimac 2008. With one of these devises, it is possible to fit three children into the back of something as small as a Fiat 500. Incredibly four children into a Ford Fiesta. There is a rear facing attachment for babies, which may mean a big saving for families with a growing family.”

If you’re looking for a driving instructor in Aldershot please contact All Ways School of Motoring.

Breakdown Cover

June 11, 2011

Breakdown Cover

Everyday in the UK there are around 20,000 breakdown’s. The most common causes being, flat tyres, flat batteries and engine trouble the recovery services report. Some of the common causes of flat batteries include, using the car only for short journeys, leaving the headlights switched on overnight, electronic equipment e.g. sat nav or CD players, corroded, loose or damp connections on the battery. There are a number of checks that drivers can carry out on their cars to lessen the chances of a breakdown.
To help prevent breakdowns check the tyres and battery on a regular basis. However, not everyone can find the time or have the ability to carry out these checks. Good breakdown cover can provide that peace of mind if your vehicle breaks down on the roadside. With breakdown cover you can wait for good professional help to arrive without having to try to fix the problem yourself. There are many different breakdown cover packages to choose from. From the basic roadside package to comprehensive packages.
The basic roadside cover hope to repair the car at the side of the road, in most cases this is usually possible, or to tow your vehicle to the nearest garage or your home. This type of breakdown cover may limit the number of callouts that you are allowed to make in the year and the age of the car may be limited too. Some providers may cover available 365 days per year, 24 hours a day and not charge you for a call out. It might be possible to find Student Car Insurance which may well include breakdown cover.
More comprehensive breakdown cover include the benefits of roadside assistance as well as allowing the driver and passengers to continue their journey, if the repair can’t be made on the same day, through use of a hire car or relief driver. Some insurance companies may have no limits to the number of call outs per year and may also include overnight accommodation in the event of a breakdown.

If you’re looking for a driving instructor in Aldershot please contact All Ways School of Motoring.

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