The British School of Motoring have announced a partnership with Fiat that will see learner drivers practicing in 500s and Grande Puntos.

 Photo from Verdict on Cars website

Fiat will provide 14,000 cars to BSM, the majority of which will be Fiat 500s. The partnership also includes a special offer for BSM learner drivers who will be given a £500 discount off a new Fiat after they have passed the practical driving test.

The driving school hopes the trendy Fiats will boost the popularity of its courses, but it comes as a blow to Vauxhall, who had a long standing supply deal with BSM.

‘This fantastic new agreement puts an award-winning car alongside the best-known driving school in the UK, and I am delighted we are involved in it,’ said Andrew Humberstone, managing director of Fiat UK. ‘It puts us right where we want to be – in the High Streets of Britain’s towns and cities.’

Source: Based on article from Verdict on Cars website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, a2om BTEC in Driving Science, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training, instructor training, in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

Brits getting behind the wheel undergo a personality change on a par with Jekyll and Hyde, new psychological research has discovered.

Four in ten motorists experience a radical personality change in the driving seat.

Nearly two thirds (61%) become more aggressive and take greater risks, while 39% become quieter and over-cautious.

 Professor Geoff Beattie

The study of 4,000 motorists, commissioned by Aviva and conducted by Professor Geoff Beattie, Head of the School of Psychological Science at the University of Manchester, aimed to uncover the driving personalities of motorists on Britain’s roads.

Nine personality types were discovered, including the racing driver who disregards the speed limit and overtakes in built-up areas, and the snail, who annoys other motorists by driving so cautiously.

The research also revealed the bad habits of many of Britain’s drivers.

Men were found to be twice as likely as women to ignore a red light on an empty road, and four in ten men admitted to undertaking, compared to a third of women.

Young drivers aged 17-21 are the most aggressive on the roads.

Almost a quarter of motorists confessed to speaking on their mobile phone whilst driving, and a third admitted to driving fast to impress others.

Only 14% of drivers were found to be ‘realists’, fully aware of their own driving faults.

“The research demonstrates that people just don’t seem to know their own personalities when it comes to driving,” said Professor Beattie.

Adam Cracknell, Aviva spokesperson, said: “It’s important that motorists are honest with themselves about how they really behave when driving.

“Simple tips like not driving too close to the car in front of you, being courteous in busy traffic and indicating clearly can all help to remove the stress from driving and can help prevent both over aggression and over cautiousness on the roads.”

Source: Insurance Daily website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, a2om BTEC in Driving Science, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training, instructor training, in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

With potholes estimated to cause as many as 1 in 5 mechanical failures on UK roads and costing motorists an estimated GBP320 million every year, Potholes-co-uk has been created to help you avoid the cost and misery they cause…

Whether your car’s been damaged by a pothole and you want to know how to make a claim against a local council or you just want to report a poor piece of road, this is the place you’ll find the information you need.

If you’ve got issues with potholes, let others know about them by reporting them and writing a story. On this site find advice from people all across the country who have been through the same thing.

Source: Potholes website

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, a2om BTEC in Driving Science, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training, instructor training, in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

ALL NEW vehicles will be equipped with dedicated daytime running lights from 2011 to increase road safety.

 Audi A4

Dedicated daytime running lights are special lamps which are automatically switched on when the engine is started. They substantially increase the visibility of motor vehicles to other road users, and have a low energy consumption compared to existing dipped-beam head lamps.

European Commission vice president Günter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policy, said: “The introduction of daytime running lights for cars, trucks and buses makes them more visible, which will increase road safety. This will make a positive contribution to our goal of reducing fatalities on European roads whilst being more fuel efficient then existing lights.”

The directive adopted by the EC foresees that from February 7, 2011 onwards all new types of cars and small delivery vans will have to be equipped with daytime running lights. Trucks and buses will follow 18 months later in August 2012.

On vehicles equipped with daytime running lights, the lights are automatically switched on when the engine is started. When it is dark the driver has to switch on the driving lights manually. In this case the daytime running lights go off automatically.

Source: John Farlam’s Smart Driving website

What do BADDIA members think?

Comments please from driving instructors and driving schools who are BADDIA (Bedford and District Driving Instructors Association) members giving driving lessons, Pass Plus, a2om BTEC in Driving Science, advanced lessons, automatic lessons, disabled lessons, towing lessons, refresher courses, motorway lessons, fleet training, instructor training, in preparation for driving tests or driver improvement in the Bedford area.

PEOPLE who passed a car driving test before 1997 and want to supervise learners in some other categories of vehicle have until April 2010 to get the necessary new qualification.

The new rules apply to those who obtained their car licence before 1997 and who supervise learners in small lorries (category C1), minibuses (D1) or vehicle plus trailer combinations (C1+E or D1+E).

They have until 6 April next year to meet the relevant medical standards and pass the appropriate driving test if they want to continue supervising learners in those vehicles.

Drivers who passed before 1997 were given so-called “grandfather rights” to drive small lorries and minibuses. They will be able to continue driving these vehicles but will only be able to give tuition in them if they pass the test for the relevant category before 6 April 2010.

But drivers who do not pass the relevant driving test before then will have to wait three years from the date they do pass until they can supervise learner drivers.

Most instructors who provide professional training in driving small lorries and minibuses will not be affected by the change as they have already passed a driving test in a larger vehicle.

But a minority with ‘grandfather rights’ have been supervising learners without having the appropriate pass themselves.

Trevor Wedge, Great Britain’s Chief Driving Examiner, said: “In the interests of road safety, it is important that learners are supervised by people who have proved themselves capable of driving the vehicle in question.

“It was never the intention to allow learner drivers to be supervised on public roads unless they were with people who had proven experience of driving those vehicles.”

Here is a letter from DSA which clarifies the situation: -

14th July 2009

 Clarification of the rules for holders of pre-1997 category B licences who may supervise learners driving in category C1 (medium size lorry), C1 +E, D1 (minibus) or category D1 +E vehicles.

 Dear Sir/Madam,    

 I am writing to you to inform you about the clarification of rules for people who may supervise learners driving category C1 (medium size lorry), C1 +E, D1 (minibus) and D1 +E category vehicles on a pre-1997 B category licence with implied entitlements.  We intended to clarify the definition of the accompanying or supervisor term.

 Learner drivers should not drive a vehicle on public roads unless they are supervised by a qualified driver.  The supervisor or accompanying driver must hold a full licence for the category of vehicle being driven.  They must also have held that licence for the relevant period of time – usually three years.  In our view, implied rights entitlements do not meet these criteria because of the restrictions attaching to the licence and the higher medical standards requirements.  Also, there are road safety issues involved where a person who has never passed the relevant driving test acts as the supervisor for a leaner driver in a category C1, D1 and vehicle plus trailer combinations.

 We intend to change the legislation from 6 April 2010, to clarify the requirements for supervising drivers in respect of these categories.

 These changes will not affect a person’s existing entitlement to drive C1, D1 & vehicle plus trailer combinations.  But they will prevent anyone from acting as a supervising driver in such vehicle categories if they only hold pre-1997 licence category B. 

 Persons,  particularly those in the driver training industry – who currently rely on implied rights entitlements and want to continue to supervise drivers in C1, D1 and vehicle plus trailer combinations, will need to pass the relevant driving test(s) and meet the  higher medical standards required by drivers of larger vehicles before 6 April 2010.

 If they pass the relevant driving test(s) and meet the appropriate medical standards after the legislation is clarified, they will have to wait until they have held their new entitlement for three years before they can act as the supervising driver.

 However, if they have passed a driving test for one category of vocational licence and have held that licence for a period of three years, they will only have to wait a period of one year from the date they pass the practical driving test for another category of vocational vehicle before they can supervise a learner driver in that category of vehicle.  The table below gives further details:

Column 1                                                      Column 2

(Licence held for three years)                      (Licence held for one year)

C1                                                                   D1

C1 +E                                                             D1 +E

D1                                                                   C1

D1 +E                                                             C1 +E

This letter is part of a communications strategy designed to ensure that those affected by this change will be made aware of it well in advance.  We have also produced a poster that announces the change to the regulation.  If you require any copies to distribute or exhibit in your premises please contact us at the email address:  Robin.thomas@dsa.gsi.gov.uk

If you have any enquiries about the above please ring customer service enquiries on 0300200 1122.

Yours faithfully

Georgia Georgiou

Marketing Manager

Source: DSA website and letter

 

 

 

 

A EUROPEAN Road Safety Charter presentation and signing event was held on July 8, 2009 in London, in conjunction with the UK Department for Transport.

 

20 British entities including companies, associations and non-governmental organisations signed new commitments to help save lives on the UK’s roads, while three existing signatories renewed their commitments.

Ms Sarah Lambert, Head of Representation of the European Commission in UK opened the UK National Charter Tour by welcoming 90 participants. Ms Lambert active involvement throughout the event showed a strong interest of the European Road Safety Charter initiative by supporting and encouraging the signatories.

Mr Paul Clark MP
 
Mr Paul Clark MP, the UK’s Minister for Road Safety, gave a speech on Road Safety Policies in the UK, in which he echoed the British government’s support for the Charter. He also revealed the good news that the UK has already achieved its 2010 target on reducing deaths and serious injuries.
In 2008, deaths on the UK’s roads fell by 14% to 2,538, marking the largest percentage in a single year since the Second World War, while serious injuries fell by 6%.
“These latest statistics show we are continuing to make excellent progress towards our stated long-term goal of making Britain’s roads the safest in the world. They also mean that we have achieved our 2010 target on reducing deaths and serious injuries two years early.” Mr Clark said.
Despite these extremely encouraging results, Mr Clark urged the need to avoid complacency and emphasized the importance of continuing the “teamwork and partnership that is at the heart of our strategy – and the heart of the European Road Safety Charter.”
The UK and the Charter’s common aims include educating young people, targeting employers and employees who drive for work, improving the enforcement of driving laws and engineering of vehicles and roads. “…Our next ten-year road safety strategy for the UK, which begins in 2010, reflects many of the principles laid out in the Charter.” he said.
 
Citing the technology and strategies of other countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands as inspiration for the UK’s successes in road safety, Mr Clark reiterated the importance of the European Charter in uniting the UK with the continent in its aim to reduce road fatalities: “As road safety professionals, our responsibilities and concerns do not stop at national boundaries… I look forward to working with you to support the UK’s role within the European Road Safety Charter.” Mr Clark concluded.

Ms Isabelle Kardacz    Mrs Aude Delesalle
 
Ms Isabelle Kardacz, Head of the Road Safety Unit of the European Commission, spoke about the direction of road safety in Europe, and Mrs Aude Delesalle, European Road Safety Charter Coordinator, presented the Charter initiative, the latest updates in number of signatories and the future developments.
 
This was followed by the signing ceremony in which 20 British entities became part of the large Charter family: 3M, A.D.T.C. Driver Development, Arval Group Ltd, Bethell Group Plc, British Gas, British Red Cross, British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), Drive Alive, Driving Instructors Democratic Union (DIDU), Driving Research Group, Cranfield University, Greater London Hire Limited, Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, London Accident Prevention Council, M&G Vehicle Hire ltd, Nestlé UK, Occupational Road Safety Alliance (ORSA), Road Safety Council of Northern Ireland, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, UCL University College London, Centre for Transport Studies and Wolseley signed their unique commitments to actively contribute to reducing the number of accidents on their nation and continent’s roads. Also three renewed their existing Charter commitments for a further three years: Caravan Club, Greater London Authority and Institute of Advanced Motorists.
The active road safety network within the UK was very evident at the event proving a willingness to form real alliances and opportunities to communicate road safety practices together. The participants used the event to reaffirm their common goals as an active road safety network. 

Source: European Road Safety Charter website 10/07/09

LORRIES continue to break the national speed limit, with as many as 85% going over the 50mph set on some roads and three quarters exceeding 40mph limits, figures show.

Cars are not much better, with almost half (49%) going faster than the 70mph limit on motorways and 15% reaching speeds beyond 80mph.

However, the 2008 statistics from the Department for Transport also showed that while 69% of cars broke 30mph limits in 1998, fewer than 50% did so in 2008.

The distance travelled by motor vehicles in 2008 also fell for the first time since 1979, by around 0.8% on 2007. But the figure was still 11% more distance travelled than in 1998.

The miles travelled by cars fell 0.6% last year, while the number for light van traffic, which was down 0.4%, fell for first time since 1992.

The statistics also showed that heavy goods vehicle traffic was down 2.2% last year, and the south-east of England was responsible for 17% of all motor vehicle traffic in Britain during 2007/08.

Copyright © Press Association 2009

Source: RAC website

EFFICIENT DRIVING tests carried out around a typical Birmingham route have revealed that local drivers could cut their fuel costs by as much as GBP493 a year – just by learning to drive more efficiently.

The local people who drove the route in the same Ford ECOnetic Focus car managed it on average an amazing 37 per cent less economically than an expert driver from BP Ultimate’s Great British Fuel Efficiency Challenge.

The savings would equate to £493.78 a year for a driver who does 10,000 miles a year.  And they would reduce harmful C02 emissions by 1.2 tonnes. 

Now drivers in Birmingham are being challenged to learn the efficient driving techniques for themselves.

Sue Horler said: “BP Ultimate Unleaded can already give up to 28 miles more per tank compared with ordinary fuel- and now we want to help drivers go even further.”

The Great British Fuel Efficiency Challenge comes to the city from July 7-9.  Economical fuel and driving experts from BP Ultimate will be giving free Efficient Driving lessons all over Birmingham in association with Ford and supporting ACTONCO2.

They are also offering Top Tip seminars for companies who want their employees to learn how to reduce fuel costs.

Drivers and companies can put their names down for a 20 minute lesson in a new Ford Focus ECOnetic run on BP Ultimate fuel or 20 minute company seminars by going to www.gbfuelefficiencychallenge.co.uk . Drivers of all abilities and confidence levels are welcome – it’s not an exam!

Sue Horler: “Our specially developed in-car computer reveals the effect on fuel efficiency of every squeeze of the accelerator and each stab of the brakes.

“It’s amazing how much further we can take drivers who learn the basics of Efficient Driving.”

Speed hump and roundabout master-classes: 

New computer-controlled testing by BP Ultimate’s driving experts has revealed how a non-efficient approach to tackling speed humps and roundabouts can send fuel consumption soaring.    The tests reveal that drivers can as much as halve the fuel they use every time they drive over a speed bump or go through a roundabout.    

Said driving expert Anthony Sale:  “Stamping on the brakes and then accelerating hard is efficient driving’s worst enemy.   An efficient driver is a smooth driver.” 

“With speed humps, people often drive up to them at 30mph, brake hard, take the bump and then accelerate hard away before braking again for the next one.  That’s disastrous for fuel economy.  Try driving along speed humped roads at a steady 15-20 mph instead.”

He continued:  “The roundabouts around Birmingham can have a massive effect on fuel consumption too, potentially doubling the fuel used if you brake hard as you approach and then accelerate quickly to get round.”

“Try reducing your approach speed so you minimize braking and accelerating.   If you coast more slowly up to the roundabout, keeping the car in gear but taking your foot off the gas, you can often then filter safely into a gap in the traffic, rather than having to stop and start again.  It’s by far the most efficient way and can reduce the fuel used by up to 50 per cent.”

To see Anthony driving the most fuel-efficient way around Birmingham and hear his top tips go to www.gbfuelefficiencychallenge.co.uk

Source: Birmingham Post website

Looks like a good marketing opportunity for BADDIA driving instuctors in Bedford to offer eco driving lessons to full licence motorists.

The BP Challenge comes to Northampton from 4th to 6th August 2009.

 

THE GOVERNMENT says that it will save 1,000 lives.

YES
Kevin Clinton
Head of road safety, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

There is plenty of evidence that deaths and serious injuries are significantly reduced when 30mph zones are brought down to 20mph. It has also been proved that in zones with a 50mph speed limit rather than 60mph, the lower speeds result in fewer crashes and fewer serious crashes.

The case for reducing speed limits from 60mph to 50mph is mainly about rural roads where the design of the roads means that 60mph is too fast. They are the most dangerous roads, with the most people killed. Drivers going at 60mph may not be exceeding the speed limit but it is still too fast for conditions. Some rural roads are as safe as motorways, so not every road needs a 50mph limit. The Government is asking local authorities to review speed limits and strongly recommending reductions where the casualty rate is higher than on other types of roads. It is up to local authorities to look at where crashes happen and the nature of the roads.

In the past few years we have had a large increase in the number of 20mph roads. In areas where children are present there is a strong case for reducing the limit. Pedestrians who are hit at 20mph are less likely to be killed than at 30mph, and they are less likely to be hit in the first place.

Britain has a good record on road safety but deaths are not being reduced as fast as in other countries. We do not fully understand this; however, it is partly due to an increase in motorcycling, which is higher risk. Also, we still have a minority of drivers who behave outrageously badly.

Driver education and training is crucial and we should do more of it. Road safety education has not dropped off but speed limits and speed enforcement are an important part of the overall picture.

It is not true that drivers get distracted if they have to drive more slowly. Sometimes drivers will say that they find it difficult to concentrate on their speedometer, but a basic part of driving is knowing what speed you are doing. If you cannot drive using your speedometer and your observation, then you need to get some training.

There are ways to enforce speed limits. Traffic calming measures make it difficult for drivers to speed and, more recently, there have been attempts made with signs and road user education to persuade drivers to stick to the limits voluntarily. Of course, speed cameras and physical enforcement play an important role.

Local authorities should explain the reasons for reducing limits. That is something we do not do enough. We are not doing it for the sake of it – we are doing it to save lives.

 

NO
Brian Gregory
Chairman, Association of British Drivers

These proposals ignore the primary cause of road accidents, which is inattention. The Government’s answer to every road safety problem in the past few years has been installing speed cameras and reducing speed limits, when the answer to the majority of road safety problems is getting the road user to pay more attention and engineering the roads so that users do not have false perceptions. For example, the country is littered with transitional bends, and they are death traps – they are not allowed in the United States.

People assume that slower drivers are safer. Wrong. The very slow and very fast drivers are the most dangerous. The safest are those who travel at the 80th to 90th percentile of the speed of the traffic flow. Eighty years of evidence supports this. They are relatively fast but safe. Traditionally, speed limits have been set at the 85th percentile because it promotes normal free-flow conditions. The Government is talking about setting the speed limit at the 50th percentile.

The case for lowering limits is a false calculation based on a piece of research on 20mph limits in urban areas, in certain conditions. It does not have any relevance to free-flow conditions on high-speed roads.

The main body that advises the Department for Transport on road safety is the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, which receives some funding from the manufacturers of road safety equipment, such as speed cameras and motorway barriers. What sort of policy do you believe it will promote?

Britain is dropping down the league table of road safety because enforcement has overtaken engineering and education. When was the last time you heard about the “two-second rule”? The countries that are succeeding in bringing down the death rate have an aggressive policy of investing in road safety through engineering. They have high-class roads, good education programmes and use enforcement where necessary.

We are doing the opposite. Engineering is predicated on using speed cameras instead of ironing out accident blackspots. Congestion and journey times will increase with lower speed limits. Drivers will be more tired. If a speed limit is not fast enough, people get distracted. People will spend more time looking at their speedometers than keeping their eyes on the road. It is possible that pedestrian accidents will increase and casualties will get worse. If you analyse the data, pedestrians are at fault in 60 per cent of cases by stepping on to the road without looking. Where is the education there?

Source: Timesonline website

Driving instructors in Bedford who are BADDIA members, what do YOU think?