Drive-Smart, a school of motoring based in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire went through the rigorous checking procedure set by Central Bedfordshire Council to achieve the status of “Trading Standards Approved”.

The aim of the Central Bedfordshire Council scheme is to improve business standards and increase consumer confidence in member businesses

The proprietor of Drive-Smart, Paul Burchell says. “The attainment of Trading Standards Approval is a significant milestone in the provision of driver training. As a driving instructor I, like all other driving schools must past rigorous tests of competency and suitability set by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). However, these standards only cover the practical aspects of learning to drive. The attainment of Trading Standards Approval goes far beyond the minimum standards required”.

The Trading Standards Approval scheme was originally devised to protect consumers against sharp practice in industries such as the building and second-hand car market. But now, such is the success of the scheme it has been expanded to encompass a much larger section of “Service” type businesses.

“I have been through a very thorough process to achieve the accolade of ‘Trading Standards Approval’. I have had personal interviews with the Public Protection team at Central Bedfordshire Council. They checked through my customer list and record keeping systems. They picked random customers from my files and contacted them to see how satisfied they had been with the service provided to them, I also had to have my terms of business scrutinised to ensure they are fair to the consumer This sort of checking procedure goes far beyond the minimum DSA requirement”.

Paul goes on to say. “My personal ethic has always been to try to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction possible. I believe that the Trading Standards Approval scheme is a valuable way of monitoring and improving on that goal”

Anne Hornett, a spokesperson for Central Bedfordshire Council said. “Central Bedfordshire Council is keen to expand initiatives such as Trading Standards Approved (TSA), which help to improve local business standards and increase consumer confidence. I’d like to take this opportunity in congratulating Paul who is the first TSA Driving Instructor in Central Bedfordshire; we look forward to working with many more local businesses under the TSA scheme”

 

For further information you can contact drivesmart@ntlworld.com

or for more information on the Trading Standards Approved scheme visit the Central Bedfordshire Council website at www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/tsapproved or alternatively email us at  trading.standards@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk        Telephone on 0300 300 8136

 

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

Each year BADDIA members hold a prize draw with the winning ticket holder nominating their chosen charity to receive a cash award.

This year the charity nominated to receive the cash award of one hundred pounds is

For anyone who doesn’t know of this charity and the works of service that they perform all over the world with great dedication and steadfastness here is a broad description of the difference they make:

Médecins Sans Frontières  (MSF) is an independent international medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency medical aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters or exclusion from health care in more than 60 countries around the world.

MSF respond to many humanitarian crisis around the world.  Anyone wishing to learn more about the work in which they are currently focussed can visit their web site at http://www.msf.org.uk

The clocks going back 1 hour this weekend brings with it an increase in the number of road traffic accidents.

A number of pieces of research over the past few years have highlighted this fact.

The fact that some drivers appear to get caught out by driving home in the light one week and then in the dark the following week appears to catch many unprepared with a resultant increase in road traffic accidents.  Many of these tragic accidents involve pedestrians especially young pedestrians.

We are posting this to remind drivers to take extra care at this time.

 

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

Detailed road casualty figures demonstrate that speeding is a serious problem on Britain’s roads, particularly among young men, says the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

RoSPA make the following comments against these latest road casualty figures:

Speed-related factors (exceeding the speed limit or travelling too fast for the conditions) were reported in relation to 211 deaths of 16-25-year-old men on Britain’s roads in 2008 – accounting for 41 per cent of road fatalities in this group. Across all road users, speed-related factors were cited in relation to 586 road deaths – accounting for 25 per cent of fatalities on Britain’s roads.

The Department for Transport’s report into the contributory factors to road accidents in Britain in 2008 also shows that continuing efforts to encourage drivers and riders to undergo refresher training are needed. Four of the five most frequently-reported contributory factors were a driver or rider error or reaction.

Failing to look properly was once again the most commonly reported factor in accidents of all severities (being cited in 37 per cent of accidents – up from 35 per cent in 2007).

Loss of control was the most commonly reported factor in fatal accidents (reported in 32 per cent of accidents which resulted in a death).

The other contributory factors in the top five across all severities of road accident were: failing to judge other person’s path or speed; careless, reckless or in a hurry; and poor turn or manoeuvre.

Overall, the number of people killed on Britain’s roads reached a record low in 2008. A total of 2,538 lives were lost (down from 2,946 in 2007). There were 26,034 serious injuries and 202,333 slight injuries. Disappointingly, the number of child deaths rose from 121 in 2007 to 124 in 2008.

Source:  RoSPA web site.

 

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

 

This update by the DSA, in their latest standard operating procedure issued to Driving Examiners, provides a very helpful clarification for anyone still wondering what the criteria is for  acceptable steering technique on the practical car test.

Previously the expectation was that practical car test candidates should adopt the pull push steering technique to avoid crossing their hands when steering the vehicle, in normal driving situations, with some exceptions e.g. low speed monoeuvres.

This update, recently issued by the agency, makes it clear that the Driving Examiner’s assessment should not penalise the test candidate for crossing their hands on the steering wheel as long as their steering is smooth, safe and under control.

This will probably be welcome news e.g. for anyone who has struggled with pull push steering or who has to re-sit a driving test for any reason.

 

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

New way to access information about theory and practical driving tests for several categories of vehicle.

The launch of this mechanism by the Driving Standards Agency gives driving test candidates, for several categories of vehicle, the opportunity to obtain information about the nature of the theory and practical tests that they are going to undertake and more besides.

A visit to the site here will reveal many pieces of video footage providing relevant information that is applicable to tests such as those for Cars, Motorcycles, Large Goods Vehicles and Passenger Carrying Vehicles.

Motorcyclists may particularly wish to visit the site to obtain the latest information about the DSA test.

Professional drivers of PCV and LGV categories may also benefit e.g. from information about the relevant theory test and the case studies that are introduced by the DSA.  It may also be beneficial for such drivers to keep an eye on the site when considering their CPC obligations as the DSA may start to make information about the scheme, or aspects of it, available via this channel.

Driving Instructors at BADDIA advise that the following will be of particular interest to Learner Drivers:

‘Official DSA car theory test – Are you ready?’

‘Case studies in the driving theory test’

‘Official DSA car practical test – Are you ready?’

‘Official DSA pass plus – Are you ready?

 

The Driving Standards Agency have issued their own press release about the launch of this latest channel of communication here

 

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

 

Guidance from BADDIA now available.

The BADDIA web site now includes a new piece of work containing guidance for drivers, by giving an example of how this roundabout can be negotiated, following changes to the layout and road markings made by the highways authority.

The scenario decribed is where drivers would be heading west on the A421, leaving the A421 via the slip road then negotiating the Cardington roundabout with the intention of heading toward Bedford on the A603.  It can be found here on the BADDIA home page under the heading:

Having trouble with the 
Cardington roundabout?

BADDIA members felt this would be a useful contribution for all drivers, at all the various stages of their driving development, to be able to refer to; particularly given the confusion that multiple lane spiral roundabouts can sometimes create even for the most experienced.

Clearly the skills of effective all round observation and forward planning, taking account of the the road and traffic conditions road signs and markings, are key ingredients for success in this type of situation.

BADDIA make this information available for guidance only, on the understanding that the reader must ensure it is used sensibly and safely.  Since they have no control over how this information is used BADDIA and its members make this article available on the condition that they can accept no liability for actual events.

 

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