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

Published: Tuesday, 17 August 2010 by Directgov

Drug-driving test equipment to be trialled By Richard Scott
 
A recent advert warned young people their eyes could betray drug use.  The government is planning trials of equipment to test if drivers are under the influence of drugs.

The move could lead to a roll-out of the technology across all police forces in England, Scotland and Wales within two years.

Manufacturers are to be given specifications for the devices by the end of September.

It follows publication of a review into the problem of drug-driving, which found that major changes were needed.

Tackling drug-driving Call to reduce drink-drive limit The review by Sir Peter North, which was published in June, concluded that the drug-driving problem was “out of all proportion” to the official figures.

That is partly because of the difficulty in testing for drugs, which means many cases go unrecorded.

‘Selfish minority’
 
At the moment police first need a doctor to decide whether the suspect has a “condition which might be due to a drug”, and then a blood test has to be carried out.

Getting a doctor to the police station and the examination itself both take time – and could mean the drugs have left the suspect’s system before the blood sample is taken.

There is another reason for thinking the current figures relating to drug-driving - 56 fatal accidents and 207 serious injury accidents in 2008 – are too low. If a suspect has been breathalysed and found to be over the drink-drive limit, police will rarely continue with further tests to decide if drugs are present too.

The government now says it will give manufacturers specifications for new testing equipment by the end of  September. The resulting products are set to be trialled in police stations within a year and then rolled out to forces within two years.

“We believe that having a ‘drugalyser’ in police stations will make police work easier”

Edmund King
 
Tackling drug-driving Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “It is vital that the police have the tools they need to tackle those who drive while impaired by drugs.”

“This selfish minority show a flagrant disregard, not only for their own lives, but for the safety of others and we are determined to tackle this menace. That is why we are taking urgent steps to make drug screening technology available as soon as possible.”

The specifications are still being decided, but it is understood the Home Office wants the equipment to be capable of testing for the most common drugs, such as cannabis and cocaine.

Zero tolerance
 
It is not known yet if the test will use a sample of a suspect’s saliva, as suggested by Sir Peter.

What is also uncertain is whether there will be a drug-drive limit, similar to the drink-drive limit, based on the level of driving impairment.

An alternative approach would be zero tolerance, where any amount of illegal drugs resulted in a prosecution regardless of whether driving was impaired.

The Home Office and Department for Transport are also to spend £300,000 on research into roadside testing equipment, with the eventual aim that all evidence for prosecutions could be gathered on site by traffic police.

The money will also be used to develop technology that can test for a wider range of drugs than is currently possible.

Edmund King, president of the AA motoring organisation, said: “The AA has long been highlighting the hidden problems of drugs and driving so we are delighted that these issues are being addressed.

“We believe that having a ‘drugalyser’ in police stations will make police work easier and act as a deterrent to drug-drivers.”

Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, added: “At last the technology has caught up with the political will and the public mood.”

Taken from correspondent, BBC News

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

The information available here outlines the changes that are to take place and points to an updated version of their ‘Are You Ready’ video available on their YouTube site.

This latest information follows on from the post that BADDIA placed previously regarding the DSA’s YouTube Video that focused on the Independent Driving Element that forms Part of the changes to the Driving Test from October 2010.

These impending changes to the test include:
Independent Driving
One manoeuvre out of four instead of two
and result from the Learning to Drive Public Consultation previously carried out by the agency.

The First change introduced case study questions into the theory test in autumn 2009.

Other changes, already introduced, include the assessment of eco-safe driving on the Driving test and bringing in additional vehicle safety check questions (also known as the show me tell me questions). Candidates are currently asked two questions from a list extended to nineteen such questions.

Those who have been following the changes over the years will know that the Driving Test has changed significantly, in terms of test content and assessment criteria, as compared to that experienced by those of us who took the test prior to 1997.

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

The Driving Standards Agency reminder points to information here

A key point is the change in driving entitlements that came into effect for drivers who passed their tests from early 1997 onward.

Some BADDIA members offer specialist trailer towing training for those wishing to take the B+E test.  Relevant information can be found 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

From 24th June candidates who book or change their practical driving tests using this service must provide an email address at which to receive their driving test confirmation details.

The DSA have stated that they will no longer send out such booking confirmations by post.

The DSA’s announcement can be found 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

The Guardian newspaper and the BBC, among others have reported on the HPA’s findings following their recent research.

The HPA’s finding show that using Screen Wash in the Windscreen Washer Reservoir of vehicles, as directed by the Screenwash manufacturers, can dramatically reduce the risk of Legionnaires Disease being contracted.

Some of the media reports can be found here and here

We hope that sharing this important information proves useful for people. It certainly appears, from the HPA’s research, that this simple step can greatly reduce the risk of falling ill with an ailment that none of us would wish to contract.

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

The Driving Standards Agency are introducing this change as an outcome of the consultation they carried out on the process of learning to drive.

A description of what to expect and how it will be conducted can be found here on the DSA’s YouTube site.

Further information can also be found here.

To us it is a welcome and positive enhancement to the driving test, as it will further bring together and test key competencies and thus help further prepare test candidates for driving on their own.

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

The British driving test marks three-quarters of a century of helping keep people safe on the road when it turns 75 on Tuesday 1 June.

The first car and driving licences were introduced in Britain in 1903. But it was not until 1 June 1935 – amid rising numbers of deaths as the popularity of the car increased – that a compulsory driving test was introduced.

The first driver to pass was Mr J Beene and within a year, the number of deaths on the road had fallen by 1,000.

In 1934, 7,343 people were killed on the roads and there were 1.5 million cars. The latest figures show there were 2,538 deaths on the roads in 2008 when there were around 34 million cars.

Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “The driving test is not just a rite of passage, it has helped save thousands of lives on our roads.

“The test and the learning needed to pass it are a vital part of giving drivers the skills they need to drive efficiently and safely.

“High standards of driver training and assessment are an essential contribution to helping Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world.”

Trevor Wedge, Chief Driving Examiner at the Driving Standards Agency, said: “The driving test still retains some of the original elements included in 1935, such as turning in the road and reversing, but it is updated regularly. We continue to make sure that the test properly prepares drivers for the demands of modern roads.

“This year will see the introduction of independent driving into the test, to help candidates demonstrate their ability to drive without step-by-step instruction. We believe that this added element will lead to better and safer drivers.”

Facts and figures:

• the test became compulsory on 1 June 1935, after being introduced on a voluntary basis on 16 March the same year
•  the test was suspended during World War II and the Suez Crisis – examiners were put in charge of fuel rationing instead until 1975, candidates still had to demonstrate hand signals
• the theory test was introduced in July 1996

Drving Instructors in Bedford would like to wish the Driving Test a Happy 75th Birthday!

The article is from GMTV and covers items such as average pass rates by geographical area, average number of hours to prepare for the practical test and the importance of being discriminating in the selection of  Driving Instructor to best suite the individual Learner Driver.

The article, in full, can be found 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

It is to bring to people’s attention the fact that using sites other than the official DSA site, to book driving tests on-line, can result in people paying out extra on top of the normal test booking fee, sometimes without realising.

The DSA have issued a statement on the matter on their twitter site here stating  “Don’t get tricked into paying a hidden booking fee; book your driving test using the only official site”  and include a web link to the relevant area here of the Directgov 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