The DSA have announced the following changes to this service.

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

A recent report by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) focuses on Legionnaires Disease Risk for Drivers and a simple step to reduce that risk.

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

A Ten minute section of independent Driving will be introduced into the Driving Test from October this year.

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

Major road safety milestone as driving test clocks up 75 years of success

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!

Bedford and District Driving Instructors thought that the following article would be of Interest for Learner Drivers working toward passing their tests.

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

The DSA have recently issued a reminder on this matter.

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

This is to remind any motorists who may have forgotten that the Law requires us all to keep our vehicle windows and windsreens, lights, indicators, reflectors and number plates clean and clear.

The consequences of not doing so clearly increases risk exposure, such as rear end collision risk, from the driver of the vehicle following not seeing obscured brake lights and indicators.  An all too common and avoidable crash in the Present weather conditions.

So as well as allowing extra time and space and using the vehicle controls smoothly in normal driving, remember to grab the old bucket and sponge, or similar, between journeys and use them on the external parts that assist your vehicle in being visible to others.

Supporting information can be found here and here in the relevant sections of the highway code.

 

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

 

18 year-old Scott Brooks has become the third and final winner of the Coventry and Warwickshire Young Driver of the Year competition, and has won a Peugeot 107 for his efforts.

Source:  www.carkeys.co.uk

As in previous years, the competition has been organised by Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council, the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) and the Institute of Advanced Motorists, and sponsored by Peugeot, whose UK base is in Coventry. Fifty drivers were short-listed, from hundreds of entrants, and asked to attend a driving day at MIRA’s test facility which involved a theory test, an assessed drive and car control activities.

The top twelve were asked back for a further day of challenges at MIRA, and Scott – who recently passed the IAM’s advanced driving test – was judged to be the winner.

“I’m so pleased I entered the competition,” he said afterwards. “I’ve won a fabulous brand new Peugeot 107, had a lot of fun on the driving days and got some really useful advice and feedback on my driving from the MIRA and IAM instructors. It’s been a great experience.

“I’d recommend all drivers to take some form of further or advanced driver training. I don’t think you are ever too young or too old to learn more and become a safer and better driver.”

 

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