Motoring

Preparing for a staycation by car this summer

staycation
To help you get to your destination safely, read our top tips (Picture iStock/pixdeluxe)

With continued uncertainty over whether we’ll be allowed to go abroad without extensive quarantining, 2021 is looking like the year of the staycation. And that means rather than letting the plane take the strain, a lot of drivers will be turning to their cars.

Here we look at what you need to ensure you have a dream holiday rather than a trip from hell. The key is planning. If you carry out our checks the week before you go away, it gives you options to act on them. Do them the day before your holiday and it might result in more stress than you need.

And because a lot of people will be taking their motorhome or caravan away, we’re including those too.

Start by checking the battery

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James Foxall 5 Comments

Post-lockdown nerves: Brits reveal why they’re nervous to drive again

Lockdown restrictions may have eased a little on 12 April, but some Brits aren’t rushing to get back behind the wheel.

We spoke to 2,000 drivers, and a fifth of them told us they feel less confident about driving from the 12th. In fact, well over half (61%) said they would rather walk or cycle than drive at the moment.

Why are drivers worried?

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Jack Stoker 6 Comments

Up to a third of drivers suffer pothole damage

pothole damage
Between one in three and one in five UK drivers has struck a pothole (Picture iStock/Kozmoat98)

If your car’s been damaged by a pothole, you’re not alone. New research suggests at worst one in three drivers has suffered in this way; at best the figure is one in five.

And another annual study of the state of the nation’s roads paints a picture of a network that’s gradually crumbling. The report blames years of inconsistent funding combined with extreme weather conditions.

How many drivers have suffered pothole damage?

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James Foxall 4 Comments

Why all-season tyres could be the perfect new tyre choice for your car

all-season tyres
Winter tyres aren’t the only way to stay mobile and safe in cold weather

The weather is starting to warm up but there could still be times when the thermometer is struggling to nudge up from zero, particularly early in the morning or late at night. In cold conditions like this, regular tyres won’t have the grip you might expect or need.

If you’ve got the budget, the answer could be a set of winter tyres. But there is another way. You can now buy all-season tyres from many places, including the Green Flag Shop. Read on to see the benefits of these.

What are all-season tyres?

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James Foxall 9 Comments

10 great in-car gadgets

gadgets
In-car gadgets are a great way of sprucing up your motor – and making life more fun (Picture: iStock/Nicholas McComber)

No matter how much – or little – time we’re spending in our cars at the moment, there’s a whole host of gadgets out there.

We look at 10 of our favourites for making motoring safer, more comfortable, convenient or simply more fun. Whether you want to bring an older car into the 21st Century with the latest technology, or simply add a touch of luxury to a newer motor, we’ve got something for you.

Bluetooth receiver

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James Foxall 1 Comment

Test how well you know the Highway Code with our road safety quiz

The government is considering changing the priorities drivers enjoy on the road. It wants to improve road safety by protecting vulnerable road users such as cyclists.

However, safety charity IAM RoadSmart surveyed drivers. This revealed drivers didn’t like the idea. Nearly three quarters (71 per cent) think giving more priority to cyclists and pedestrians over cars will cause more arguments.

IAM RoadSmart policy director Neil Greig claimed if the rules are changed, drivers need to be educated properly. He said: “The Department for Transport needs to be realistic about the impact simply changing a seldom-read document will have on the behaviour and safety of road users.” Take our quiz to find out how well you know the Highway Code.

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James Foxall 49 Comments

Expert advice: how to de-ice your car safely

Over a third of UK drivers regularly get behind the wheel without having fully de-iced their vehicle. Not only is this dangerous, it’s actually against the law. 

So, as part of our Can’t See, Won’t Drive campaign, we’ve put together some expert advice on how to de-ice your car safely, even in the toughest conditions.

How to de-ice your car

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Mike Shaw 35 Comments

Poor eyesight and clocks going back are November road safety hazard

poor eyesight
A fifth of drivers haven’t had their eyes tested for at least two years (Picture iStock/RapidEye)

The clocks going back sees November registering a dramatic increase in the number car crashes in the UK. It’s caused by more people driving in the dark combined with the weather getting worse.

But one thing drivers can do to protect themselves and other road users is have their eyes tested. Read on to find out why dodgy eyesight is a significant contributor to road crashes.

How many UK drivers have poor eyesight?

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James Foxall 2 Comments

Learning to drive, booking and taking a test: what’s changed

learning to drive
Wearing masks is compulsory for instructors and examiners; it’s also recommended for learner drivers (Picture iStock/Brankokosteski)

If your learning to drive was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, you’ll be relieved to hear things are getting back to normal.

Driving lessons have been held again since the beginning of July. Learners who feel they’re ready have been able to book a test since August 26. However, reserving a test slot has proved difficult because of technical difficulties with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) website. Read on to find out more about learning to drive and taking the test.

If you’re learning to drive

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James Foxall 6 Comments

Expert advice: summer car checks for a safe, reliable getaway

summer car checks
Carry out our checks to help ensure a trouble-free trip (Picture iStock/Solovyova)

Now’s the time when most of us are either going away or preparing for our summer break. And it’s when our cars come into their own as a trusty family workhorse. Below are six basic summer car checks you can carry out. They’ll only take a couple of minutes and will ensure your car performs safely and reliably while you’re away.

If you’re worried about anything, don’t hesitate to book your car in for some professional attention. Alternatively, you could take your car for one of Green Flag’s free vehicle health checks. But in the first instance, read on to see the six summer checks I think you should perform.

Pump up your tyres

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Damon Jowett 1 Comment

Changes to Euro NCAP crash tests may harm ratings of large SUVs

crash tests
Changes include smashing into a moving object to make crash tests more realistic (Picture: Euro NCAP)

Testing how cars behave in serious crashes has undergone the biggest shake-up for a decade. The Euro NCAP safety ratings have been overhauled to make them more relevant to the kinds of cars that are now popular.

The independent assessments show in an easy to understand way how cars respond in crashes. They are important in helping car buyers to compare the safety of different vehicles. Read on to see why the new changes could affect you.

What are the main changes?

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James Foxall Leave a comment

Face coverings: should you wear one while driving?

face coverings
Wearing a face covering in a private car is a personal choice (Picture iStock/SbytovaMN).

From 15 June 2020, anyone in the UK travelling on public transport should wear a face covering to help limit the spread of COVID-19. But the rules about sporting masks or face coverings elsewhere are less clear. We look at what it means for car drivers.

What is the government advice about masks?

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James Foxall 22 Comments

Quiz: how well do you know your British cars?

british cars
British cars celebrate some major birthdays this year. Test your knowledge of them (Picture iStock/Lalocracio)

This year is a bumper one for British cars. Motors that are well known to this day, such as the Range Rover, Morgan Plus 4 and Jaguar E-Type celebrate significant birthdays in 2020. And several other models that car fans hold dear to their hearts have anniversaries too. Find out how well you know your British cars by taking our cunning quiz.

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James Foxall 3 Comments

Pothole problem: new report shows it’s getting worse. Read how to claim

pothole problem
An all-to-familiar sight on England’s roads. Read how to claim for the damage (Picture iStock/kozmoat98)

We may not be driving much at the moment but after the warm wet winter, the pothole problem for drivers is still a motoring headache.

A new report has revealed that road maintenance budgets in England have fallen; there are now fewer roads than last year described as being in ‘good’ structural condition; and the rising backlog of repairs means billions of pounds are still needed to bring local roads in England up to scratch.

What were the survey’s main findings?

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James Foxall 17 Comments

What is a hydrogen fuel cell car and how does it work?

hydrogen fuel cell car
The shape of things to come? Hyundai’s Nexo is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell (Picture Hyundai)

You might have heard the term hydrogen fuel cell car and wondered what it was. It’s an eco-friendly alternative fuel that’s already on sale, and which some claim represents the future of motoring. There is certainly a growing shift for car makers to develop this new tech. But how viable is it? Read on to find out all about fuel cells.

What is a fuel cell car?

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James Foxall 21 Comments