Motoring

Driving courses that could prevent another young driver tragedy

14/10/2015

After distressing video footage was released from a young driver crash, the importance of driving courses for novices was once again highlighted.

The film was released when the parents of two young drivers killed in a drug-driving accident gave police their permission. It was salvaged from 21 year-old Michael Owen’s smartphone after his Renault Clio was crashed by friend Kyle Careford, 20. The pair from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, veered off the road and crashed through a church wall. They were under the influence of drugs and had been driving at speeds of up 90mph along narrow lanes near Crowborough, Sussex.

Owen’s mother Kat said: “If all this stops one person from making the same mistake, then some good has come from showing this video.” Young or inexperienced drivers can also put themselves forward for additional driving courses that can help make them safer, more observant drivers. Here are four courses that should do the job.
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Stressed drivers: How to stay calm when behind the wheel of your car

05/10/2015

Stress experts say deep breaths could stop drivers getting angry at the wheel

Stressed out drivers seem to be a fundamental part of modern motoring. Whether the anxiety shows itself through rude gestures, driving aggressively or ignoring basic good manners and the rules of the road it’s there, eating away at many of us.

In 2015, the UK government’s Health and Safety Executive claims that more than 105 million work days a year are lost in the UK through stress, costing employers £1.24 billion. Stress is such a problem that in 2015 Jaguar Land Rover revealed it’s developing a range of in-car technologies aimed at reducing the number of stressed and distracted drivers. Unfortunately, they’re still a number of years away from being fitted to cars we can buy. So to help drivers stay chilled behind the wheel, here are some stress busting tips that can be put to good use today.
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Young drivers: Experts say new laws needed to help cut casualties

18/09/2015

One government idea is for drivers to have a minimum 20 hours of driving at night before they can take their driving test

The number of people killed on Britain’s roads increased in 2014 and young drivers are still the most dangerous category of vehicle user. It’s prompted experts to call for a review of driver training. Road safety experts say figures show one in five young drivers aged 17 to 24 crashes within six months of passing their test. And road accidents are the biggest killer of young people in the UK, higher than both alcohol and drugs. We investigate plans to reverse that trend.

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Sharing economy: How to earn money from your drive, garage and car

04/09/2015

Car clubs are an ever more popular transport solution with young urban drivers (Picture © Toyota)

Today there are more ways than ever for drivers to earn – and save – money motoring. It’s the result of the sharing economy, a largely internet-enabled phenomenon that allows people to rent their assets to others.

The sharing economy is certainly catching the collective imagination. Accountancy firm PwC believes it will go from being worth around £15 billion globally in 2015 to £335bn in a decade. According to PwC, car sharing is one of this new trend’s five main pillars (peer-to-peer finance, online staffing, peer-to-peer accommodation, and music streaming are the others). Renting out your car isn’t the only way drivers can benefit from sharing.

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Road safety warning: Stats show summer most dangerous time to drive

22/07/2015

Saturday July 25 is the day experts claims drivers are most likely to crash (Picture © TyreSafe)

Summer is the time drivers are most likely to come to grief on Britain’s roads according to a new road safety warning. The latest research shows that this year, Saturday July 25 at 11am is the most likely time for drivers to have a crash. Continue reading →

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“Wish we’d had European breakdown cover for our holiday in France”

06/07/2015

Green Flag European breakdown cover case stud

The Roberts family – dad Alex, Kit, Holly and mum Vicky – found out the expensive way how valuable European breakdown cover can be

When the Roberts family set off last summer from their home in Lamberhurst, near Tunbridge Wells in Kent, they couldn’t wait to reach the ferry terminal at Dover, board the boat and begin their summer holiday in France. But the excitement of grabbing dinner in the ship’s restaurant ahead of a drive to Montignac, in Dordogne, soon faded: Mum, Vicky and Dad, Alex realised that each had thought the other had arranged European breakdown cover. Continue reading →

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Holiday parking: How to get the cheapest and best

26/06/2015

You’re unlikely to park this close to your plane… but there are ways of limiting the hassle (Picture © Mercedes-Benz)

Holiday parking is a reality for millions of drivers every year. Many car owners, who decide a driving holiday isn’t for them, decide to fly instead. They have to get to the airport somehow and for many, that means driving and then leaving the car while they jet off to (hopefully) sunnier climes.

However, it’s not quite as simple as that. The car is the second most valuable item in most of our lives. We need to know that wherever we leave it, it’s going to be in a secure compound and only driven if it’s absolutely necessary and by someone who’s insured. At some airports, parking can be almost as expensive as one person’s flights. Here’s how to get the most cost-effective holiday parking. Continue reading →

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Motoring fines abroad: what to do if you get a ticket on holiday

19/06/2015

Great car, beautiful scenery, precious memories: driving abroad can be idyllic – unless you break the law (Picture © Skoda)

Motoring fines abroad are one way of ensuring the holiday hangover continues long after the sun tan has faded. Whether you get nabbed by a speed camera or handed a ticket for (possibly inadvertently) parking somewhere you shouldn’t, it can be an expensive business. So what are the rules? And where do you stand if a fine from abroad drops on the door mat? Our simple guide explains all. Continue reading →

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Pothole spotting car to reduce damage and cut compensation claims

10/06/2015

How Jaguar Land Rover’s pothole spotting car works (Picture © JLR)

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has come up with a pothole spotting car in an effort to prevent harm to vehicles and people. It’s currently estimated that wheel, tyre and accident damage caused by potholes costs the UK around £20m every year. Eventually, JLR hopes information collected by scanners on individual vehicles will transmit information to other cars and beyond. This could enable councils to fix damage to their highways as quickly as possible, saving money and possibly, lives. Continue reading →

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Why sunny weather increases drivers’ skin cancer risk

05/06/2015

In sunny weather, drivers of convertible cars should apply suncream – whether the roof is open or closed (Picture © Ford)

The arrival of the sun comes with a serious risk for drivers and their passengers: skin cancer. Drivers of cars with a convertible roof will already be aware of the harmful side effects of the sun’s rays. But studies in the US (where cars are left-hand drive) have discovered that for drivers, the left side of the head, neck, arm and hand receive up to six times the dose of UV radiation as the right side. This makes drivers more susceptible to skin cancer on their left sides. In the UK, where cars are right-hand drive, driver’s right sides will be more vulnerable. Read our guide to this invisible problem and how to guard against it. Continue reading →

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Driving test changes wanted to save young drivers’ lives

03/06/2015

Better driver training and a new test could cut casualties (Picture © Ford)

Driving test changes are being called for as the existing test hits 80 years-old. The insurance industry along with other experts are calling for alterations to bring it in line with driving conditions in the 21st Century. The driving test was made compulsory in April 1935. At the time, annual vehicle sales were measured in thousands rather than millions and car top speeds were bound by vehicle limitations rather than motorway speed restrictions. However, apart from including a written theory section, the driving test has barely changed over the intervening eight decades. Continue reading →

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Drink-drive limit: Calls to halve it to cut number of drivers prosecuted

20/05/2015

Drink driving prosecutions have been cut in Scotland by reducing the limit

The police want to slash the drink-drive limit by nearly a half amid concerns that women drivers are increasingly being caught over the limit. The Police Federation of England and Wales has called for the tougher legislation. It could mean a pint of beer will be enough to put some drivers over the drink-drive limit. Continue reading →

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Great British Drives: Anglesey

10/04/2015

Beaumaris Castle has been called an unfinished masterpiece (Picture © CADW)

Where? Around Anglesey

When to drive it? Spring/summer

Essential stop? Red Wharf Bay

Perfect stay: Chateau Rhianfa, Beaumaris

In Great British Drives Anglesey is a must. All the drives in our series feature dramatic scenery but North Wales moves breath-taking to a new level. The combination of mountainous countryside and only light traffic means the roads are relatively deserted and the views spectacular. However, rather than the obvious choice of driving through the Snowdonia National Park – it is beautiful and the roads are well worth sampling – we’ve gone for Anglesey. Continue reading →

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Roof boxes reduce mpg: Tests prove carriers cost

08/04/2015

No, that’s not an outboard motor on the back. It’s complicated test gear to prove the real cost of a roof box (Picture © What Car?)

With the Easter holiday in full swing and many drivers needing extra carrying capacity in their cars, a new investigation has proved that roof boxes reduce mpg. The test, conducted by authoritative magazine What Car?, tested a pair of popular family cars first without a roof box, then with one. Fitting the load lugger reduced economy by more than a third on one of the cars.

While roof boxes appear to reduce mpg, we’ve got some handy hints that drivers can deploy to help limit that decrease in economy. Continue reading →

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‘Woefully poor’ motorway service areas slammed

25/03/2015

Britain’s motorway service areas have been condemned as being ‘woefully poor’. As drivers prepare for trips to visit friends and family over the long Easter weekend, the motorway service stations many will have to stop at have been called ‘inadequate’, ‘filthy’ and ‘ill-maintained’. Continue reading →

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Great British Drives: the Cotswolds

20/02/2015

Where? Bourton-on-the-Water to Chipping Campden

When to drive it? Spring/Summer

Essential stop? Broadway Tower

Perfect Stay: Charingworth Manor, Chipping Campden
If anywhere wants to claim to be one of the most beautiful Great British Drives it will have to do battle with the Cotswolds. This route takes in some of the most picturesque towns and countryside in the British Isles with a combination of quiet and secluded valleys, streams of crystal water and high streets that will make visitors feel they’re on the set of a period drama. Continue reading →

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Driving in snow: How to prepare and stay safe

04/02/2015

Driving in snow presents car owners with one of their biggest challenges at the wheel. And with an arctic blast prompting forecasters to predict snow for the rest of the week, and some reports suggesting we’ve got a month of icy weather to look forward to, it’s time to be prepared for driving on slippery surfaces.

Research by tyre maker Goodyear showed that less than half of drivers, 48 per cent, ready their car for freezing conditions. Here are some simple steps to prepare for and then actually drive in snow. Continue reading →

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Car hire costs: How they catch drivers out

28/01/2015

Car hire costs can more than double at this time of year thanks to extras tacked on at the rental desk, new research suggests. The study found the average £214 basic cost could be inflated to £379 by extras sold to unsuspecting drivers as they collect their cars.

The study by iCarhireinsurance.com looked at car hire costs for the half term week during February, comparing five mainstream rental companies (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt) at seven European airports. Here are how car hire costs can be inflated and, importantly, tips for negotiating them down. Continue reading →

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Driving in fog: all you need to know

09/01/2015

Being on the road in the winter can mean driving in fog which is responsible for some of the most treacherous conditions car owners face. Hardly surprising that it’s believed a large number of crashes every year are caused by poor visibility. In 2013, 60 drivers were injured (35 of them hospitalised) when 130 vehicles were involved in a series of accidents in heavy fog on the Sheppey Crossing in Kent. Here’s all you need to know about driving in fog and the steps you can take to avoid something similar happening to you. Continue reading →

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£6bn not enough to fix pothole plague

07/01/2015

The Government’s promised £6 billion over six years to tackle the country’s pothole plague won’t be enough to fix the huge backlog of road repairs, according to councils. Some local authorities claim it will take them £100m to complete work on the holes in the road that can wreck car tyres, wheels and suspension parts. Continue reading →

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