Driving Tired: How to Minimise the Risks
According to studies carried out by road safety experts “THINK!”, 20% of accidents on major roads are sleep related – meaning that here in the UK we are driving tired now more than ever. So why is this? Are we working longer and commuting further? Are our social lives taking us further afield? Whatever the reason is, driving tired can be costly to you and others. Here’s our advice on how to minimise the risks 1. If you know you have a long drive ahead of you, plan your journey with safe places to stop. For every 2 hours of driving, you should schedule a 15 – 20 minute break. 2. If you’re driving on the motorway, don’t stop on the hard shoulder, find the next service station and have a break. 3. Drinking caffeine can help you become more alert, it usually takes around 20 minutes to kick in, so stop off somewhere safe and relax for a bit. 4. Avoid heavy meals before and during journeys. 5. Completely avoid alcohol before a journey – even the smallest amount can make you feel more tired and affect your judgement. 6. If you are planning a long journey it’s always good to have a passenger in the car with you. This can help keep you alert whilst also sharing the driving (just make sure they are insured). If you have any advice or tips on how to minimise the risks on driving tired, get in touch with us below. For more information about THINK! – the road safety experts click here Happy driving.
Driving Tired: How to Minimise the Risks
According to studies carried out by road safety experts “THINK!”, 20% of accidents on major roads are sleep related – meaning that here in the UK we are driving tired now more than ever.
8 Simple Pre MOT Checks
Is it time for your MOT? Here are 8 simple pre MOT checks you can do yourself to give your vehicle the best chance.
Car Crime Awareness Week
As the AVCIS Car Crime Awareness Week (17th – 23rd May) draws to a close, HPI is urging car buyers to remain vigilant at all times and highlights the potential dangers of buying a used vehicle. Car Crime Awareness week has served as an annual reminder for motorists to protect themselves from becoming a victim of car crime. However, HPI warns used car buyers that they shouldn’t just be wary of problems as a car owner, such as of theft of their vehicle, but also need to consider the risks as a car buyer – of buying a car that has been stolen, has outstanding finance against it, or has been clocked.
Why You Shouldn't Pay In Cash For Your Car
You’ve done it! You’ve finally found that dream car! All you’ve got to do now is pay for it! Hooray! But hang on, the seller is asking for “CASH ONLY”, odd, but okay. You’ve fallen in love with the car already, so cash only is fine. But is it?
Car Buyer's Guide: What you Need to Know
Whether it’s your first or fifth; buying a new car is always an exciting time. You spend a lot of time, effort and money into buying a used a car, so how to make sure you car is a good one, follow our car buyer’s guide.
Don't Get Done Get Dom
As the latest series of BBC One’s, Don’t Get Done Get Dom hits our TV screens this Spring, consumer expert Dominic Littlewood takes the mantel once again to stand up for innocent consumers falling faul of wrong doers.
FOXY Lady Drivers Club – “DVLA TACKLES MOTORING FRAUD ONLINE”
DVLA TACKLES MOTORING FRAUD The Driving Vehicle and Licensing Agency (DVLA) has the car taxation renewal process running online like clockwork and will soon be offering us affordable Direct Debit payment options. But a more major development for motorists is planned for October when they’ll stop issuing tax discs altogether. Clearly this will save taxpayers money in terms of printing and postage costs but it makes even better sense when we realise that the majority of today’s tax evaders are being caught by police cameras that automatically check a car’s number plate. Some 800,000 offenders were caught this way in 2013. What happens if… Let’s see what happens if you were to ‘forget’ to tax your car on time after October. A local camera would automatically check your registration against DVLA database records and if your car wasn’t taxed at the time, the next thing you’d know would be the arrival of a ‘notice of intended prosecution’ on your doormat. A subtle reminder and a financial slap on the wrist to act as a deterrent. Whereas if you were to sell a car and not make sure the DVLA knew you didn’t own it any longer you could still be liable for any later traffic offence penalties or vehicle tax. Which is why you must ALWAYS send the V5C to the DVLA at Swansea yourself, not rely on any buyer doing this for you, and if you are scrapping a car you must ALWAYS get a Certificate of Destruction (CoD) from an authorised treatment facility (ATF). When points don’t mean prizes A second IT initiative which is being tested out at present will allow motor insurers to access DVLA data on penalty points. Individual drivers will also be able to check their personal data online. As I see it, these two new DVLA initiatives will make life harder for tax evaders and those who have been ‘economic with the truth’ when it comes to telling insurers about penalty points. The icing on the cake will be when honest motorists start to see cheaper car insurance as a result. ____________________________ Steph Savill runs award-winning FOXY Lady Drivers Club for women and their families. Membership services include a range of specialist support services when motoring gets stressful and a UK network of female friendly garages and repairers. To find out more please click here or follow FOXY on Twitter.
Breaking News: Launch of the HPI Lie Detector App
Introducing the last technology – the HPI lie detector app. Have you ever wondered if the guy selling his car is actually telling the truth? Wouldn’t it be useful if there was an app that used voice metrics to analyse if a person was lying? Well now there is!
Paris car ban lifted. Could London be next?
Paris car ban helps city cut pollution. Last Monday, the French government imposed a car ban in the city of Paris. The sanction was placed in a bid to help rid the city of major air pollution. The black cloud of smog, was said to have been caused by the warm days, cool nights and little wind. The ban meant drivers with odd and even vehicle registration plates were only allowed to drive in the city on alternate days. So Monday 17th March, saw only drivers with odd number registration plates driving their vehicles in the city, whereas other drivers (who were not permitted to drive) could use public transport for free. Had this initiative not been a success, a second day ban would have commenced which would have meant on Tuesday 18th March; those with even numbered number plates would only have been allowed on the roads of Paris. Whilst this controversial ban only lasted a day, it was deemed a success. France’s ecology minister Philippe Martin said ‘Bravo’ and ‘Thank-you’ to his Parisian citizens. Although a car ban on a capital city may seem like a farfetched idea, is it something that the UK should adopt if our capital city sees pollution rise too high? Happy driving!