Teach your kids to drive

The words that you use can make a big difference to the way your learner responds (or doesn't respond!).

Terms such as 'gently', 'slowly', 'carefully', etc., have different meanings to different people. 

When giving instructions, you should always explain exactly what your idea of the meaning is. Doing this will prevent the potential problems that can be caused by misunderstanding.

An example might be saying "Drive at 20 miles per hour" - this would be much clearer than saying "Drive slowly".

Also, try to focus on the action required rather than on the desired result. If your learner panics when approaching a traffic light or other situation, screaming, "Slow Down!" is unlikely to help ... "Press the foot brake" might be more useful! Equally important is to focus on the positive - "Don't go to near to the parked cars" puts attention on the parked cars and increases the likelihood of the driver getting close. "Keep well towards the centre of the road and look well ahead" takes attention away from the parked cars and is more likely to have the desired effect.

Independent driving on the driving test.

The test includes approximately 10 minutes of independent driving - to enable you to do this the examiner will ask you to to:

• Follow traffic signs
• Follow a series of directions given in advance (given with the aid of a diagram)
• A combination of both of the above

The independent element of the test is not designed to test your memory or navigation skills so if you are unsure about which direction to go you can ask the examiner.

Driving lessons in Milton Keynes

Stephanie passed in Milton Keynes.  You could be next.

Just two seconds

The easiest way to judge a safe gap is to use the two-second rule. By keeping a minimum of a two second time gap in front of your vehicle (double in poor weather) you will create space in which to react to any emergency that happens ahead. In wet weather or on poor road surfaces you should double this gap. Remember that two seconds is a minimum gap, the longer the gap, the bigger your safety margin.

Look around and you will notice that many drivers neglect to leave a sufficient gap, especially in poor weather conditions - read the news and watch TV and you will see stories about accidents in which people are killed and injured. Coincidence? 

How many driving lessons to pass?

How many driving lessons to pass the driving test is a question that crops up time and again. When I am talking to the parent of a potential new pupil they tend to ask that. They also say"when I was 17(in the 1980's) I passed in 15 hours". Well they are shocked to find that the average is now about 48 hours plus some practice with your parents. 

But as every ADI knows no one pupil is the same. If you are very lucky a gift of a pupil will come along and you manage to get them ready for the driving test in less than 30 hours. But most are 30plus hours to be safe on the roads. 

I do think that the parents already know that it is going to be a long journey from start to finish. But most want one thing, for their child to be a good safe driver. So  if you get asked again look them in the eye and tell them. You will find that the good parents already know.

Safe and happy teaching.

How to drive on motorways

How to Deal With
Driving On Motorways

Firstly ask your instructor to take you on the motorway.  After all they know what your driving is like and you understand the way that they coached you to drive. 

If asking your driving instructor is not possible then below are a few pointers to help. 

Read the rules of the Motorway. 

Many new drivers worry about their first time alone on a motorway. 

Motorways are safer, than normal roads, but they are also faster. Sometimes things do happen quicker, and you have to concentrate all the time. 

When you are on the main carriageway of the motorway, remain in the first lane until you get used to the speed. If you need to overtake you must return to the first lane as soon as possible but only if its safe to do so! Many motorists try to stay in the overtaking lanes for normal driving. This is bad practice and causes inconvenience and tailbacks and annoys other users. 

There are two types of motorway, rural and urban. You need to think of them as quiet and busy. Quiet motorways are boring, so you need to concentrate on the road and traffic conditions way ahead. Busy motorways need your attention all around you rather than just focused ahead. 

Motorways are like dual carriageways only safer. They are safer because every motorway user is travelling in the same direction and at similar speeds. Another reason why motorways are safer is due to the fact that traffic is restricted to those who can make best use of it i.e. no pedestrians, cyclists, moped, no L drivers (except HGV), agricultural vehicles, and animals. Motorways are also safer because there are no sharp bends, no oncoming traffic, no right turn, and no roundabouts. The lanes are always wide, and well marked, and are usually straight for long distances. 

Remember you are not allowed to reverse, cross the central reservation, or to drive in the wrong direction on motorways. 

On urban (busy) motorways each lane of traffic has an electronic signal system which applies to traffic in each lane. Care needs to be taken to make sure you know the various signals and what they mean. Motorway signs are being used with increasing frequency to warn you of hold ups or accidents ahead. 

When joining a motorway you usually join from a roundabout or a main road by means of a slip road. This leads to an acceleration lane. The rule here is not to interfere with the traffic already on the motorway. Make sure your speed is the same as the traffic already on the motorway. Vehicles already on the motorway usually realise you need to join the main carriageway and they try and move over to the other lane. (This is not always possible if the traffic is busy). This makes room for you to join the first lane of the motorway. Mirrors and signals must be used correctly to avoid interfering with the following traffic. Full and proper observation as you enter usually involves looking over your right shoulder as well as using your door mirrors. Don't rely on mirrors alone. 

To get off the motorway the normal procedure is to look for the first advance warning sign (1 mile from the exit). This sign gives the exit number and the road number. 

At half a mile from the exit a second sign identifies the towns for the exit.

Then at 300 yards from the deceleration lane there is a three line countdown marker, (at this point you should begin to signal left to say you are turning off - but don't slow down yet), followed by the 200 yd and 100 yd marker signs. Only when you have crossed into the deceleration lane should you begin to slow down. 

Once you get back on to ordinary roads again, you need to watch your speed until you are acclimatised to the new lower speeds on the road. Don't forget too, that these roads are likely to have roundabouts, oncoming traffic, and sharp bends on them. 

Breaking Down on the Motorway

When to Use the Motorway Hard Shoulder 

Hopefully if your vehicle is well maintained and fuelled up, you should be in no danger of breaking down on the motorway, but we all know that even a car which is only a few hours old can still break down. 

If you do break down then the hard shoulder is there to help you. When you are stopping on the hard shoulder (remember, only use the hard shoulder in an emergency), try to stop at one of the emergency telephones. This will save you time if you have to walk to the phone. Switch on your hazard lights and try to stop as near to the left as possible. If you have passengers get them out of the car, off the hard shoulder, and as far away from danger as possible. Do this before you go to use the phone. The phone is always within half a mile from any spot on the motorway. 

Look at the arrows on the nearest post.  These will tell you the direction to walk to the nearest phone. The phones are free to use, and connect you straight to the police who control that stretch of motorway. When you return to your vehicle to wait for help, do not get back into the car, but stay on the embankment, or as far away from the traffic as possible. If you have a mobile phone it's O.K. to use this initially, but the police do prefer you to use the roadside phones to confirm your exact location. 

Remember that motorways are safe, but they are fast, you need to concentrate because things happen quicker than a normal road. 

Lane Discipline

Lane discipline on Motorways When driving along motorways always remain in the left lane unless you are travelling faster than traffic ahead of you and it is safe to move over to the right lanes. If you use these lanes you must return to the left lane as soon as it is safe to do so. 

It is bad practice to try and stay in the overtaking lanes for normal driving. This annoys other users because they can see that you are avoiding the empty lanes on the left, or never using your mirrors to see the tailbacks that you are causing. Remember the two-second rule. Four seconds will give you time to react easily and you will be more relaxed. 

How to control them driving test nerves.

Driving test nerves

Exams are nerve-wracking at the best of times, and driving tests can feel particularly harrowing.

After all, with written exams if you get something wrong you can always go back and cross it out, whereas if you reverse into a bollard on your practical test then your fate is sealed.Knowing that someone is watching and judging your every move can be pretty bizarre as well.

It would be enough to make most people feel self-conscious if they were just carrying out an everyday task such as opening their post, let alone demonstrating a complex skill like driving.So if you've got your test coming up and you're feeling anxious about it, then remember you're not alone.

Most people suffer from nerves to some extent and they can in fact be beneficial by raising your adrenaline levels and making you more alert. The challenge is keeping them under control. And getting it right first time is more expensive: the practical test now costs £62 and the theory is now £31. Here are the top 10 tips for overcoming your driving test nerves and passing your practical test.

Top 10 tips for passing your driving test

1: confidence
Remind yourself that instructor wouldn't be putting you in for your test if he or she didn't think you were good enough. During your lessons you're already driving at a standard where they consider you're safe and responsible enough to be on your own. Now all you've got to do is to show the examiner what you're capable of and that driving licence is all yours!
2: visualise
Tap into the power of visualisation and positive thinking - sports stars use it regularly to help them attain their peak performance. Spend time imagining yourself successfully carrying out difficult manoeuvres and dealing confidently with heavy traffic. This will reinforce the message to your subconscious mind that you can do these things and lessen the likelihood of you falling apart on your test.
3: support
Get support. Talking through any anxieties with friends, family and your instructor will help you feel more positive, and many of them will be able to give you useful advice and encouragement. Herbal remedies for nerves such as Kalms can be helpful - but you do have to start taking them a couple of weeks in advance to reap the full benefits.
4: breathe
Breathing exercises can be very useful - practicing them doesn't have to involve sitting cross-legged in a room surrounded by burning incense. Just focusing on your in and out breaths will have a soothing effect - you might like to try counting the breaths, or focusing on a mantra such as 'I feel calm'.
5: flower power
Many ex-learners put their success down to Bach Rescue Remedy. This is a new-age concoction of 'flower essences' developed by Dr Edward Bach, a Harley Street doctor and homeopath. It's available from most health food shops and has a reputation for being very effective in stressful situations.
6: eat a banana
Shortly before your test, eat a banana. It's well-known among instructors as the driving test superfood, for the following reasons - bananas are full of B vitamins, which help calm the nerves. They contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into seratonin, the 'happy hormone' - which will keep your mood upbeat. And they're also high in potassium. When we are stressed our metabolic rate rises and potassium levels decrease. Eating a high-potassium snack like a banana will help rebalance the levels of this important mineral, normalise your heartbeat and send extra oxygen to the brain.
7: distract yourself
Sitting in the waiting room before your test is often the situation where people feel the most anxious. It's a good idea to bring a book or magazine to distract yourself. If you've been practicing breathing exercises, this is an excellent time to get them going. And remind yourself that this is the worst bit - once you're actually on your test you'll be so busy concentrating on the road that your nerves will ease off.
8: pretend to be a taxi
If the thought of being tested freaks you out, stop thinking of it as a test - instead imagine that you're taking someone home and as you don't know where they live they have to give you directions. If you've failed your test through nerves several times, then the answer is to ask your instructor to get your driving above the standard required by the test. That way you can underperform due to anxiety on the day, but still be of a high enough standard to get that vital pass.
Maria McCarthy is the author

Travis School of Motoring

Tips to use a sat nav

Whatever your age it's important that you understand the limitations of a sat nav system so that you can get the best out of it without getting into trouble.

1. You're driving, not the sat nav 
   You can't blame the sat nav if you commit an offence or have an accident. It's your fault.
2. Trust your eyes not the sat nav
   People have been marooned in fords, driven into rivers and down railways because their sat nav told them to. If the road looks wrong, don't take it. 
3. You know what you're driving, the sat nav probably doesn't 
   If you have a large vehicle or a caravan, you can't be sure that a road is suitable just because the sat nav tells you to go down it. Watch for signs. 
4. Watch the road not the sat nav 
   A sat nav can give all sorts of information about where you are going, much of which you don't need.
5. Don't block your view of the road
   The sat nav should be in your line of sight. You don't want to have to look down or turn your head a long way, but it should not block your view of the road. Put it where it won't injure anyone in an accident. 
6. Don't try to programme the sat nav while driving 
   Programming on the move will take one hand from the wheel, two eyes from the road and a brain from driving. Always pull over before adjusting settings.
7. Use all of the features
   On a complicated, busy roundabout, it is unwise to take your eyes off the road to look at the sat nav, and much better to receive spoken instructions. 
8. Check the route is practical before you go 
   Is the sat nav taking you to the right Farnborough? Hampshire, Warwickshire or Kent? If you put in the wrong destination, it will take you to the wrong destination. Does the route look right? 
9. Update the sat nav regularly
   It needs to know about new roads, new traffic systems and generally keep itself up to date.
10. Thieves like sat navs too 
    If it's detachable, always take it out when you leave the car. Mounts or suction cap marks also attract thieves as they know that drivers who remove the sat nav from the window tend to leave it in the car.  
11. www.drive-travis.co.uk

The new driving test being tested.

New UK Driving Test 2015 including use of a Sat Nav and two New Manoeuvres

From April of 2015 the DVSA have announced that they are going to be trialing a new UK driving test. This will involve candidates using a sat nav and a change to two of the existing manoeuvres already in the current driving test. Below I have tried to explain whats going to be changing and why.

Reasons for the new UK driving test

At the meeting I attended taken by the DVSA they said that the reasons for changing the driving test were, to try and make the new one more real life, and bring situations and distractions into it, that people will normally find themselves in not long after passing their driving test. So below I will list the changes we were told about, and the way they will be presented in the new UK driving test.

New Sat Nav Independent driving

Currently in the UK driving test the candidate is asked to drive independently for around about ten minutes, in this time they will follow either road signs, or a diagram that the driving examiner has shown them. In the new UK driving test a sat nav is going to replace this independent driving. At the start of the driving test the examiner will supply and fit a sat nav to the test vehicle, then at some point during the drive this will be used to provide the directions. This is now going to last around twenty minutes rather than ten. The sat nav will have a driving test route already programmed into it so the candidate will just follow the directions. The advantages with this are that the driving test routes will not be restricted just to the roads with signs on them. This meaning that the test routes should not become so predictable, and examiners can get the most out of the driving test area. The other advantage for the driving examiner is, that they can stop the candidate at the side of the road during the independent drive, and get them to carry out a manoeuvre, and once they are finished just tell the candidate to carry on following the sat nav.

DVSA introducing Two new Manoeuvres

One of the big changes for the new UK driving test is that two of manouvres which exist in the current driving test are going to be removed. Two brand new manouvres are going to be introduced. The turn in the road and the reverse left will be scrapped for the new UK driving test. The two new manouvres are going to be driving forwards into a car parking space and stopping, and then reversing back out to the left or right whichever you prefer, and then leaving the car park.  The other manouvre is pulling up on the right side of the road in a convenient place, and then reversing back two car lengths, and then driving on when you are ready. These manouvres in the new UK driving test are thought to be things that people will carry out not long after passing. So by including them in the test and in teaching in driving lessons this should prepare the candidate for this. Reverse parking into a bay and around a car will still exist in the new UK driving test. As it is in the current test candidates will only have to complete one manouvre in the new UK driving test.

One of the safety questions will now be asked as the candidate is driving during the test

At the start of the current driving test before you begin the examiner will ask the candidate two safety/ show me tell me questions about the vehicle. The DVSA want to now ask one of these questions on the move in the new UK driving test. They feel that this is more real life and you could be in a situation in a new car and need to turn the windscreen wipers on, or demist the windscreen while driving and this distraction shouldn’t become a dangerous task. Again this is to prepare the candidate for driving on their own.

The new UK driving test is set to start trails from April 2015

Only twenty UK driving test centres will be taking part in the trials. Two of these will be in Scotland, one in is Edinburgh Musselburgh, and the other is Glasgow Bishopbriggs. Trails are expected to last until the end of the year. The new UK driving test is then going to be reviewed and if all goes to plan it will be rolled out across the whole of the UK for the summer of 2016. At the moment candidates would have to volunteer to take part in the trail test, but if passed would gain a full UK driving licence. So if you are learning in an area that is trailing the new test, don’t worry you will be doing the current driving test unless you have volunteered to take part. If you do trial the new UK driving test good luck and well done for being one of the first to go for it.

Angus driving.co.uk

No more counterpart.

http://dvla.dft.gov.uk/160215/AOC-Video.mp4

I passed in Milton Keynes :)

Congratulations to Stephanie on passing her driving test in Milton Keynes.
www.drive-travis.co.uk

Are you fit to drive on March 2nd?

From 2 March 2015 it will be illegal in England and Wales to drive with certain illegal drugs in the blood, even if you’re not unfit to drive.

It will also be illegal to drive with certain levels of certain legal drugs if you’re unfit to drive.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should drive if you’ve been prescribed any of the following drugs:

• clonazepam
• diazepam
• flunitrazepam
• lorazepam
• methadone
• morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs
• oxazepam
• temazepam

You can drive after taking these drugs if:

• you have been prescribed them and advised how to take them by a healthcare professional
• they aren’t causing you to be unfit to drive

You could be prosecuted if you drive with certain levels of these drugs in your body and you haven’t been prescribed them.

The law doesn’t cover Northern Ireland and Scotland but you could still be arrested if you’re unfit to drive.

If you’re convicted of drug driving you’ll get:

• a minimum 1 year driving ban
• a fine of up to £5,000
• up to a year in prison
• a criminal record

Your driving licence will also show you’ve been convicted for drug driving. This will last for 11 years.

The penalty for causing death by dangerous driving under the influence of drugs is a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Drug drive law: Am I fit to drive?

New drug drive legislation comes into force on 2 March 2015. This short campaign video reminds people taking medicines to check with their doctor or pharmaci...

YOUTUBE.COM

Looking for driving lessons in Milton Keynes.

Kobihka passed her driving test with Travis School of Motoring.

She had never driven before her first lesson and had 1 to 2 hours each week from start to finish.  When Kobihka passed she only had 4 minor faults on her test sheet.    You could be next.  So if you are looking for a Grade A driving instructor that will teach you to drive safely in the Milton Keynes area then you are at the right place.  www.drive-travis.co.uk

How to drive on snow for the first time

Driving lessons in Buckingham

Well done to Isabel on passing her driving test at the first attempt at the Bletchley test centre.  Safe and happy driving around Buckingham.

www.drive-travis.co.uk

Driving lessons in Winslow

Another great first time pass today at Travis School of Motoring.  Well done to Jordan Dunn on a great standard of driving at the test centre in Bletchley.  Safe driving around Winslow and Buckingham.

www.drive-travis.co.uk