Need help with driving lessons in the Milton Keynes and Buckingham area? Or are you just looking for advise and tips on how to improve your driving. This blog on driving is here to help you. Feel free to check out my posts and subscribe.
As 2016 draws to a close it is always interesting to look back on how my last 12 months helping my pupils to learn to drive has gone.
So I have had 24 pupils pass the driving test this year, which is averaging 2 per month passing the driving test in Bletchley, Milton Keynes.
What is just as interesting is 15 of my pupils passed at the first attempt, which is above the national average.
So if you were looking to start your driving lessons in Milton Keynes, then look no further www.drive-travis.co.uk James at Travis School of Motoring is one of the best approved driving instructors in Milton Keynes with a "A Grade" classification from the DVSA.
Have you considered looking at my Youtube channel www.youtube.com/c/JamesTravis for top tips on learning to drive. I add videos every week to help all learners around the United Kingdom. I have videos on the driving test, driving test nerves, how to pass the driving test and lots lots more.
Thursday 24 November: live interview with driving behaviour expert
We're holding a live video interview on Periscope with Dr Lisa Dorn at 1pm tomorrow.
Lisa is the Associate Professor in Driver Behaviour at Cranfield University and also the author of ‘The DVSA Guide to Better Driving’. She’ll be answering any questions you might have on how you can become a safer, more competent and more confident driver. Find out how to take part
The introduction of smart motorways has seen a big rise in speeding fines, figures obtained by the BBC suggest.
Between 2010 and 2015, fixed penalties issued on smart sections increased from 2,000 to 52,000, according to data collated by the BBC's The One Show.
There are more than 236 miles of smart motorways in England, which use the hard shoulder and variable speed limits to control traffic flow.
The government says they are used to improve capacity, not generate revenue.
Smart motorways are operated by Highways England, which uses overhead gantries - also containing speed cameras - to direct traffic into open lanes and change speed limits depending on the volume of traffic.
A further 200 miles of smart motorways are currently either planned or under construction.
Reducing waiting times: DVSA’s taxi driver assessments to end
From 31 December 2016DVSA will no longer be offering a taxi driver assessment service.
We are committed to reducing waiting times for car practical driving tests.
To help us to reduce these, we’ve reviewed all our services and have decided to stop offering taxi driver assessments from 31 December 2016.
We currently provide this service to local authorities. We have contacted them to suggest alternative providers, such as road safety charities or representative bodies of driving instructors.
We've made some changes on GOV.UK to make it easier to find the services to book tests for your pupils.
The ‘DVSA practical test business service’ page is now called ‘Book and manage driving and riding tests for your pupils’ on GOV.UK. There’s a new website address for it - www.gov.uk/book-pupil-driving-test. The old one will redirect you here automatically. The service itself hasn't changed and still works in the same way. Theory tests The address for the service to book theory tests for your pupils has also changed to www.gov.uk/book-pupil-theory-test. The old one will redirect automatically. The service itself hasn't changed and still works in the same way. Register to use these services You have to be registered to use these services. If you haven't registered to use these before, you can register online.
The new theory test centre in Aylesbury will be open for testing in September.
Bookings for the new centre will be open from Friday 12 August. An additional 27 centres will be opening across the country over the next two months providing candidates with more choice of location. Venue details
DVSA Theory Test Centre The Gateway, Gateway Road, Aylesbury, Bucks HP19 8FF View map
There's a new blog post about what the agency is doing further to deal with driving test waiting times.
DVSA's Director of Operations, Peter Hearn, talks about the measures being taken over the next few months. This includes trialling the 'summer hours' initiative - where slots are being offered in the evenings and at weekends until October. Read 'Dealing with driving test waiting times'.
So you have been learning with your driving instructor or even your parents for the last 4 to 12 months how to drive. It is only a week away from your big day(THE DRIVING TEST).
What will happen? Have you asked your instructor? Have you visited the driving test centre? What do you bring to the driving test?
These and many more questions are what you will be wanting to know to prepare yourself for your driving test.
The driving test day, what to expect.
I hope this short video will help you to understand what will happen on your big day.
This week we seen Ben passed his driving test in Milton Keynes at the Bletchley driving test centre.
It was Ben's first attempt at the driving test and he was over the moon at passing at his first attempt. Ben took driving lessons every week without missing a single week. We made steady progress and when his big day came he was ready and passed with only 5 minor mistakes.
You could be next!
Checkout my website for all my latest prices of driving lessons in the Milton Keynes and Buckingham area www.drive-travis.co.uk don't forget to read what my customers are saying.
This is just one of over a hundred reviews
Ben's Dad "Hi James, thanks very much for all your help getting Ben through his driving test. He's over the moon and so are we."
DVSA has been given notice by Halfords and needs to move from the test centre at Wellingborough from July.
We're committed to providing testing in the Wellingborough area and are working to secure a replacement site. If your pupils are booking their car driving test to take place after July, they can choose one of the following nearest test centres:
Kettering
Northampton
Cardington
Future plans We’ll let you know when we have any further updates. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
A great standard of driving from Hannah resulted in her passing the driving test in Milton Keynes at the Bletchley driving test centre.
If you are thinking about learning to drive in Milton keynes, then James at Travis School of Motoring is the instructor to help you. www.drive-travis.co.uk
For great tips and advise, just check out my website. Or if you wanted to view some of my FREE video tutorials then click on the link to my YouTube channel.
The DVSA has informed the DIA of the interim findings of the ‘Transforming the Practical Driving Test’ trial.
The findings, from the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), are based on responses from 1,039 drivers from the ‘learning to drive’ survey, in addition to data gathered from focus groups and interviews.
In terms of overall progress, the trial is going very well. The trial currently has 852 ADIs and over 4,500 learners registered and taking part.
As the trial has exceeded its original targets for participating candidates and passes in both the trial and control groups, registration closed in late January for ADIs and in early March for learner drivers.
Feedback from those involved in the trial has been overwhelmingly positive, with ADIs, successful candidates and supervising drivers all in agreement that the new test was a better preparation for post-test driving than the current test.
Whilst it is very early in the research to draw any conclusions from the trial, first indications have identified that learners:
Had a driving style that was less ‘decisive, experienced, confident and fast’, and was therefore safer and more considered
Had greater confidence that they could safely use a sat-nav
Spent more time on fast dual carriageways with their ADI when learning.
Over and above the proposed changes, the trial also represents a timely study of the driving test, and will provide invaluable data to road safety practitioners across Great Britain to increase our understanding about learning to drive.
Next steps
The DVSA are currently scheduled to give a demonstration of the trial test to Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport in May.
Image copyrightTeslaImage captionMore than 115,000 Model 3 cars were pre-ordered ahead of its launch
Tesla has unveiled its much-anticipated Model 3 electric car - its lowest-cost vehicle to date.
The company's chief executive Elon Musk said the five-seater would start at $35,000 (£24,423) and have a range of at least 215 miles (346km) per charge.
He added that his goal was to produce about 500,000 vehicles a year once production got up to full speed.
The California-based company needs the vehicle to prove popular if it is to stay in business.
The first deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to start in late 2017, and it can be ordered in advance in dozens of countries, including the UK, Ireland, Brazil, India, China and New Zealand.
Tesla delivered 50,580 vehicles last year. Most of those were its Model S saloon, which overtook Nissan's Leaf to become the world's best selling pure-electric vehicle.
ADI re-registration bill passes Lords second reading
Monday, March 14, 2016
A bill to simplify the re-registration of ADIs has passed its second reading in the House of Lords.
The Driving Instructors (Registration) Bill, allowing for the voluntary removal from the ADI register as well as a simplification of re-registering if the registration has lapsed for between one and four years, will now go to committee stage in the House of Lords following a short debate on Friday.
The private members’ bill — which has cross-party support —- was brought forward to the house by Earl Attlee who said the bill to allow ADIs voluntarily to leave the register at a time of their choosing was “only right”.
He added: “An ADI may wish to take a break from the profession for career, family or health reasons, and it is somewhat perverse that they are not able to do so without it being treated as a disciplinary matter if they have failed to attend the standards check because they are no longer practising.”.................
I have done this short video for new drivers who are looking to buy their first car. I hope you find the video helpful. I have packed it full of tips and advise.
DVSA has been given notice to leave the current site at Grays Place by the end of June 2016.
We're working to secure a replacement site in the Slough area and will announce this as soon as we're able to. If your pupils are booking their car driving test to take place after the end of June, they can choose one of the following nearest test centres:
Uxbridge (London)
Hayes (London)
Ashford (London Middlesex)
Future plans We’ll let you know when we have any further updates. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
These tips will keep you and your passengers safe on wet roads.
1. ROUTINELY CHECK YOUR TYRES…
Always check your tyres before you hit the road. Make sure you do the following routine maintenance:
Keep your tyres properly inflated. The correct air pressure for your tyres is specified by the vehicle manufacturer and can be found on the vehicle door edge, door-post, and glove box door or fuel door. It is also listed in the owner's manual. The number listed on the side of the tyre is not the recommended air pressure for your tyre – it is the maximum air pressure for the tyre. You should check your tyre's air pressure at least once a month.
Check the tyres tread depth. Proper tread depth will help prevent skids and aquaplaning.
2. SLOW DOWN.
As rain falls, it mixes with grime and oil on the road creating slick conditions perfect for skids. The best way to avoid skidding is to slow down. Driving at a slower pace allows more of the tire's tread to make contact with the road, which leads to better traction.
3. KNOW HOW TO RECOVER FROM A SKID.
Skids can happen even to the most cautious drivers. If your car does skid, remember not to slam on the brakes. Do not pump the brakes if you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS). Instead, apply firm, steady pressure to the brakes and steer the car in the direction of the skid.
4. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE FROM THE CAR AHEAD.
Wet-weather driving demands gentle use of all the main controls – steering, clutch, brake and accelerator – and a larger allowance for errors and emergencies. When you begin a journey in rain, your shoes will be wet and can easily slip off the pedals. Scuff the soles on the rubber matting or carpeting of the car before you start the engine. All motorists should regularly check that their headlights, rear lights, brake lights and turn indicators are working properly. It takes about three times longer to break on wet roads than on dry roads. Since more distance is required to brake, it is important not to tailgate. Keep a little more than two car lengths between you and the vehicle in front of you.
5. DRIVE IN THE TRACKS OF A CAR AHEAD OF YOU.
Avoid using your brakes. Whenever possible, slow down by taking your foot off the accelerator.Turn your headlights on, even in light rain. Not only do they help you see the road, but they'll help other drivers see you. If your car has daytime running lights, you should turn them on, so vehicles behind you can see you better.
6. PREPARE FOR YOUR JOURNEY.
Wet-weather driving demands gentle use of all the main controls – steering, clutch, brake and accelerator – and a larger allowance for errors and emergencies. When you begin a journey in rain, your shoes will be wet and liable to slip off the pedals. Scuff the soles on the rubber matting or carpeting of the car before you start the engine. All motorists should regularly check that their headlights, rear lights, brake lights and turn indicators are working properly.
7. LEARN HOW TO AVOID AND DEAL WITH AQUAPLANING.
Aquaplaning happens when the water in front of your tyres builds up faster than your car's weight can push it out of the way. The water pressure causes your car to rise up and slide on a thin layer of water between your tyres and the road. At this point, your car can be completely out of contact with the road, and you are in danger of skidding or drifting out of your lane, or even off the road. To avoid aquaplaning, keep your tyres properly inflated, ensure that the tread non skid is above the legal limits on your tyres and replace them when necessary, slow down when roads are wet, and stay away from puddles. Try to drive in the tyre tracks left by the cars in front of you. If you find yourself Aquaplaning, do not brake or turn suddenly. This could throw your car into a skid. Ease your foot off the accelerator until the car slows and you can feel the road again. If you need to brake, do so gently with light pumping actions. If your car has ABS, then brake normally; the car's computer will mimic a pumping action, when necessary.
8. IF THE RAIN BECOMES TOO HEAVY, STOP!
Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades, allowing an almost continuous sheet of water to flow over the screen. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas. If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on your hazard warning lights to alert other drivers.
9. FIRST RAIN MAKE THE ROAD VERY SLIPPERY.
The first rain always make the roads the most difficult to drive on, as the mud and oil on the dry road combines with the water and forms a rather slippery layer. Drivers are likely to experience reduced control, and are cautioned to be extra careful for the first half-hour after it begins to rain.
10. CLOUDY WEATHER REDUCES VISIBILITY.
Use extra caution when passing other vehicles.
11. DRY YOUR BRAKES AFTER DRIVING THROUGH STANDING WATER.
If you have driven through standing water deep enough to get your brake shoes wet, apply the brakes lightly to dry them.
12. DON'T DRIVE WHILE FATIGUED.
Stop at least every couple of hours or every hundred miles to rest.
Tesla
