The Highways Agency has published some good advice for getting your car and yourself prepared for the Winter. Their ‘POWERDY’ checklist includes:

• petrol (or diesel) – don’t run out of fuel
• oil – check levels once a month
• water – check radiator and screenwash once a month
• damage – check wipers, lights etc for signs of wear and tear or damage
• electrics – check lights, indicators and controls are working properly
• rubber – are your tyres well inflated, legal, with good tread and free from damage?
• yourself – are you fit to drive? Have you slept well? Are you taking any medication(s) that could make it unsafe for you to drive?

They also cover the essential items you should keep in your car whilst travelling during the Winter season:

• an ice scraper and de-icer
• a torch and spare batteries – or a wind-up torch
• warm clothes and blankets – for you and all passengers
• boots
• first aid kit
• jump leads
• a shovel
• road atlas
• sunglasses (the low winter sun and glare off snow can be dazzling)

There is also more sound advice on the web page so be sure to read the full article and don’t get caught out this Winter!

Make time for winter – GOV.UK.

As you are doubtless aware, the Government have recently introduced new measures to enable the Police to crack down on drivers who are lane hogging and tailgating on our motorways. From years of study though it appears that there are also psychological behaviours that can affect our driving standards despite how technically accomplished we are at the task:

• We fail to realise when we’re being aggressive – or we don’t care
• We believe we’re safer than we really are
• We forget that other drivers are people too
• We behave more aggressively to those of ‘lower status’
• We believe we can see everything happening around us
• We think other drivers can’t see us
• We attribute near misses to a lack of ability in other driversWe overestimate our own skills
• We drive more recklessly when we’re going soloWe believe hands-free car phones are safe

These areas are amplified in the following article:

This initiative draws attention to a fascinating branch of science called traffic psychology, which studies the human and environmental factors that influence our driving behaviour. Decades of research in traffic psychology suggests that poor driving is shaped by far more than carelessness or a subset of “problem drivers”. Even the most skilled road users are subject to loss of social awareness, intuitive biases, contradictory beliefs, and limits in cognitive capacity.

via Bad driving: what are we thinking? | Science | theguardian.com.

Be honest with yourself, have you ever been guilty of any of the above!?

It is all over the news that the police will soon be given the powers to provide on the spot fines for middle lane hogging on motorways. Whilst it remains to be seen whether there will be enough police ‘on the spot’ to deliver these fines remains to be seen. 

There is also ongoing discussion as to whether or not learner drivers should be allowed to train on our motorways so it now may be a good time to refresh yourself on what is required whilst driving on our fastest, but statistically the safest, roads. Here is a good article that may help you:

Motorway driving tips: 5 ways to avoid fines, accidents and delays

“Motorway driving tips: 5 ways to avoid fines, accidents and delays. Our guide to staying safe, legal and courteous on the UK motorway system. Wednesday 5 …www.arnoldclark.com/…/158-motorway-driving-tips-5-ways-t…”
http://www.arnoldclark.com/newsroom/158-motorway-driving-tips-5-ways-to-avoid-fines-accidents-and-delays

Simply, if you always drive in the left lane unless you intend to overtake slower moving traffic then all should be well. Don’t forget to move back in again once your manouevre is complete and there is no longer slower moving traffic in the left lane.

There is really nothing more frustrating than having to move out two lanes to pass a ‘middle lane hogger’ and then to move back another two lanes!

Whilst your driving instructor will/would have talked to you about the safe way to react to emergency vehicles, unless you are lucky, it is unlikely that you will have experienced this in your actual driving lessons. If you have have, I would expect that you would have been talked through or manually helped during the situation.

There is nothing like experience to gain understanding but in these situations, you do not really want to excercise trial and error! The ‘Blue Light Aware’ video sets out how you should cope with these situations.

Drive Smarter video advises on staying safe around emergency vehicles

“The video (accessible free of charge via www.bluelightaware.org.uk) has received the endorsement of RoSPA, the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Driving Standards Agency and the Institute of Advanced Motorists, as well as many other safety …Fleet World”

Take heed of the advice here and the next time you experience an ‘emergency vehicle’ situation, you should be better prepared, more relaxed and react in a proper manner.

• Queue safely. Being hit from behind in slow moving or stationary traffic is one of the commonest crashes in urban areas. Keep an eye on your mirror for approaching traffic, consider keeping your brake lights lit and be ready to use your hazard warning lights.
• Check your speed. Speeding is the number one cause of accidents in urban areas in the UK so respect the limits and take extra care around schools and pedestrian crossings.
• Take care when turning right. If you are turning right using a right turn lane in the centre of the road, check your mirrors before giving way to drivers waiting to turn right out of the road you wish to turn into. Often your vehicle can block their visibility of approaching traffic and so it`s crucial to ensure it is safe before you signal for them to proceed.
• Watch out for pedestrians. If you are turning into a road, pedestrians have right of way. Also be on the lookout for school areas and children running across the road without looking.
• Stick to the two-second rule. Always leave a safe distance between you and the car in front.
• Approach with caution. If you are unfamiliar with a city road system, slow down and take time to absorb your surroundings including the road signs – they are there to assist you. Plan ahead if possible, avoid repeated switching of lanes particularly around roundabouts and at traffic light junctions and keep your wits about you – city driving is notoriously tricky, especially during the commuter rush hour.

• Use the slip road appropriately. Bring yourself up to speed with vehicles on the motorway before joining the traffic.
• Stick to the inside lane. The inside (leftmost) lane should be used at all times except when it becomes a filter lane for traffic leaving the motorway or you are overtaking. Driving in an outside lane unnecessarily leads to congestion and is inconsiderate to other road users.
• Do not tailgate. Tailgating increases the risk of accidents. If you are tailgating someone look to overtake or slow down. You should always leave a gap of at least two seconds between you and the car in front – this should be doubled in wet weather. If you are being tailgated see if you can move into an inside lane allowing the vehicle behind you to get past.
• Be aware of large vehicles. Lorries frequent the motorway and their drivers may behave differently to you in a regular vehicle. For example when they are travelling uphill they may need to maintain their cruising speed and this may result in them driving close behind you. Also be aware that if two lorries are travelling close together on an uphill stretch it may lead to one pulling out suddenly to maintain its speed. Never dawdle alongside large trucks or HGVs as you may find yourself in their blind spot, which is roughly alongside their cab – if they change lanes without seeing you, you may find yourself having to take evasive action, or worse.
• Check your blind spot. When changing lanes check your mirrors and glance over your shoulder to ensure you have a clear passage. Indicate well in advance and watch out for motorcyclists, particularly in slow or stationary traffic.