More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

Careless driving can happen if and only if a persons driving falls below what would be expected of a competent and carefully driver.

This like dangerous driving is an objective test and focuses on the manor of driving rather than the defendants state of mind.

Careless driving can be distinguished from dangerous driving where the dangerous driver falls far below the required standard whilst the careless driver merely falls below the required standard. It maybe possible to have a charge of dangerous driving reduced to careless driving.

Careless driving or driving without due care and attention or even sometimes known as inconsiderate driving is punishable by between 3-9 penalty points a fine of up to £2,500 and a discretionary disqualification.

Careless driving offence penalties

More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

It’s a truism that you don’t learn to drive after you pass your driving test in Newcastle, but only afterwards when you are out on your own.

Motorway Breakdown – what not to do!

Don’t Panic!

What NOT To Do When You Break Down on the Motorway

Breaking down on the motorway can be the worst place on earth!

Crouching on a grass verge beside a motorway, hazard lights flashing, with traffic roaring past you at 70+ miles per hour.

Motorway breakdowns can be hazardous It’s a nasty, dangerous and frustrating situation too.

You just want to get from A to B. But whether your destination is home, the shops, or a wedding reception, it’s tough luck. Your broken-down vehicle has other ideas.

Unfortunately, no vehicle is immune from breaking down and the chances are, it will happen to you sooner or later. So make sure you’ve got a good cover in place, and then get breakdown savvy. Knowing what to do if the inevitable happens could help you to get back on the road quickly, but it could also save your life.

The motorway is one of the most dangerous places to break down. So here is some easy-to-follow advice with the help of the UK’s best-known car breakdown brand – The AA – on what to do (and what NOT to do)!

1. Don’t panic: Keep calm. Safety is paramount, and it’s important to analyse your situation quickly. You need to get your car off the road as quickly as possible, but try to get it to a safe place first. Remember that motorway hard shoulders are for emergency use only – so you should only stop here if it is a real emergency and if you can’t reach a safer location.

2. Don’t be invisible: When pulling over to the hard shoulder, put your hazard lights and sidelights on immediately to warn other drivers. Put on reflective jackets, if you have them.

3. Don’t use a warning triangle: New advice states that you SHOULD NOT use a triangle warning sign if you have broken down on the motorway. This is partly because it’s dangerous for drivers to place it on the hard shoulder, but also because the speed of passing vehicles can blow the triangle onto the carriageway, which puts other drivers at risk.

4. Don’t exit right: Stop as far to the left of the hard shoulder as possible (allowing yourself room to exit from the left-hand door) and turn your wheels to the left, to prevent the car from rolling onto the carriageway. Get out of the vehicle by the left-hand door, and instruct other passengers to do the same.

5. Don’t stand on the hard shoulder: Once you have exited the vehicle, keep away from the carriageway and hard shoulder. Stand or sit well out of harm’s way up the bank or behind a barrier if possible. Ensure all passengers do the same and that children are kept under control.

6. Don’t move your pets: Animals should be left in the vehicle. The hard shoulder is a terrifying place, particularly for animals, and if spooked they could easily run onto the carriageway. Leave them in the vehicle. However, in the event of an emergency, ensure your animal is under proper control and keep as far back from the carriageway as possible – ideally on the verge or high up the bank.

7. Don’t attempt repairs: You should not attempt repairs, however small or simple you believe they may be. Instead, follow the above instructions, keep well clear of the carriageway and call for help as soon as possible.

You can find comprehensive breakdown advice via The AA website along with more details on how to stay safe in the event of a breakdown.

Also see advice from Highway Code Rule 274-287

https://www.gov.uk/breakdowns-and-incidents-274-to-287/additional-rules-for-motorways-275-to-278

More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

After you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle, you will at some point find yourself owning a car.

Did you know that around a third of cars fail their MOT in Britain each year? Follow this checklist and you may avoid some of the simple fails

Around one third of the 30m cars tested each year fail their MOT inspection. The majority of these are due to a small number of defects. Some problems you can fix before the test, others can be dealt with by a mechanic before the MOT starts (MOT inspectors are not allowed to correct any faults during the test). Knowing what needs doing to your car for it to pass its MOT also means that you can shop around and get the best quote.

Vision

Windscreen wipers should not be damaged or worn and they must be able to clear the screen efficiently. You can buy new wipers and replace them yourself or get this done cheaply at most car stores. Ensure the washer bottle is full and check for chips and cracks in the windscreen. In an area in front of the driver a chip cannot be bigger than 1cm, in other areas swept by the wipers that damage cannot be over 4cm.

Tyres

Make sure all tyres are inflated to the correct pressure. You can do this at most petrol stations and you can find the correct pressure in your manual. There also needs to be at least 1.6mm of tread across three-quarters of the tyre. Ensure there are no cuts, lumps of bulges on the tyre. See the Tyre Industry Council’s tips at tinyurl.com/tyretips.

Lights

Make sure all the lights, including the rear registration light (which can be hard to see in daylight), are working correctly. Check that the lens and/or casings are not cracked or damaged.

Seat belts

All seatbelts must be in good condition and working. Dog owners beware: a surprising number of cars fail due to seatbelts that have been chewed by man’s best friend.

Number plates

These must be securely fastened and clearly readable. No letters or numbers should be obscured and they should be the correct size and spacing. The DVLA provides details of what is, and is not acceptable! DVLA 

More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

Further driver training in Newcastle

Passing your driving test in Newcastle isn’t the end of learning to drive: it’s only the beginning. As you become more experienced you’ll learn more about how to be a good driver, but you can also do more training to help you learn – and to bring down the cost of your insurance.

What is Pass Plus?

Pass Plus is a course of advanced driving lessons in Newcastle aimed at new drivers to help build on their skills and knowledge. It teaches you how to anticipate, plan for and deal with all kinds of hazards, to help you become a more confident and safe driver.

Completing Pass Plus will save you money on your insurance with some insurance companies.

There are six modules covering driving in different conditions

• in town
• in all weather
• on rural roads
• at night
• on dual carriageways
• on motorways.

The training will take at least six hours, although it can take longer if your instructor thinks it’s necessary.

drivinglessonsnewcastleupontyne.co.uk/pass-plus-newcastle-upon-tyne/

You won’t have to take a test at the end of the course: you’ll be assessed during the modules. Find out more about Pass Plus at GOV.UK.

You can watch a DSA video about Pass Plus.

youtube.com/watch?v=z_zi6j24F6s#t=21

You can also do further training and tests with other motoring organisations: use the links below to investigate which might suit you the best.Advanced driving courses

• DIAmond Advanced Motorist tests
• Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM)
• RoSPA advanced drivers and riders
•  

More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

You’ve passed your driving test in Newcastle – now choose your new car.

After passing your driving test in Newcastle, choosing a car is exciting – it’s one of the biggest things you’ll ever buy, so think carefully about what you need as well as what you can afford.

Talk to friends and family about their cars and why they chose them. These are some of the things to think about when choosing a car

• Price – what does it cost to buy? If there’s a finance deal, can you afford the payments?
• Size – how many people do you need to fit in the car, or what might you need to carry in it?
• Age/mileage – an older car or one with a high mileage is likely to need more maintenance than a newer car.
• Fuel economy – if you’re going to be doing a lot of driving, having a car with poor fuel economy (i.e. it doesn’t do many miles per gallon of fuel) will be expensive.
• Model/engine size – sporty models and cars with bigger engines will cost more for a new driver to insure.
• History – who’s owned the car before? This will give you some clues about whether the car has been well looked after.

Keeping insurance costs down

Owning a car is an expensive business but you can help keep insurance costs down by taking advanced driving lessons in Newcastle through the Pass Plus course: drivinglessonsnewcastleupontyne.co.uk/pass-plus-newcastle-upon-tyne/

Some insurers offer ‘pay how you drive’ insurance: a GPS box is fitted to your car to record how you drive, and your premium is worked out from this information. This can save you money if you drive well.

Keeping your car secure will also help keep insurance costs down: if you can, keep it in a locked garage overnight. Having security devices fitted, such as an alarm or immobiliser, can also bring down the insurance cost.

Remember, the longer you own and drive a car without making an insurance claim, the more ‘no claims’ discount you’ll earn – so driving carefully and skillfully really pays off.

More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

What happens after you’ve passed your test?

Congratulations, you’ve got your full licence! Enjoy your new freedom but remember that passing your driving test doesn’t mean you know everything: it’s the first step in learning to be a skilled driver. You’ll keep learning as long as you’re driving.

Now that you’re on the road on your own, be careful you don’t slip into bad habits. The way you’ve been taught to drive is the safest way to drive.

It’s a fact that new drivers are most likely to be involved in incidents on the road, so make sure you follow the safety code for new drivers on GOV.UK. It’s designed to help keep you safe in the first year after you pass your test.

Motorway driving

Although you’ll have learned about driving on a motorway, as a learner driver you won’t have been able to try motorway driving for real. To find out more about motorway driving, you could also ask your  instructor at drivinglessonsnewcastleupontyne.co.uk for a motorway-driving lesson so you can get some experience before driving on a motorway on your own.

Weather conditions

You’re also likely to find yourself driving in weather conditions that you haven’t driven in before. Take care when driving in conditions you’re not familiar with.

Keep learning

When you’ve got your full licence, there are advanced driving skills you can start to learn. As well as making you safer as a driver, doing extra training can give you discounts on car insurance.

The Official DSA Guide To Driving is a really useful reference book to help you improve your skills and remind you about what you learned before you passed your test.

Driving with friends

It’s great being able to drive with your friends, but make sure you keep concentrating on your driving. If your friends want you to do something that could be dangerous, remember that you’re responsible for your driving: if you drive recklessly or carelessly, you could end up with penalty points on your licence or cause a serious crash.

If your passengers are making it difficult for you to drive safely, find somewhere safe to stop. Explain to them why what they’re doing is causing a problem and ask them to help you by behaving properly, or to get out of the car. If you can’t drive safely, don’t carry on with your journey.

Watch the DSA ‘Out of time’ video for a reminder about how dangerous distractions can be.

Being able to drive makes it easier for you to go out for a drink or to a party with friends. It’s only fair to take it in turns to be the driver, but having that job means it’s your responsibility to make sure you can drive safely – including not drinking any alcohol. A third of drink-drive accidents involve a driver under 25.

Penalty points

If you get six or more penalty points on your licence within two years of passing your practical test, you’ll lose your licence and you’ll have to reapply for your provisional licence. You’ll be a learner driver again and you’ll have to retake your theory and practical tests. Find out more about the new drivers rules at GOV.UK.

Penalty points can be given for all sorts of driving-related offences, such as speeding or driving dangerously.

More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

Would you park on a stranger’s drive?

When it comes to neighbour disputes over parking, blocked driveways are the biggest gripe.

Parking outside a neighbour’s house or using their space without asking came a close second!

But some drivers take even more extreme measures if they can’t park quickly when they’re out.

‘We found strangers parked on our drive’

A couple who live near a hospital have often come out of their house to find complete strangers parked in their driveway.

“At its worst we found people parked there about once a week!

“If I caught them I’d ask them to move but they shrugged it off claiming the hospital car park was full. They were often abusive too.”

The couple contacted the local police but found their only long-term solution was putting lockable parking posts across their drive.

Parking enforcement

Parking enforcement may once have been under police control.

But following the Road Traffic Act 1991 it’s now largely the responsibility of local authorities, which can issue penalty charge notices for parking offences on the roads.

“If it’s on the public highway, it’s a local authority or police matter,” says Paul Watters of the AA.

“But on private land like a driveway, it’s a civil matter which means it’s often a low priority for the police.”

Parking on driveways & the law

This is private land so parking on someone’s driveway counts, as trespass and the local authority should be the first port of call, according to the AA.

The police can get involved if the driver is threatening or intimidating, but if this is an ongoing problem, you may need to protect your land by putting up gates or parking posts.

“Frustrating though this may be, what you can’t do is pop a line of cones on the road outside!

To do so, will mean, “you’re then committing a criminal offence because this could cause an accident.”

If your driveway is blocked by vehicles parked on the road outside speak to the local authority.

“This counts as obstruction and a penalty charge could be issued!

This can be up to £130 in London and £70 elsewhere.

If vehicles are deemed to be causing a major obstruction, the police do have powers to remove them.

Allocated parking

If you don’t have a garage or live a flat you may have allocated parking, but what happens if your neighbour uses it?

This is private land and even if it’s a designated space and listed on the property title deeds, it’s difficult for the police or local authorities to intervene so you may need to consider putting up posts or gates.

Parking on pavements

It’s a common sight in some residential areas but pavement-parkers make life difficult for pedestrians.

In London it’s an offence to park on the pavement unless the roads are extremely narrow, in which case there may be signs showing how to park partially on the pavement.

Beyond London it can be a grey area.

Some local authorities ban parking on grass verges but seem to turn a blind eye to vehicles parked partially on the pavement in residential roads.

However if vehicles are causing an obstruction or parked across any yellow lines then they can get a penalty charge so call the local authority if you’re concerned.

Parking in front of dropped kerbs.

Under the Traffic Management Act 2004 drivers shouldn’t park in front of dropped kerbs as they’re there for access reasons.

Local authorities can issue penalty charge notices for this but in reality many of them don’t always have the facilities to actively enforce this on a regular basis.

What do you think?

Would you park on stranger’s drive?

Have you had a stranger park on your drive? If so, how did you deal with the situation?

More helpful hints and tips for after you have passed your Driving Test in Newcastle.

Should parking on pavements be banned?

The law on pavement parking

The current legislation is hazy at best!

Driving on a pavement has been an offence since the Highways Act of 1835.

But while parking on a pavement is against the law in London, it’s not elsewhere.

That’s why The Highway Code states, in rule 244, that motorists “must not” park partially or wholly on the pavement in London but says that motorists “should not do so elsewhere unless signs permit it”.

Should Councils act?

Councils do have powers under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to restrict or ban parking on individual streets by the making of a Traffic Regulation Order.

And a few councils, including Exeter and Worcester, have banned parking on pavements through private Acts of Parliament.

But these processes can be time-consuming.

This has led to Guide Dogs for the Blind is calling for a ban that operates throughout the UK, with councils being able to specifically permit it on certain roads.

Justice for pedestrians!

It is an excellent idea, as it would give flexibility for councils to allow pavement parking in some specific locations – such as very narrow streets – and freedom from pavement parking for the rest of us.

The charity Living Streets, which champions the rights of pedestrians, also campaigns against pavement parking.

It has information on the legal issues, posters that can be downloaded for display in local shop windows or libraries and template letters you can send to your local council or police.

So if it’s an issue that infuriates you as well, then get in touch with them.

What do you think?

Should parking on pavements be banned?

Or maybe you think that roads are so narrow and parking in such short supply that pavement parking should be permissible?