A new ruling in the Highway Code (Latest Edition) means that drivers who smoke could be prosecuted.
The smoking driver could be charged with not taking due care and attention.
Drivers should not be distracted with other activities says the Minister of Road Safety Jim Fitzpatrick. The Minister is hoping this will also deter drivers from other distractions whilst behind the wheel such as use of a mobile phone or map reading.

The new edition of the Highway code contains new safety code aimed at new drivers is 42 pages longer and has 29 more rulings.

Smoking is of course a big issue in the UK at the moment and of course company vehicles are classed as work areas.
The new smoking in a car ruling will give the police options to question your ability to drive the vehicle in a proper manner.

An American TV show star (Kiefer Sutherland) who has gained popularity in the UK for the series 24 was pulled over earlier this week after he made an illegal U- turn in the road the LA Police said. He has been freed on bail.

The actor had been arrested on Tuesday this week for suspicion of drink driving. He is still on probabtion for drink driving offences in 2004.

As an actor and a role model to younger people he is setting a bad example and has it seems not yet learned his lesson. What do you think?

Bill Plant driving instructors will tell you the best time you should apply for your driving test practical after you have passed the theory test. A period of at least 2 weeks will elapse until you receive your test date.

Your driving instructor will of course help you with your driving test application should you need it.

Things to know about the Practical Driving Test

• The driving test itself will take approximately 45 minutes and be conducted locally by your DSA examiner.

• Town driving will be focused on and take up most of the test

• There may be a variation in routes which will involve both single and dual carriageway driving

• The driving examiner will take you out of 30mph limit areas

• The driving examiner will ask if you can read a car number plate at a certain distance just after you leave the test centre

• You will be asked 2 questions about car maintenance and safety before getting into the car which you will be taking your driving test in

On your driving test day you will need certain documentation with you, such as your test appointment card, some form of photo ID and of course your driving licence.

Young driving insurance no longer needs to be such a daunting prospect to find.  Insurance companies today are more aware than ever that they need to make insuring young drivers as affordable as possible. There are many websites which offer insurance comparisons for younger drivers so that they can find the most affordable options available.

The chance to compare hundreds of the leading car insurance companies is always online and you may be surprised at the immediate deals they can offer.   Obviously more powerful cars will increase the  insurance premiums for younger drivers and to maximise the number of results in sites that compare insurance full driver details are required.

Bill Plant Fleet Driver Training is about including everyone and not just corporations who require essential driver safety training. Bill Plant Fleet Driver Training designs and delivers driving safety education, all the fleet driver training packages are tailored to suit the client’s needs and are very much led by what the client wants to get out of the training sessions.

Road Safety Results

Results from our proactive approach to road safety have spoken for themselves with many organisations seeing immediate benefits:

• Enhanced road safety
• Reduction in fuel costs
• Reduction in accidents
• Insurance premiums and maintenance costs dropping
• Company asset protection
• Reduction in down time
• Reduction in running costs

Most important from the training sessions is our overall message of driver safety safeguarding individuals and companies at the same time.

No we don’t mean go out and crash the car. This is the reference often given for intensive driving lessons. Intensive driving courses are a very fast and effective way to learn to drive, but here at Bill Plant Driving School we recognise that they are not for everyone.

Intensive Driving Lessons – Learn to drive in one week?

Intensive driving lessons are just that but need to be taught by a qualified driving instructor with a great deal of experience. We don’t believe that you can learn to drive in one week but we do think that intensive driving lessons can be highly effective. More information can be found on the Bill Plant Website.

Did you know that failing to stop after an accident could get you between 5-10 penalty points and a fine up to £5,000 ? With possible disqualification?

We endorse safe and responsible driving here at Bill Plant. A driving school is responsible  for teaching you the potential penalties that you are likely to face should you ignore the UK Driving Laws.

Here are some safe driving tips and others to make sure you are not breaking the law:

• Don’t drink and drive
• Make sure you have the correct documents for your vehicle- Insurance certificate, Mot, Tax
• A  Driving Licence penalty points for not having one could be 3-6 with disqualification possible and a fine up to £1,000
• Don’t Speed – Once you pass your driving test don’t be tempted to speed, exceeding the speed limit means a potential fine of up to £2,500 and 3-6 penalty points.

The big driving news for Corporates is that their cars may have to be fitted with a device under the bonnet of the car to prevent speeding. The device works by blocking acceleration and gently applying the brakes. The implementation of the restricting device is thought to improve road safety and reduce emissions.

Fleet services companies agree that they may be rewarded with cheaper insurance because of the device and better fuel economy with the price of taxing the vehicles potentially being lowered.  UK businesses are expected to be targeted by the Government first as the commission for integrated transport (Government appointed) pushes the scheme forward.

Another angle which the commission are going for is to reduce the speed of motorway driving to 70mph in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions. Recent reports have shown that motorway drivers regularly exceed 80mph and in doing so use much more fuel than necessary whilst reducing levels of driving safety.

Fuel prices could increase to deter people from buying larger vehicles and push them towards more economical forms of transportation. Taxing of vehicles is also thought to be on the increase for cars that are deemed “high polluters”.

The report from the commission is thought to be released sometime next year. Companies will want to fit in with the new driving laws – for more information on this subject and how as a company can prevent your employees breaking the law when driving contact Bill Plant occupational road risk management services for corporate driver training.

Why become a driving instructor with the Bill Plant Instructor College ?

There are many reasons to become a driving instructor and here at the Bill Plant Instructor College we can help you get your dream driving job.

• Earnings of up to £600 per week and a fully serviced vehicle
• Driving instructor job security
• No previous experience necessary ( well you will need a driving licence)
• A driving job suits people from all backgrounds and ages
• Rewarding career in driving tuition giving people life skills
• Learn to become a driving instructor around your current job

In today’s demanding driving conditions of high traffic levels and frustrated drivers we know that you will need to be prepared for all this when you pass your driving test. At the Bill Plant Driving School we don’t believe that just driving lessons are the answer.

Just Driving School Philosophy

Lets face it, anyone can just drive the real answer is to get comprehensive driving instruction on a one-one basis to really learn to drive. With Bill Plant our driving instructors will not teach you to just to drive but to really learn the subject of driving which will in turn help you cope with today’s traffic demands and even the most stressful driving situations.

We think you will agree that the just driving school of thought is not the answer. All of our driving instructors are highly experienced and have approval from the Driving Standards Agency they are dedicated to giving patient, friendly driving instruction.