When the traffic lights are set to green as you approach them, do you really know what it means? You may think it means all clear to go and this is only half right because in truth it means you can go if it is safe to do so. How long has it been green? The longer that it has of course the more likely it is to change to amber and that means stop and not I think I can get through!

When the lights are at green, or in your favour, look both ways as you approach the junction, to satisfy yourself that you can get across safely, some joker might be taking a chance the other way. As always keep your eye on your rear view mirror as someone may be following you too closely, allowing you to slow carefully if the light changes to amber. All traffic lights are set according to the speed zones in which they are placed. If you are doing the correct speed limit, you will have adequate time to stop if the lights change to amber.

It is a fact, maybe unpopular with some, but safe drivers are made, not born. Statistics that have been gathered prove beyond reasonable doubt that the more pre-test training that a novice driver, particularly young males, is given the less chance there is of them being killed or seriously injured. As an example of this, in Sweden 50 hours is the recommended number of pre driving test tuition, but if 120 hours is given the number of crashes involving these novice drivers reduces by a massive 40% in the following two years.

Novice drivers, particularly the under 20s, are most at risk in the early weeks and months after they pass their driving test, the likely causes are using an old car, driving on Friday and Saturday nights, on rural roads, running off the road, skidding and losing control, in fog or poor visibility, and on bends, particularly rural roads. All of this points to what has been known for many years that there is no substitute for good tuition and lots of practice.

Most drivers tend to be reactive drivers when they first learn to drive.  New drivers tend to wait and see what the other drivers on the road are going to do.  As you gain experience driving, your skills start to reflect your personality and attitude.  You start to watch out for hazards sooner the more you drive and you begin to drive proactively.  This means you try to control your part of the situation by adjusting your speed and moving out of the road if there is room.  As long as no one is tailgating you, you do not have to worry about being rear-ended.  If you make good use of your horn, headlights, and brake lights, you can help avoid an accident.

If you need to brake to come to a stop and the road is dry and even, braking very hard is appropriate.  When the weather is bad – snowy, rainy, and icy – a proactive driver will use various driving techniques to slow down and stop their vehicle.  Threshold braking requires the driver to gently brake without excess pressure.  Cadence braking is the method of tapping the brake, pumping it to slow down. 

Sometimes you will need to turn your vehicle around in order to avoid the road hazard in front of you.  If you are on a two-lane road you will need to perform a two-point turn with an emergency stop.  If the road is larger, you can safely try to perform a U-turn.  If you need to back up quickly, make sure there is not traffic behind you. 

Advanced driver training is the next step for some people after getting their driver’s license.  It is designed to help students become smoother, more conscientious drivers.  The idea to offer more advanced instruction was conceived at the National Road Safety Congress that was held back in November 1954, and the idea was so well received that the members of the many different road and traffic organizations began to offer classes. 

These classes have been shown to reduce accidents. The Pass Plus test can be booked through the Bill Plant School of Motoring and is open to anyone of legal age with the correct driver’s license.  The test is about ninety-minutes long and can cover thirty-five to forty minutes worth of driving on varied road surfaces, numerous road conditions, and possibly varied weather.

Most people are afraid to take the test because they don’t want the person grading them to see the bad habits that have developed over the years in their daily driving routines.  As long as a candidate remains relaxed and calm they will pass the test and become rated as an advanced driver.  They will come out of it all with better awareness and better preparation for any driving eventuality that may come their way.

Following a period of dry weather that many have experienced recently, you can be sure that when it rains driver get caught out by the changed road conditions. Rubber from tyres and oil products adhere to the surface of the road, which when wet can be literally lethal, 95% of all accidents involve some degree of skidding.

Bill Plant has introduced a new Skid Control training package so whether you are a new driver having recently passed your test with Bill Plant driving school, or have driven for many years, the skid training scheme can only be of benefit to you when it comes to dealing with that unexpected incident which may be just around the next corner. We know that every day nine people die in road crashes in the UK, the roads account for the most deaths of young people between the ages of 15 to 24years of age; company drivers suffer an average of 150 deaths and serious injuries each week when driving on business.

The Bill Plant School of Motoring offers a unique opportunity for both men and women to become driving instructors and to operate in an area close to where they live, in a high earning self employed capacity. By becoming a Bill Plant franchisee, you will be in a job where the benefit of all your hard work and commitment stops with you and of course your pupil! You have the benefit of a new and well maintained car; you secure a better work and life balance which will result in you being happier all round.

No qualifications are needed to enroll on the course, except of course the need for a full driving licence. At the Bill Plant Driving Instructor Training course you will be offered a full “pay as you go” scheme whilst training for the parts 1, 2 & 3 of the Driving Standards agency tests, necessary to become a fully Approved Driving Instructor. Bill Plant will tailor the courses around your present employment which means that you can continue to earn during this period without losing income. Make the first move and contact us for the first step toward the job satisfaction of teaching people a valuable skill for life.

If you are a fleet driver for a company, you may have already taken an approved advanced motoring course.  If not, the course will teach you how to drive better through planning and the efficient use of the road to ensure safety as you travel.  The course builds upon your current driving skills and helps you prepare a driving plan to follow.  It will help you build confidence, improve your awareness of the road, and make driving more enjoyable as you improve both your performance and efficiency.

By managing your road space, you are setting clear lines for yourself regarding how far behind another person you are driving, whether you are following the speed limits, and if you can properly anticipate the need for a quick and sudden stop.  You will also be watching out for unexpected things other than a stopped car ahead of you, such as animals and children running into the road, or debris from a blown lorry tire or other vehicle.  If you need to swerve to avoid hitting these things, then you need to be able to better manage your road space.  Sometimes an accident can be avoided by simply swerving out of the way.  Also the use of the horn and headlights to make your presence known to avoid a collision is acceptable.

A new driver feels successful and confident upon getting their driver’s license.  They have passed many tests and have learned practical driving lessons.  This is just the first step.  Driving is a very large responsibility and one that must been taken seriously.  Taking unnecessary risks while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle could result in property damage, injury, and maybe even death.  By understanding what some of these mistakes can be, driving schools are able to offer many of their students advanced driving lessons once they have received their license.

Part of the advanced driving lessons these driving schools offer include learning to “read” drivers.  Young drivers who have just got their licenses need to understand that peer pressure will cause them to make costly mistakes.  Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, being distracted by those around them or by other things such as cell phones and the radio, and simply being a show-off are all things that will make a young driver less responsible.  Advanced driving lessons will help young drivers understand that these are situations they can avoid while driving and will teach them how to overcome these obstacles.

Professional driving school instructors have the patience and expertise to help out these new drivers.  Most of their programs are structured and in a relaxed atmosphere that helps the student feel comfortable.  Parents are welcome in these classes as well and their contributions to their child’s driving skills are invaluable. 

New proposals flagged by the Government recently, are suggesting that passing a Driving Test in the future is to become much more difficult. Basically the proposals include; that learner drivers will have to complete four separate stages, including two practical tests, to gain that all important licence. In the biggest shake up of the Driving Test, it is being proposed to split the on-road exam into two which will represent the biggest overhaul of the driving test in more than 50 years.

Candidates will be expected to present a “readiness certificate” before taking the test itself, making a total of four stages with a tougher theory test and two practical exams. According to road safety experts, around 300 drivers and passengers are killed annually by motorists who have passed their test within the previous two years. For this reason alone, we at Bill Plant always encourage newly qualified drivers to continue with their driving education, starting with our Pass Plus course which will make for a safer driver as well as reducing insurance premiums.

We all have to be concerned regarding the current high cost of fuel, whether that is standard petrol or diesel, even though in many cases this precious commodity is paid for by a company. So what can we do to improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles?

Some simple tips to use less fuel are; firstly drive the way that you did when you were under the care and control of one of the qualified driving instructors. Lift your foot off the accelerator earlier on your approach to traffic lights etc thereby reducing your braking. Be sensible about accelerating; vary your foot pressure on the accelerator pedal so you don’t have to brake as often or as hard. Surprisingly to many, one of the pillars of fuel efficient driving is accelerating briskly to a safe cruising speed and then taking the highest gear quickly. Most drivers tend to go straight from accelerator to brake, which is when fuel consumption suffers. Plan your arrival at roundabouts so that you decelerate for a longer period in a higher gear. Save that fuel and save yourself money, become an advanced driver.