The DSA has welcomed the sentence handed to two individuals for trying to cheat a driving test by pretending to be someone else the two males pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by misrepresentation. 

 The driver pretending to be the learner was given a eight week suspended sentence for 12 months, ordered to do 100 hours community service, disqualified from driving for four months and placed on a 12-month supervision order.

 The learner to tried to get someone else to sit in on his test was given an eight-week suspended prison sentence, ordered to do 120 hours community service and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

 The learner sat his own driving test in November 2008, but failed. He then got his friend to take the test for him on the 11^th of December 2008, which is when the DSA begun there investigation and the pair were arrested.

 The DSA are very committed to prosecuting any offenders in order to preserve public safety on the roads and the integrity of the driving test procedure.

 Andrew Rice, DSA’s Head of Fraud and Integrity, said: “People who impersonate at driving tests present a real risk to all road users, as they provide an entitlement to drive to those who have not been assessed to show that they are competent to do so.

“In addition to obtaining the qualification to drive, many people seek possession of a full UK driving licence to establish proof of identity. Once obtained, that licence may also be used as proof of identity in a variety of other circumstances, such as obtaining state benefits and accommodation, opening bank accounts, obtaining credit cards and even undertaking domestic air travel.”

The DSA investigates all reported cases of fraud surrounding the driving test procedure and works closely with the police and criminal justice agencies to identify offenders and bring them to court.

 Here at Bill Plant we recommend that it is not worth the risk attempting to have someone sit your driving test for you. Instead take your time learning and have as many driving lessons or driving courses as you need and you will be able to pass you test.

At the moment a learner driver can request to have their instructor sit in the back of the car during their practical driving test. If they are learning to drive in their own car they have the option to have a friend or family member accompanying them on their test. There have been recent discussions with Driving Standard Agency (DSA) to make it compulsory for all candidates to have a qualified driver accompanying them on the 40-minute driving test.

 This change was planning to made in October 2010, this was because the DSA carried out a study, which showed having an accompanying driver on the test is very beneficial to the learner.

Learner driver’s may or may not benefit from this approach, many pupils said it will help them if they fail so that their instructor can see what they have done wrong. Others say that it will make them much more nervous having two people watching you on your driving test, which could make you perform worse on the test.

 We can now say that the plan to make this a legal requirement has now been scrapped.

Rosemary Thew the DSA chief executive said:

 “We want to work in partnership with the driver training profession to help candidates get the most from their training and from their practical test experience. We believe that having an observer on test to see the drive at first hand and hear the examiner’s debrief will enhance the candidate’s learning experience, which, in turn, will lead to road safety benefits. Given that we are no longer planning to legislate and that we already encourage this practice, we are looking at how we might progress this approach sooner than October 2010.”

In the future it will be made compulsory for the driving examiner to offer the candidate the opportunity for someone to sit in on their test, it will be then up to the candidate to decide if they would like someone to accompanying.

Rosemary Thew continued to say:

 “In the meantime, our examiners will continue to welcome instructors to sit in on test and encourage them to listen to the debrief. We want candidates to experience driving instructors and driving examiners as professional road safety experts working together to help them to be safe and responsible drivers with the overall aim of improving road safety.”

 We welcome you comments on this to see how you feel about having someone sit in on driving test, which would you choose? Do you think it is a good approach making it mandatory or should it be optional?

 For anymore Driving Lesson tips or Driving School Information check out the Bill Plant Homepage. 

One of the most common questions asked to all driving instructors is ‘How many lessons will I need to pass my driving test?’ Unfortunately this is a very difficult question to answer, especially if you are asking someone before you have even begun to learn to drive.

Every person learns in different way, where one person might take 10 hours to learn to drive another might take 80 hours with the same instructor. There isn’t anyway to determine how many lessons you will need before you begin to learn.

The national average is between 30 and 40 hours practicing before you put in for your test the first time. The current first time pass rate is 43%, therefore over half put it for there test and then fail the first time. This makes it even harder to determine how many lessons you will need before you actually pass your test as you might do the recommended 40, fail and have to do another 10 before your next test.

 Below is a simple to table to display the number of lessons you may need:

Other things you should take into consider is have you had any driving experience before, e.g. driving on private land. Have you had any road use either cycling or on a motorbike. If you already understand road use you might find it easier when you begin your driving lessons.

 When you do begin to learn to drive rather than trying to pass as soon as possible, learn at your own rate and make sure you are ready when you go in for your test. 

TEENAGER Daniel Chadwick is one ‘L’ of a driver.The 18-year-old electrician, from Dalton, has joined an elite club of learners who have passed their test first time without any mistakes.

And his faultless performance came after just 23 hours of lessons with Bill Plant driving school – half the average.

Daniel said: “I thought I had done all right and I thought I’d probably passed because I didn’t do anything that stood out as a big mistake.

“The examiner didn’t even tell me I’d passed at first, he just started giving me leaflets about extra courses I could do.

“I said: ‘I’m guessing I passed then’ and he just gave me my faults sheet which didn’t have anything on it.

“I was over the moon.”

Only 0.1% of drivers pass their first test without making a single mistake. Daniel said he used to do go-karting, which probably helped him.

“I picked things up quite quickly because I was used to being behind a wheel,” he said.

“But there were some bad habits I had to get out of.”

Instructor David Norcliffe, who has taught hundreds of learners over more than 10 years, said he had never had a pupil achieve a perfect pass. He said: “Daniel has been a model pupil.

“He has had 23 hours of tuition with me over a period of three months, being eager to learn, very consistent and is now able to drive to a good standard.

“He’s now going to take his Pass Plus with me, enabling him to become an even better driver.”

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2009/01/29/rare-driving-test-pass-without-any-faults-86081-22805059/

Bill Plant Driving School has developed over the last 6 years to become one of the top driving schools in the UK, with instructors situated in nearly all major urban centres in the England. Bill Plant‘s philosophy is to give every new learner an instructor who knows the area inside out. Whether it be in a small village in Northampton or a large conurbation like London, Bill Plant aims to ensure that every pupil has an instructor who is freindly, professional and who knows the local area very well.

One of the areas in the UK that has a full coverage of instructors is West Yorkshire. Currently, Bill Plant has instructors that are based in the cities of Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield, as well as smaller towns like Castleford, Knottingley, Ossett, Halifax and Dewsbury.

If you live in West Yorkshire, and are thinking of learning to drive, then Bill Plant has an instuctor in your area. Call the freephone number and take advantage of the free first lesson that is offered to every new pupil.

You will have received careful and skilful tuition from your qualified driving instructor on the correct use of your indicators notifying your intentions to turn or overtake when driving your vehicle, but are there times when it is not necessary or desirable to use indicators?

August bodies such as the Institute of Advance Motorists, RoSPA and Police Driving Instructors support straight forward common sense in the use if indicators. What is the point of signalling if there is no one to signal to? However, we should never forget that pedestrians and cyclist is a road user as well. For instance pedestrian crossings are often sited near the entrance and exits to roundabouts and vehicle positioning may not give a pedestrian a clue about your intentions. The road may be clear of cars, but a turning vehicle can pose a danger to a pedestrian or cyclist who may not have been seen. Remember that pedestrians have the right of way at most road junctions.

By the time we reach our sixties and seventies, most of us have been driving for at least forty years.  We will have built up a lifetime of driving experience which will give us the honour of being able to say that we get into fewer accidents.  Unfortunately, most people at this stage of life are also experiencing a variety of effects, both physical and mental, that are caused by aging.  The question then becomes, “is age an issue when driving?”

People in their sixties and seventies will notice that their senses are not as sharp as they used to be.  They fade gradually and most people won’t even notice it until someone points it out to them.  Drivers must be able to read a license plate number at 67 feet, the length of a cricket pitch.  If corrective lenses are needed to accomplish this, then they should be worn when driving.  Some eye problems, like cataracts or glaucoma, may end a driving career completely.

Arthritis and general stiffness of the body restricts your range of motion, making it difficult for a person to move, see over their shoulder, shift gears or even just turn the steering wheel.  Some older drivers may need special devices and accessories from their doctor to help them.  Also, older drivers should always check with their doctors about the prescription medicine they take to ensure it won’t effect their driving.

Older drivers who wish to continue driving after the age of seventy will need to renew their driving license every three years.

It’s that time of year again when hundreds of families will soon be setting off to enjoy a week’s UK holiday break. But before the camping, theme parks and beach picnics can begin you need to get in the car and travel for hours to get there. Of course we all know that’s when the real fun can begin, you have heard it many times and we bet that you will have said it yourself at some time, “Are we there yet?”

The best tip is to keep them occupied because bored kids tend to make more noise, distracting the driver. Take with you some things to occupy the children such as pencils or books, electronic games are great if the volume is muted! Play some games such as spotting number plates or the first to spot a certain colour of car, but importantly take frequent breaks, it is recommended that this should be around every two hours.

Try to ensure that the temperature is kept down, if you have air conditioning this is great, children should be strapped in and make sure that you have the child locks engaged, you do not want the door flying open on a motorway! Above all drive safely and enjoy your well deserved holiday.

One of the most important documents a person can possess is their driver’s license.  It not only serves as a representation of your authority to operate a motor vehicle, it also serves as a photo identification to prove that you are who you say you are.  Photocard driver licenses include your photograph, which is updated every ten years, what type of vehicle you are licensed to drive, your name and address, and a number that has been assigned specifically to you.  An additional paper counterpart to the photocard license lists any endorsements or penalties you may have.

If you are interested in obtaining your provisional driver’s license and you have never had one, you can apply for it at your local post office.  The cost is £45. 00 and if you are from overseas, you will need to present your passport to the clerk so that they can verify your identity.  If you are a current resident of the country and are applying for your license, you will be required to attend and pass both classroom and practical driving classes before you will be issued your full license after passing a test.

Some people may need to renew their driver’s license even before the ten-year mark because of medical conditions.  Once you reach the age of seventy, you are required to renew it every three years.  Commercial drivers may need to renew their licenses at more frequent intervals because of the special nature of the vehicles they operate.  If you have a change of address, there is a way to notify the licensing bureau and having it updated by mailing in the information.  Your post office carries all of the booklets and forms necessary for you to get and obtain your driver’s license.

When you are about to take driving lessons there are many things to be considered, foremost is the need for the security of a major national company. Equally though, what is required also is that the Driving School should be local to your particular area so that you can be collected near to your home or work. Fortunately for the ever increasing numbers of people who are now taking driving lessons, the Bill Plant Driving School fit these requirements.

An example of this has to be the Bill Plant operation for those who wish to learn to drive in Birmingham, which is one of the most comprehensive in this vast conurbation. Even if you have never sat behind the wheel of a car before, the Bill Plant fully qualified driving instructor will put you at your ease and collect you from your chosen locality, whether this is from diverse points such as Aston to Cradley Heath or eastwards to Chelmsley Wood. Relax; learning to drive in Birmingham and taking the two part driving test at one of the six Birmingham Driving Test Centres is taken care of through sympathetic and understanding coaching by the Bill Plant Birmingham Driving School, you will soon be a qualified driver.