The iconic Fiat 500 supermini which was launched earlier this year has just been crowned Best City Car in the 2008 Auto Express. The success of the Fiat 500 follows on from the consecutive 4 year run of its stable mate the Fiat Panda bringing to an end what can only be described as a remarkable run.

The Fiat 500, in a similar vein to the Mini, captures the spirit of a legend without coming across as forced or tacky.  Its low prices go hand in hand with the great looking exterior and interior styling to create an irresistible package. This remarkable retro style motor car is only in the early stages of alternative production models will many more versions waiting in the wings. An ultra efficient two cylinder engine, launch an estate version to rival the Mini Clubman as well as a 500 convertible.

Currently the Fiat 500 is available with a choice of three frugal, ultra-low emissions, Euro 5-ready engines: 69 bhp 1.2-litre and 100 bhp 1.4-litre petrol, or 75 bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet turbodiesel, the new Fiat 500 can be ordered in three different trim versions Pop, Sport and Lounge.

Anyone who is not familiar with the way the British and residents of her former dominions drive will be shocked to see that they drive on the left-hand side of the road.  This is extremely surprising for Americans who have never been exposed to this before.  This left-hand driving side rule of the road has been in effect for decades and seeing vehicles with the steering wheel on the right-hand side of the car will be very confusing.

Driving on the left-hand side of the road dates back to when people travelled by foot and by the horse and cart in feudal societies.  The sword hand of most men was the right hand, thereby keeping the weapon between themselves and any potential opponent or enemy that was walking towards you.  The same went for jousting knights and their lances.  No one went unarmed during those violent times.

Some of this thinking changed when Napoleon Bonaparte took over as self-proclaimed emperor in Revolutionary France.  Napoleon was left-handed so he naturally made his army march on the right, once again keeping his weaponry between him and his enemy.  Because of Napoleon, any French colonized territory – and pretty much the rest of the world – took to travelling on the right-hand side of the road, while the United Kingdom and her followers continued to travel on the left.  The United States adopted the right hand driving system in an effort to show the rest of the world that they no longer followed British tradition.

There can be no doubt that fatigue a silent killer and it works in similar way to alcohol. Drivers who are slightly tired will not drive as well or as safely as those who are alert. As tiredness increases, mental and physical performance drops until eventually the driver falls asleep, this is not opinion but fact. It is known that one in five motorway crashes are related to fatigue, statistics are hard to come by as drivers who are tired will rarely admit to it if involved in an accident.

There are ways that we can reduce fatigue by taking some simple steps, which includes firstly start your journey alert by getting plenty of rest before you begin your long journey, perhaps taking the family on holiday, which can be stressful if children are involved. Wear comfortable clothing, adjust the seat to an upright position, and keep the car cool, but definitely not cold. Try to avoid night driving when we should be asleep anyway and remember that afternoon driving is a high risk period. Take regular breaks and do not try to drive through a period when you feel fatigue coming on. There are no medals to be won driving when tired its better to be late than “dead on time”.

New laws come into effect from Monday the 17th August 2008 meaning those motorists who kill while using a mobile phone will face prison. Currently drivers who kill can walk away from court with a £5,000 fine and points on their licence, but under the new laws, careless or distracted drivers could be given a custodial sentence of up to five years.

These penalties apply to those who were “avoidably distracted” and by this it is meant for example, using a mobile phone, drinking or eating at the wheel, adjusting a car stereo or applying make-up. The Ministry of Justice claims that 150 motorists will be jailed every year under the “death by careless” offence. Further legislation includes jailing those motorists who drive uninsured, or who are unlicensed and they can expect a two year custodial sentence as well.

Drivers who kill through carelessness will no longer be able to walk away from court with just a fine.

With insurance companies getting tougher with drivers who have points on their licence from hand-held mobile phone offences has to be an excellent development. The insurer Allianz believes that you are a more dangerous driver if you have points from using a hand held ‘phone than for a routine speeding offence, described by them as a “dangerous and needless act”.

If you are one of those who persist with this dangerous practice, you can expect fine, points on their licence, in addition to an increase in the insurance premium when you renew.  Amazingly 185,000 drivers were caught using hand held phones in 2007 but in spite of the increase in the penalties now a doubled fine, from £30 to £60, with three penalty points, the offence continues. There has never been a better time to invest in a Bluetooth hands-free kit, which are widely available at less than £30 which is less than half the cost of the fine if you are caught.

Remember that hands free conversations are still a distraction and you should always tell callers that you are driving, and find somewhere legal, safe and convenient to pull over. Drive safely.

The chief medical officer Liam Donaldson has called for teenage drivers to be banned from drinking any alcohol at all when taking to the wheel of a motor vehicle, a zero limit. Even when they have consumed within the present limit the teenager is twice as likely as an older driver to be involved in an accident.

Many younger drivers are asking why they should be treated differently to older drivers and we believe that the answer is quite simple. Not only are older drivers more careful due to their experience, but they are much more tolerant to alcohol than a younger person.

At Bill Plant we train our learner drivers to the highest standard at all our UK wide driving schools, and as part of our tuition we have always considered that driving a motor vehicle and alcohol are two things that do not mix, Mr Donaldson’s views may be controversial, but they could save lives.

Using your mobile phone whilst driving is an offence which collects a fine and three penalty points; at the Bill Plant Driving School we believe that doing so makes the user more dangerous than those who might collect points for being caught by camera a few MPH over the speed limit. The major insurer Allianz wholehearted agrees with us, describing the act as a dangerous and needless act, that they as an insurer intend to penalise, by increasing their premiums.

It is now more than a year since the tougher penalties for hand-held mobile phone use were introduced, but amazingly the Department for Transport report that 185,000 drivers were caught using hand held phones in 2007. Hands free or Bluetooth systems have to be the way forward, when you can tell the caller that you are driving and will find a safe place to pull over and call back without putting yourself and other road users at risk.

Whether your view on parking restrictions that are evident in every town and city is that they help the flow of traffic, or that they are revenue raisers for government, they are here to stay and they are becoming more restrictive in the way that there administered.

As of now, tickets for parking illegally can be issued in an entirely new way. No longer has the parking attendant to hand you the ticket, or fix this to the windscreen of your car. CCTV cameras are now being used to spot those drivers who stop on a yellow line, and this could be for literally just a few minutes. Photographs are taken and a ticket is sent in the post to the registered owner of the vehicle. Obviously you should avoid illegally parking your car, your Qualified Driving Instructor will have fully briefed you about this, and checking the online Highway Code will give guidance also. Avoid that ticket!

It is worth reminding anyone who is connected with a company, which has vehicles and drivers, that they are now subject to the Corporate Manslaughter Bill which became law on the 6th April 2008. Fleet operators and others, if they have not already done so, should familiarise themselves will the risks associated when operating vehicles as part of their business.

Bill Plant, which is one of the UK’s leading Occupational Road Risk Management and Driver Training specialists, can provide up to the minute training and advice on the risks that are involved, not only in the field of Occupational Road Risk Management and Consultancy but also driver training to a very high standard. By taking part in this Fleetcraft Training, your company will see lower fleet operating costs, a reduction in accident rates as well as improved fuel economy. Reduce your costs and road risk by contacting us now, for your Corporate Driver Training.

It is a sad truth that following on from our successful driving test, the longer we drive the more inclined we are to ignore all but the most basic of road signs. Even a “Stop” in large capitals painted on the road is often ignored; at the very best it will be treated as a give way sign.

Many believe that we are suffering from “signage overload” as there are an increasing number of instructions, many of which are unofficial, appearing on our roads. This often means that because of all the signs at eye level, we often ignore, or are unaware of the relevance of road markings, even when we see them.

We cannot stress enough the value of continuing to re-read the Highway Code, which can also be accessed online at Bill Plant School of Motoring. Road signs are there for a purposed and for our and others safety, simply put, the more paint that is on the road surface, the greater the potential danger.