Driving - The Essential Skills
1. The Driver
1.1 Attitude
The Driver’s attitude consists of the ability to:
- Concentrate and not allow yourself to be distracted
- Scan the road ahead of you and learn to anticipate risky situations
- Be patient with other road users
- Understand our own mind and health, and how they may affect your driving
- Have confidence in your abilities
As a responsible driver you must always be concerned for the safety of yourself, your passengers and
all other road users
Mobile Phones
You MUST NOT use a hand-held mobile phone or similar device when driving, except to call 999 or
112 in a genuine emergency.
Anticipation
If you plan ahead and try to anticipate the actions of others, you can:
- Avoid the need for a sudden reaction
- Maintain a comfortable safety margin
- Prevent some hazards from developing
- Save fuel by anticipating situations early. Braking late and heavily, then accelerating as the situation
improves, increases fuel consumption
Confidence
Confidence is closely related to Skill, Judgement and Experience
Many drivers begin with a relatively high level of confidence in their ability, but after 6 months their
confidence is often much lower.
Overconfidence can lead to Unsafe Driving Behaviour, Risk Taking, Traffic and Speed Violations.
The National Standard for Driving sets out the skills, knowledge and understanding required to be a
safe and responsible driver.
Other factors to think about before starting a journey include:
- Clothing and Shoes
- The Weather
- Animals (if you take animals with you
Many incidents happen close to home or on routine journeys. Allow yourself plenty of time to drive,
don’t take unnecessary risks and be aware that other road users may not be as familiar with the road.
1.2 Health
Your Eyesight
All drivers must be able to read, in good daylight, a current-style number plate (on vehicles registered
since 2001) from 20 metres.
You need to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Swansea (Driver and Vehicle
Agency DVA in Northern Ireland) if your health is likely to affect your ability to drive either now or,
because of a worsening condition, in the future
,Alcohol
- Driving with alcohol in your blood is very dangerous. There are severe penalties if you drive or
attempt to drive while over the legal limit.
- If you drink in the evening, you might still be over the legal limit and unfit to drive the following
morning
Alcohol is removed from the blood at the rate of about 1 unit an hour, but this varies from person to
person. If you know how many units you’ve had, you can work out roughly how many hours it will
take for your body to be alcohol-free.
The only safe limit, ever, is a zero limit.
Drugs
Driving when you’re under the influence of drugs is an offence. This includes some prescription
medications that can affect your ability to drive safely.
The direct effects of some drugs can last up to 72 hours.
The penalties are a 12-month driving ban, a criminal record and a possible prison sentence
Fatigue
Fatigue can mean feeling tired, sleepy or lacking energy. Symptoms include:
- Slower reflexes
- Poor decision making
- headaches
- lack of concentration
- muscle weakness
- irritability
Try to avoid driving between midnight and 6am, as this is when the body clock is in a daily dip
The only time you may stop on the hard shoulder of the motorway is in an emergency, so you MUST
NOT stop there to rest
Don’t drive for too long without taking a break, it is recommended that you take a break of at least 15
minutes after every 2 hours of driving. Especially important at night.
1.3 Learner Drivers
Planned Lessons
If you pay someone for driving lessons, they must be an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) or a
Potential Driving Instructor (PDI) with a trainee licence
An ADI Must:
- Pass a three part examination to qualify
- Have their name entered on the register held by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)
- Display a green ADI identification certificate on the windscreen of the vehicle being used for a
driving lesson
- Reach and maintain the standards required by DVSA
Trainee instructors must display a pink identification certificate on the windscreen of the vehicle
being used for a driving lesson.
You can find your nearest ADIs by using the “Find driving schools and lessons” tool on www.gov.uk.
A vehicle being driven by a learner must display L Plates (D plates in Wales), which should be removed
or covered at all other times.
,New Drivers
Incidents involving new drivers are usually caused by:
- Lack of experience and judgement, especially when driving “high performance” cars
- Competitive behaviour, racing, lack of consideration for others
- Being overconfident in their own ability
- The natural spirit of youth and tendency to push boundaries
- Showing off to friends
New drivers can take further training after they passed their test with Pass Plus, created by the DVSA
for new drivers who want to improve their basic skills and safely widen their driving experience.
If you take the Pass Plus course, you may also receive reduced insurance premiums
Older Drivers
Older Drivers must:
- Have eyesight checked regularly
- Avoid driving at night if you find the glare from headlights dazzles you
- Be aware that you may find driving more tiring as you get older
- Be honest with yourself about your driving. If it is no longer safe, stop driving.
Driving for work is one of the most high-risk contexts in driving, because of the amount of time you’ll
spend behind the wheel and the pressure you may be under.
All drivers need to be alert to changes in their physical or mental condition.
Constantly and honestly reviewing how well you’re driving should help you have a long and safe
driving career.
, 2. The Driver and The Law
2.1 Licence Requirements
In Great Britain your vehicle is required to pass an MOT test 3 years after the date of first registration
You must be at least 17 years old to drive a car. As an exception, you can drive when you’re 16 if you
get, or have applied for, the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence
Payment (PIP).
Driving licences are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
You MUST display L Plates (D Plates in Wales) driving a car as a learner driver, they need to be clearly
visible from both in front and behind the vehicle.
An accompanying driver must be at least 21 years old and hold a full EC/EEA licence for that type of
car (manual or automatic) and has held one for at least three years.
Full licence
You must pass a theory test and then apply for and pass a practical test for the category of vehicle
you wish to drive.
The car licence allows you to:
- Drive vehicles up to 3,500 kg maximum authorized mass (MAM) with up to 8 passenger seats (with a
trailer up to 750kg) (heavier trailers can be towed if the total MAM is under 3,500kg)
- A light van of up to 3.5 tonnes MAM
- Alternatively fuelled vehicles that weigh up to 4.25 tonnes, provided you complete a minimum of 5
hours of additional relevant training
IF you passed your car test in a vehicle that had automatic transmission, you can only drive category B
vehicles that have automatic transmission
The Electronic Driver Record allows you to see which vehicles you can drive, as well as any penalty
points or bans you’ve received (on gov.uk website)
Visitors and new residents with a full, valid EC/EEA driving licence may use that license to drive a car
or motorcycle in GB until they are 70 years old or for 3 years after becoming a resident in GB,
whichever is longer.
Renewing your driving licence
You must renew a photocard licence every 10 years.
This can be done online, via post office or by post with DVLA.
From age 70 and over, this needs to be done every 3 years.
2.2 Insurance
the registered keeper of a vehicle MUST make sure the vehicle has motor insurance, unless its kept off
the road and a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) has been made.
As part of Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE), registered keepers will be notified when their
vehicle is uninsured. If they do not answer this, they can face:
- A fixed-penalty fine of £100
- a court prosecution and a fine of up to £1000
- having the vehicle, clamped, seized and destroyed
Penalties for uninsured drivers include:
- Unlimited fines
- 6 to 8 penalty points on their licence
- having the vehicle seized by the police, taken away and destroyed
Motor insurance can be arranged online or in person with an insurance company, broker or provider.
Types of Insurance
Third Party: Legal minimum, Cheapest. Covers anyone you might injure or whose property you might
damage.
Third Party, fire and theft: In addition to the above, also covers your vehicle being stolen or damaged
by fire
Comprehensive: Most expensive. In addition to the above, also covers damage to your vehicle.
Additional benefits, such as cover for the contents of the vehicle, may be offered.
