Driving Instructors are receiving a trickle of information each day, mostly concerning when testing will start, how we need to stay safe during lessons, and how tests will be conducted. This is the main focus of this week’s newsletter, as it contains some very important (and controversial) points. We also have news on our latest environmental statement.

Theory tests are opening

• Theory test centres reopen on 4th July
• To prevent delays, get your theory test booked as soon as you feel ready (nag nag!)

On the day of your driving test

• Face-coverings (of a type suitable for public transport) will be compulsory for driving tests (I am also making them compulsory for lessons)
• Controversial: for a driving test to go ahead, you will need to confirm that you are participating in the NHS Test-and-Trace scheme. However, as far as I know, there is no way for an examiner to confirm your status, other than asking you. I am sorry if you feel strongly about this; please note that participation in the tracing scheme is not compulsory for lessons.
• Although many of you have planned for your instructor to sit in the back of the car during your test, this is not currently being allowed (I suspect that an exemption might be made if your instructor is also your BSL interpreter). Please bear this in mind and let me know if you would prefer to defer your test until instructors are allowed to accompany again. I do not know when the policy will change.
• Waiting rooms and toilets at test centres will be closed: please plan accordingly.
• During the test, if you make a fault that would cause you to fail (ie a serious fault), you will not complete the remainder of the test route. You will be directed back to the test centre, and the test will be ended early.

We are still the only Carbon-Zero driving school in the West Midlands

• We were the first driving school in Central England to be carbon-zero/climate-positive, and we are pleased that other schools are following our lead.
• We are offering free advice to other driving schools that want to go carbon-zero.
• Our 2020 environmental statement is now online.
• From July 2021 we will no longer be offering manual gears: we will be switching to automatic only.

Have a great weekend and we will see you on a driving lesson very soon!

Driving lessons resume from Monday 6th July

This message is important. Please ask somebody to help you read it if you find it difficult to understand.

You are also welcome to phone me Monday to Friday between 10am and 1pm if you need advice.

I am so happy to be able to announce that the Government and DVSA have given the green light for driving lessons. Now, remember, that green means go if it is safe! To achieve this level of safety there will be a number of procedures in place, and this is what I’ll discuss below.

Before I dive into this, though, there is an important announcement about driving tests.

Driving test bookings

• All driving tests have been cancelled by the DVSA while test centres are made “covid-secure”. Even if your test was previously cancelled and rebooked, it has been cancelled again.
• The DVSA are not rebooking tests automatically. Booking will reopen in phases, starting with candidates who originally had tests in March, then April, then May etc. There is a UK backlog of approximately half a million driving tests to catch up and rebook: there is going to be a long wait, I’m afraid.
• You (or your instructor) will receive a notification when the booking website reopens for each individual candidate, and together we will discuss a new date.
• If you were test-ready, you will be offered “keep in touch lessons” on an occasional basis, and “refresher lessons” leading up to the new test date. Keeping your skill level high will mean we could take advantage of short-notice cancellations for driving tests.
• If your original test date was booked in anticipation of you being test-ready by the time the test date came around, naturally you will need additional lessons so that you still reach the required standard.

Driving lesson bookings

• Contactless payment in the car, or payment in advance via the website or bank transfer is preferred whenever possible.
• Where possible, lessons will be booked on the same day as your previous lessons, however please bear in mind that I am teaching fewer lessons each week due to the additional time taken between lessons for cleaning.
• Priority will be given to students who secured their lessons under the Bounce-Back scheme.

Pre-lesson health screening

• A few days before each lesson, you will receive the usual reminder text message.
• If you have Covid-19 symptoms (high temperature, persistent cough, loss of sense of smell) then please inform me: you will not be penalised for a genuine cancellation due to coronavirus.
• The evening before a lesson, you will receive another text message asking you specifically about your health. Please reply accurately and honestly; again, you will not be penalised for a genuine cancellation due to coronavirus.
• At the start of the lesson, I will carry out a non-touch health check before you get in the car. This health check will include questions about your health, a confirmation that you have washed your hands, and a temperature check using a no-touch thermometer.
• You will be offered hand sanitiser gel which must be used before entering the car.
• The car will have been cleaned following the previous student’s lesson, and you are welcome to inspect the cleaning log.
• On entering the car you will be offered disinfectant wipes to clean the car controls (steering wheel, handles, mirror controls, indicator stalk, seatbelt buckles etc) to your satisfaction.

Personal Protective Equipment

• You will not be expected to wear gloves during your lesson
• Your instructor may wear gloves for individual students if it is likely that the instructor will need to take control of the steering wheel.
• You will be expected to wear a face-covering which complies with the requirements for public transport.

Face coverings are not the same as face masks. The government set out advice for people on how to make their own face coverings easily at home, using scarves or other textile items. These face coverings should cover the mouth and nose while allowing the wearer to breathe comfortably and can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head to give a snug fit.

• Remember, if you wear glasses, a face-mask may make your glasses steam up, so keep them spotlessly clean to minimise the risk of fogging up.
• Reasonable exemptions will be considered for students who lip-read.

Driving tests (on the day)

• The test itself will not change. The required standard and what you will be expected to do during the test will be the same.
• Waiting rooms will be closed, with no access to toilets.
• Driving instructors will not be permitted to accompany you (sit in the back) on your driving test.
• At the end of the test, instructors might not be able to listen to the result and debrief.

We are doing this post in two parts, as there are two types of queue to discuss

• Slow-moving traffic on single-lane and multi-lane roads e.g. dual carriageways
• Approaching roadworks where traffic is merging to one lane.

Slow-moving traffic

If it’s rush hour, and traffic is moving slowly, it’s frustrating! Constant start-stop-start-stop (repeat ad nauseam). By holding back a little from the car in front, you can smooth out all of those start-stops in to a longer movement. Every time you can keep moving, you save a little fuel, reduce your emissions, and lessen your frustration. And you’ll find that the car behind you saves fuel too, all thanks to you.

If you’re on a multi-lane road e.g. a dual carriageway, then you may find that the two lanes are moving slowly but at slightly different speeds. Lane 1 might go faster than lane 2 for a few car-lengths, then lane 2 might move faster than lane 1 for a few car lengths. In these circumstances, it is perfectly acceptable to overtake on the left if you are in lane 1, moving past traffic in lane 2.

Roadworks

As you approach roadworks, you may see signs advising of a lane closure. The most common (but wrong) practice is for motorists to get themselves into the lane which does not close, very early, and stay there. They will then think that anybody passing them, in the lane which is going to close in 800 yards, is “pushing in” or “queue-jumping”. They are not!

Highway code rule 134 actually advises to use both lanes and merge-in-turn when you actually reach the roadworks. This is considered normal practice in all other European countries!

So as you head to the front of the queue, remember that the only reason people are queuing is because they have created a queue unnecessarily!

Sometimes it’s worth remembering a rule number from the highway code, to shout at motorists who think you are in the wrong. Rule 134 is one of those.

(The other one is Rule 170)

Free vehicle checklist

Breakdowns are an inconvenience and can’t be completely eliminated. But it is possible to reduce the likelihood of a breakdown with some basic checks, and you don’t need to be a mechanic to do them.

Flowers

Get into the habit of checking these items once per week, and always before making a long journey.

Fuel
Lights
Oil
Water
Electrics
Rubber

Fuel: have you got enough petrol or diesel (or battery) for your journey? Do you know where you can fill up along the journey? Have you remembered you bank card to pay for it? Have you got human-fuel (commonly know as food!) too?

Lights: switch on your headlights and hazard warning lights, and walk around your car. Check all lights are working. Have you got spare bulbs? Do you keep a torch in your car?

Oil: when the engine is cold, and with your engine switched off, use the dipstick to check your oil level.

Water: with the engine switched off, check the coolant reservoir (usually a green or orange liquid) is at the correct level. Have you got drinking water for yourself too?

Electrics: check out any warning lights on the dashboard, especially RED lights. Is your phone charged?

Rubber (tyres): check your tyres aren’t obviously deflated. Check the tread depth once a week, and make sure the side walls are free from cuts and bulges.

Statistically, new and young drivers are far more likely to be involved in an incident (note, we don’t call it an accident) that could cause death or serious injury. Once you’ve passed your test, you lose the safety net of having another, more experienced driver with you. And even if you are accompanied, where are the dual controls? Responsibility is now 100% on you.

Remember, you are also responsible for the safety of your passengers, but make them aware that you are in charge. If they misbehave or distract you: warn them that they’ll be walking home.

The Honest Truth

The Honest Truth is a charity aimed at educating and supporting new drivers, and they advocate “My Car My Rules” for a zero-tolerance agreement with your passengers. Their “ten truths” can be studied free of charge on their website. If you have any questions: ask your driving instructor…even if you’ve passed!

Pass Plus

Pass Plus is a series of six further lessons which can be taken after you have passed your driving test. The whole course is a minimum of six hours, covering situations that you may not have experienced as a learner, and it puts you in a better position to stay safe.

The Pass Plus course syllabus is as follows:

• Motorways
• Dual carriageways
• Out of town (rural/country lanes)
• Bad weather (can be done as a theory module)
• City centre (rush hour)
• Night time

There is a set syllabus to follow but there is no test at the end, and the assessment is carried out by your driving instructor who you already know and trust. You even a certificate in the post when you complete the training.

P-Plates

After passing the driving test, some people choose to display P-Plates. They are optional. The theory is that they will encourage other drivers to be more tolerant of your mistakes. But a more robust way of thinking is that you shouldn’t be making mistakes! By taking the additional training of Pass Plus, and by staying alert and being predictable in your driving, other drivers will know what you are doing.

If you want to buy P-Plates, we suggest the same brand as the L-Plates we recommend: Le Yogi.

New Driver Act

Since 1997, new drivers have been placed on an automatic two-year probationary period from the day they pass their driving test. You can read the full act here (it’s very long and wordy) but here’s a summary:

• If you reach or exceed six penalty points on your licence within two years of passing your driving test, your licence will be revoked.
• To get your licence back, you will need to pass both the theory and practical tests again.
• As an example, “minor” speeding offences (I use the term “minor” very reluctantly) carry 3 points. Get caught speeding twice and it’s goodbye to your licence. And it’s almost certainly hello to very expensive insurance when you get your licence back.
• If you already have points on your provisional licence then they stay on your full licence. Let’s say you have 3 points on your provisional licence. When you pass your test, your full licence will still have 3 points. Get caught speeding just once, and you’ve reached the six-point maximum.

This week we’ve seen confusion over Theory Tests, as tests in England are cancelled for one day then two days then four days, whilst Wales and Scotland cancel theory tests until the end of June.

We’ve also released more of our Virtual Driving Lesson series with a back-to-basics lesson on the pedals.

There is also a proposed change in the law in how minor offences will be dealt with, and a bogus driving instructor who continued to teach after failing his final exam three times.

Bogus driving instructor made thousands of pounds from learners

Leeds Crown Court heard the 40-year-old had passed the first two parts of his instructor exams, but failed the third and final part.

Drivers could face £130 fines for minor driving offences

The government is considering new plans which could see drivers facing automatic fines of £130 for minor motoring offences. The plans could give more power to local councils to help improve roads for cyclists and pedestrians, with the money raise

Top 10 tips for greener driving

New research recently revealed that nine out of 10 UK motorists don’t know how to drive their car in the most environmentally friendly way.

There are two sides to this story. One is about using SatNav (including on your driving test). The other is driving alone.

SatNav

Satellite navigation is great, although you need to use it carefully. Whatever model you buy (in many modern cars, you can even dock your phone and use Google Maps or Apple Maps), it needs to be kept up to date. And you must always check for yourself that it isn’t asking you to do something illegal, for example, asking you to turn in to a no-entry road or do a U-turn when road-signs prohibit it.

By far the easiest way to use satnav is as a visual aid, and to ignore the actual words it is saying out loud. Quite simply, anything the satnav says should just be a cue to look at the screen. This is quite safe: it’s easier than looking at a road-sign.

Usually, satnavs will use icons on the screen to give you advance notice of instructions. For example, it might show a roundabout symbol with an arrow pointing to the right. Even without a verbal instruction, you’ll therefore know to set yourself up in the correct lane for a right-turn.

The SatNav currently used on driving tests is the TomTom Start 52. Buy yours using the link below if you want to practice in your own car.

You won’t be asked to programme it yourself; it’s only there for you to follow the directions. And don’t forget that one in five driving tests will still use the old-fashioned follow the roadsigns to… method.

Driving alone

If you’ve passed your driving test: congratulations! Welcome to real independent driving.

Your driving test and lessons will have taught you all the skills you need. But here’s a reminder of some of the key safety-points you may have forgotten (or may feel embarrassed to use now you’re a “real driver”)

• Plan ahead. Don’t do anything at the last minute. If you find yourself in the wrong lane at a big junction, don’t try and change lanes: just go wherever that lane takes you and find somewere safe to turn around later on. SatNav will detect you’ve one wrong and will help you get back on track.
• Tell somebody where you are going. Agree a timescale for “checking in” and remember to park up before sending a text message.
• Remember your personal safety. Keep your doors locked, and leave yourself an escape route when you pull up behind another vehicle.

If you have passengers who don’t drive, and don’t understand the stress you may be feeling, agree some rules about behaviour, and agree that you will pull in for a rest every two hours. Never be scared to ask you passengers to be quiet for a moment while you navigate a tricky roundabout or need to concentrate while joining a motorway.