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UK Motorists Experience License Shake Up In New Regulations

With less than a month to go before the paper license is scrapped, UK drivers are becoming increasingly concerned with the changes. As part of a major regulation shakeup from the DVLA, the paper license counterpart will no longer be valid or hold any legal status from the 8th June, which may cause problems for Brits trying to hire a car abroad.

The DVLA recently changed their objectives to simplify their policies whilst also promising to commit to a ‘seamless, digital and physical service that exceeds expectations and attracts people to more cost-effective channels’. A Government spokesperson described the move from paper to an online system as ‘reducing the burden on motorists’, as the information will now be more accessible motorists.

This may seem like a simple movement but there is confusion as some paper licenses are exempt from the new rules. Paper documents issued before 1998 will still be valid as the photo card had not been introduced by this point and drivers who hold these are being urged not to destroy them.

With the summer holiday period fast approaching, motorists affected by the change are now worried they could face difficulties when hiring a car abroad, as foreign firms may be unaware of the changes and may expect to see both parts of the license.

Holidaymakers will now be required to log onto the DVLA website the day before they jet-set and enter their license number to obtain a code to give the car hire company on arrival. As easy as this sounds, there may be some complications. Once registered, the passcode is only valid for 72 hours, making it difficult for holiday-goers to hire a car for an in prompt road trip.

This is not the only change the DVLA has recently issued. Last year the paper tax disc was abolished and transferred to an online system, causing confusion for those wanting to sell their car with existing tax.

The changes have left UK motorists struggling to keep up with the latest rules which has consequently resulted in fines and clamped vehicles. However, the new system, once settled should provide an effective service to drivers. With less paper to worry about and the documents easily accessible online, the new changes have the potential to benefit all motorists.

At Drivers Direct we ensure that all our regulations are up to date so that we can continue to work effectively and efficiently. It is our priority to provide a service to our employees that follows all legal obligations so that our drivers can enjoy their work legally and safely.

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Driving On The Most Dangerous UK Roads

For the majority of us, driving is an everyday necessity or even a fundamental part of a career. However, you may be shocked to learn a quiet rural road in Wales is considered the most dangerous road in the UK, surprising many locals who regularly use it.

Research suggests Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in Wales have the most dangerous roads in the UK as they have the highest fatality and injury rates across the UK in relation to the population. In 2014 alone, the county of Carmarthenshire saw 89 serious injuries and 519 minor injuries from motor accidents, but what makes this road more fatal and accident prone than any other?

The safety of a road is largely affected by its location. Many people believe motorways to be the most dangerous travel route due to the high speed and the number of motorists using them on a daily basis. When an accident does occur, it affects more people and often gains media coverage, giving the illusion that they are exceptionally dangerous. However, motorways are actually the safest road type and report the lowest number of accidents. The speed limit may be higher than other roads, but it is consistent and sees everyone travelling at the same or similar speeds, on long stretches of roads with fewer bends and a much safer system for overtaking.

Rural areas tend to have a much higher accident occurrence rate for a number of reasons. There are fewer safety regulations in place and speed limits are often d-restricted. On rural routes drivers are much more likely to come across potential hazards. The narrow winding path of the roads does not always accommodate enough room for two cars to pass one another and the restricted vision of the road ahead can often prevent motorists from overtaking larger, slower vehicles, such as tractors and trailers.

In general the quality of the road is poorer than that of a motorway or urban road. Back roads are notorious for potholes and poor maintenance despite experiencing significant numbers of traffic passing through on a daily basis.

A report from 2010 found that over the course of the year, 1,043 people were involved in a fatal accident on rural roads in comparison to 113 on the motorway.

However, don’t let these facts and figures deter you from using them, a road can become much safer if you adapt your driving to suit the familiarity, location and potential hazards.

Whilst there are many dangerous roads across the UK, there is of course, a safest road.

The safest UK road is reported to be in Bath; drivers have half the rate of serious road accidents in comparison with the national average. At 51% lower, Bath’s rate of serious road incidents was the lowest across all of the UK.

Certain measurements can be taken to ensure you have a safe driving experience. As a driver recruitment agency, we would advise all drivers to leave plenty of time for a journey and to be aware of road surroundings. We ensure that all of our drivers undergo correct and intensive training to maintain a high quality of driving, helping to make the roads safer.

 

 

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Driving In Bad Weather Is Not Snow Joke

As temperatures drop across the country and snow warnings flood the daily news, now couldn’t be a better time to ensure your vehicle is set for winter driving.

Although there tends to be a fall in road accidents during bad weather conditions, due to fewer motorists using the roads, the Department for Transport reported 4,584 road accidents where someone was injured during snow or ice on the road surface last year.

As one of the UK’s leading driving recruitment agencies, Drivers Direct would like to share a few handy tips for winter driving we’ve pick up along the years.

Winter is the time of year when most preparation is required to stay safe on the roads and avoid breakdowns. Before setting off on a journey, always ensure:

  • Lights are clean and working
  • The vehicle’s battery is working and fully charged
  • Check the tyre condition, including tread depth and pressure
  • Ensure there is enough screen-wash that is concentrated and suitable for cold conditions
  • Ensure you have enough anti-freeze

It’s important when driving in bad weather conditions to pack an emergency kit in your vehicle, should you beak down or get stuck in traffic. This includes:

  • Hazard warning light
  • De-icing equipment
  • A car blanket
  • Torch
  • Emergency rations (drink and a snack)

When driving in bad weather conditions, especially snow or ice, adapt your driving techniques for a safer drive to the following:

  • Reduce speed to lower the chances of skidding
  • Increase stopping distance
  • Avoid harsh breaking
  • Used dipped headlights if visibility is reduced
  • Slow down before bends and corners

When faced with tougher driving conditions, it’s crucial not to panic and remain safe. Our drivers safety is imperative when delivering a quality service to our clients.

 

 

 

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You Booze, You Lose

 

During the Christmas months, alcohol consumption in Britain increases by 40 per cent with 54 per cent of men and 41 per cent of women expected to drink over the recommended guidelines during the festive period.

Every year drink driving campaigns hit our TV screens, radios and catch our attention on the motorways to warn us of the dangers of drink driving. However, do drivers really understand what constitutes as ‘over the limit’?

It is a common misconception that one alcoholic drink is one unit, but with so many different drinks, sizes of glasses and bottles it is difficult to establish how many units are in a single drink.

Another misconception is the legal drink driving limit is two units of alcohol or less. However, the current law states consumers driving are legally allowed to drink 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100millilitres of blood, 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres of breath or 107milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine. To put it simply one unit equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol, which is around the amount of alcohol the average adult can process in an hour.

What drivers really need to know is that, the legal drink driving limit is not as black as white as once thought. The legal limit depends on many variables, such as:

  • Weight
  • Gender (men tend to process alcohol faster than women)
  • Metabolism
  • ABV volume
  • Current stress levels
  • Last time food was consumed
  • Age (younger people tend to process alcohol more slowly)

From the above it is easy to be confused with what is classed as over the drink driving limit. Another factor drivers must consider is what happens the morning after.

After enjoying Christmas celebrations till the early hours of the morning, it is not uncommon for alcohol to stay in our system well into the following day. Therefore those who get in at the wee hours of the morning and start their day at 8 am could still have alcohol present in their blood system. In general, alcohol is removed from the blood at the rate of about one unit an hour, but again this varies from person to person.

Drink Driving affects peoples driving in many ways. The brain takes longer to process messages from the body, resulting in a slower reaction times. In 2012, 1,200 people were seriously injured when a driver was over the legal alcohol limit and as a result, 280 people were killed in drink driving accidents.

As one of the UK’s leading driver recruitment agencies we have a zero tolerance when it comes to drink driving, and as a result, we hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Christmas.

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