Kingsdriving School of Motoring

Practical driving tests are not conducted in adverse weather conditions, for example when the roads are icy. This is for the safety of both the person taking the test and the examiner.

If you are due to take your practical test, follow the advice given on your appointment email or letter. Only call your test centre if there is snow or ice in your local area on the day of your test.

Cancelled tests

If your test is cancelled because of bad weather, another will be arranged automatically at no further cost

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

Rainstorms are flooding the streets again and news footage shows cars, lorries and motorbikes ploughing through ludicrously deep water at crazy speeds and getting stuck.

Lives are lost and millions of pounds worth of unnecessary damage is done to cars, trucks, bikes and property because very few of us know when it’s safe to drive through floodwater.

Driving through floods isn’t particularly difficult, but you do need to apply common sense and be aware of what you’re letting yourself in for. Charging through deep floods at an incredible speed is a bad move. It’s dangerous to the driver, to other road users, to pedestrians and to property. And if water gets forced or sucked into the engine it will result in huge repair bills.

1. You really do need to know how deep the water is. Six inches (15cm) of rapidly moving floodwater can knock a person down. And many vehicles will float in two feet (60cm) of water or less. So always stop before you get to the flood and assess how deep the water is. Look for clues.

2. If it’s deeper than the bottom of your doors, think about turning round. The water may not look very deep, but an increase in depth of an inch or so may be enough to tip the balance and make the vehicle buoyant enough to float away.

3. If there are already a lot of abandoned vehicles up to their axles in water, take the hint. There’s a good chance you won’t make it either.

4. Even trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles, well known for the feeling of superiority and sense of security they give, can be swept away by moving water.

5. Even relatively low levels of water will damage some vehicles. If water is sucked into the engine air intake, which is often located at the front of the engine bay and can be especially low in some cars, it will cause serious damage. Catalytic converters, which work at high temperatures and are easily damaged by water (the cold water makes them crack) are also expensive to replace. Electrical components, and especially engine fuel systems and management systems, are particularly vulnerable to being splashed by even small amounts of water.

6. If you decide to take the risk and drive through a flood, provided it is completely safe to do so you should drive on the highest part of the road. If it is not possible to drive in the middle of the road, stay as far away as possible from the kerb, where the water is at its deepest.

7. Drive slowly and steadily; the bow wave you create at the front of the vehicle should be as small as possible.

8. Do not drive through a flood if there is another vehicle travelling from the opposite direction.

9. Drive through in first gear and keep the engine revs high. If necessary, slip the clutch slightly to increase engine speed. In a vehicle with an automatic gearbox, select the lowest gear and keep a steady pace. Do not back off the accelerator. Water in the exhaust can stall the engine.

10. Test your brakes as soon as you can after driving through any water. Make sure there’s no-one behind you, then press gently on the brake pedal to check that they work. If they don’t work properly, they can be dried by applying gentle pressure as you drive along. Left-foot braking is an acquired art, though, so be very cautious if you try this.

11. Driving at speed through low-level water can cause aquaplaning – the water prevents your tyres from gripping the road, and you lose control of the steering. If this happens, ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually.

12. If you drive too fast through low water and soak pedestrians and cyclists, the police could prosecute you for driving without reasonable consideration to other road users. This can result in a fine of £2,500 and between three and nine penalty points on your licence.

If you can avoid going out, do so. If you have to travel, consider taking sensible clothing and preparing for the worst, including food, drink, blankets and mobile phone. Sometimes driving skill alone simply isn’t enough to get you home safely.

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

The theory test is mandatory aspect of getting a driving license in the UK and must be passed before you can take the practical driving test. At the moment, the practical driving test MUST be taken and passed within two years of passing the theory test. The theory test is taken on a computer at one of your local DSA test centres and 43 out of 50 multiple choice questions must be answered correctly to pass the test.

For years, the DSA has published the test questions in learning materials allowing candidates to look, read and in some cases memorise the answers before the test. When I was taking my test, I did EXACTLY the same thing :0 ). But… from Monday 23rd January 2012, it’s all change.

The DSA are no longer publishing learning materials ‘to stop candidates from simply memorising theory test questions and answers and learning by rote’. There are still revision materials available and the DSA published new official driving theory books in September this year to help candidates to prepare for the amended test. Everything else stays the same, including the format of the test multiple choice with a hazard perception test, the time and marks given.

The new books contain:
- New sections of text for motorcyclists, a free e-book for car drivers and full references throughout to help candidates learn and revise.
- Questions and answers for revision, including practice for case studies.
- The official DSA explanations for every revision question, helping candidates fully understand the answer.

This marks a big change for the way people learn to drive. It adds yet another dimension to the process and personally think it’s becoming even harder for new drivers to become fully licensed.

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

Just a gentle reminder of how things can turn out when mistakes happen. Yesterday, news went out that 41 year old mother of three, by the name of Sue Duke was killed by her daughter Lauren Duke (17) whilst learning how to reverse park (21/07).

The accident itself happened outside there family home in Rochester on Wednesday (20/07), Kent. Sue was thought to have been guiding Lauren when the Ford KA, suddenly lurched backwards. Sue had been crushed between the ford KA and another parked car which lead to serious head injuries and severe bleeding.

For all of you that ARE learning to drive with your parents still, this is not deterrent for you not to do so, after all, you want to pass your driving practical tests. However, please be careful and be mindful of the pedals you have your feet on.

Now we know this tragedy happened practicing a manoevre, but please see a guide below on what do when planning on learning with parents or dependants:

Plan your route – Poor route planning could lead to the learner making critical mistakes and undue stress as the decisions on where to go have been made last minute. Know where you are going, how you are going to get there, and stick to it!
Take one step at a time – You may find yourself trying to prevent yourself from stalling, or hitting the kerb when reverse parking. Take one step, maybe you’re not ready for that particular aspectof the learning experience.
Talking Sense – Sometimes, your parent or dependant, may not be talking sense when teaching you. Ask them to be clear on what they are trying to say so neither of you don’t panic. Screaming at you will not help at all.
Speed – Be aware of the road signs and how fast you are going, approach all junctions at a steady speed and ask your parent / guardian for advice.

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

A fake driving instructor received a four month jail sentence after admitting fraud.

The 44 year old male from Dewsbury taught learners for cash despite not being qualified. He is thought to have taken around £9000 from pupils between 2007 and 2010.

Not only were learners duped into thinking he was a qualified instructor, but he did not hold the correct car insurance making what he offered a dangerous service.
The defendant said he knows what he has done is wrong but he just wanted to work, he apologises for what he did.

Peter King of Kingsdriving said: “Always look for a reputable company when taking driving lessons. Ideally a company should have a shop premise for their clients. This allows you to know who you are dealing with and what you are signing up for.”

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

Reading a Daily Mail article I see that Motorists over 60 could be forced to take regular driving tests under a ruling, which is expected to come into force in 2013.

However the European Commission has announced that it has no plans to enforce these additional measures to drivers within this age bracket in the UK.

The EU Directive on Driving Licenses which has already been approved gives member states the option of imposing tests every two years for motorists aged 60 plus and annually for those 76 and over.

In 2006, the Council of Ministers adopted this measure to create a single European driving licence to replacing the 110 different variations currently in existence throughout the EU with provisions taking effect in 2013.

But due to the cultural and ‘wide-divergences in infrastructure and vehicles’ it will be up to member states as to what new restrictions they will impose.

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

Young drivers could be facing changes to the way they drive on the road, should new legislation governing motorway and other road speed limits be introduced.

The British Government are proposing to raise the speed limit on motorways from 70 – 80 miles per hour. However, some rural road and single-carriageway speeds could be reduced in an attempt to reduce the number of traffic accidents.

Back in 2009 the Department for Transport voiced their concerns at the number of injuries and deaths on the road, stating that “the high casualty figures suggest therefore that speed limits are not at the appropriate limit on some of these roads.”

Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary, has indicated that the Government are ready to increase the motorway’s speed limit as long as it is in the best economic interest of the UK.

Mr Hammond has begun an investigation to look into the cost benefits of speed limits, looking at a wide range of road related issues, not only safety. Mr Hammond dryly observed that if they were to solely look at safety alone then there would be “10 mph limits everywhere.”

He went on to add:

“We need to look at the value of safety benefits and the cost in terms of additional journey time. It is a bit of a no-brainer that is how it should be done.”

In spite of this proposed speed limit change the Liberal Democrat climate change minister, Chris Huhne, has suggested that an increase in speed limit could burn more fuel, effecting the environment and costing customers more in the long run.

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

Probably the most common approach to weighing up the total cost of a driver’s licence is to conduct a few enquiries with a range of driving schools, find the price of single lessons with each of those schools, and then opt for the driving school which provides the lowest priced tuition based on the price of their lessons. On a basic level this would seem to be a sound strategy. We normally take our driving lessons over a weekly time frame, so the custom is to appraise this cost as being a weekly charge, and assume the number of lessons required would be about the same with any provider. Although that would be a mistake.

Estimating the Full Cost of Learning To Drive
A less commonly used system is to approximate how many lessons you are likely to need, with a particular tutor, and evaluate the overall cost of getting a driver’s licence as opposed to simply comparing the individual prices of driving lessons. This second approach provides an altogether different emphasis to the first, and prioritises the excellence of your instructor’s teaching skills over the basic price of driving lessons. By using this method, you can approach a driving tutor not simply based upon the price tag on their particular lessons, but how many driving lessons you are likely to require with them. Along with whether those lessons will lead to a pass when you have your first driving test. Both of which are about quality of instruction. The reality that this particular strategy acknowledges is that not all driver training schools are equivalent. And not all driving instructors offer the same thing.

If you are looking for high quality driving lessons in St Albans or Harpenden area’s, then please visit my driving school website at www.kingsdriving.co.uk

You can bring your own interpreter for your practical driving test. They must be at least 16 years old. Your approved driving instructor can be your interpreter.
You will need to arrange your own interpreter and pay any fees that they charge.
Driving examiners are very experienced at dealing with candidates who speak little or no English.

You will need to arrange your own interpreter and pay any fees that they charge

The DVLA in conjunction with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) and the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) are reminding drivers that a new law to be rolled out in late Spring will mean that they must keep their vehicle insured unless they have notified the DVLA that is it is being kept off the road.

Information about the new law is being distributed with all V11 tax renewal forms from March in addition to the guidance and video available now on Directgov.

David Evans, DVLA’s corporate affairs director, said:

“We know that uninsured drivers are a menace on our roads and add around £30 to honest motorists’ premiums.

“It is vitally important that motorists understand the change and how it will impact on them. That is why we have added new information to Directgov which offers clear advice to help motorists understand the new rules.”

Neil Drane, MIB’s head of motor insurance database services said:

“The change in law is a stepping up of enforcement activity, so that not only those vehicles driven without insurance will be caught. Now the registered keeper must make sure that their vehicle is insured all the time. And if it is, then they need not be concerned. The DVLA and MID will be systematically checked, so that the levels of uninsured driving are reduced even further.”

Graeme Trudgill, BIBA’s head of corporate affairs said:

“Continuous Insurance Enforcement will help reduce the £500 million burden on innocent motorists caused by uninsured drivers, vehicle keepers should ensure they stay insured or SORN their vehicle if it is laid up, vehicle keepers can always check at askmid.com or speak to their insurance broker or company if they have any doubt.”

For more information go to direct.gov.uk/stayinsured.