Highway Code

First aid kit for drivers and how to help at an accident scene

First Aid kit

It might not just be bent metal at the scene of a road crash

Either having or witnessing a road crash is most people’s worst nightmare. But as bystanders there is plenty we can do if we’re involved in, or come across, a road crash. According to the Red Cross, around half the deaths from road accidents occur before the emergency services arrive. But the vast majority of those fatalities could be prevented if first aid is administered in that time.

Carry a first aid kit

Road safety experts urge drivers to carry a first aid kit. And although these can be vital in an emergency, they’re also pretty handy to have in the car, just in case of the unexpected. After all, you never know when your child is going to fall over and scrape their knee or you’re going cut your finger changing a wheel. Continue reading →

James Foxall 2 Comments

Quiz: Test how well you know the Highway Code

The cover of the first edition of the Highway Code, introduced in 1931

It’s one of the few books that never leaves the bestseller list, but ever since the Highway Code was first published, in 1931, few readers would admit to finding it a gripping page-turner.

However, the Highway Code has contributed to saving thousands of lives over the years. When launched, there were just 2.3 million cars on Britain’s roads, yet more than 7000 people were killed in road accidents each year. Today, there are more than 27 million cars on UK roads, but there are fewer than 2000 fatalities.

The driving standards book originally had just 24 pages of guidelines, with a single paragraph on how pedestrians should cross a road. Today, a whole chapter is dedicated to educating both pedestrians and drivers on safely reaching the other side of the road.

It also goes on to cover areas of digital technology, such as smartphones, which increasingly fight for a driver’s attention when they’re at the wheel.

To see how well you know the latest rules and regulations of the road, take this snapshot quiz and test your knowledge of the Highway Code. Continue reading →

James Mills 21 Comments

Quiz: See how many of these British road signs you can identify

Quiz: Can you identify all of these British road signs?

Our proud nation produces more than its fair share of proud drivers: car owners who like to think they’re handy behind the wheel and know it all when it comes to the rules of the road. But how many of us really know the true meaning of the huge number of British road signs that we have to identify to stay safe?

After all, it may be decades since you took your driving test, and years since you last looked at the Highway Code.

So why not step up to the challenge and try identifying these 10 common British road signs?

Continue reading →

James Mills 4 Comments

Driving in snow: How to prepare and stay safe

Driving in snow

Snow can make for the most hazardous driving conditions (Picture © Renault)

Driving in snow presents car owners with one of their biggest challenges at the wheel. And with an arctic blast prompting forecasters to predict snow for the rest of the week, and some reports suggesting we’ve got a month of icy weather to look forward to, it’s time to be prepared for driving on slippery surfaces.

Research by tyre maker Goodyear showed that less than half of drivers, 48 per cent, ready their car for freezing conditions. Here are some simple steps to prepare for and then actually drive in snow.  Continue reading →

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Driving in fog: all you need to know

Driving in fog

Fog can cause drivers big problems. (Picture © IAM)

Being on the road in the winter can mean driving in fog which is responsible for some of the most treacherous conditions car owners face. Hardly surprising that it’s believed a large number of crashes every year are caused by poor visibility. In 2013, 60 drivers were injured (35 of them hospitalised) when 130 vehicles were involved in a series of accidents in heavy fog on the Sheppey Crossing in Kent. Here’s all you need to know about driving in fog and the steps you can take to avoid something similar happening to you.  Continue reading →

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