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Learning To Drive Around The World.

Here's some interesting facts about learning to drive from around the world including, learners in Brazil being taught defensive driving techniques to avoid "Car-Jacking".

• In Finland, it takes a minimum of two years to obtain a full, unrestricted driving licence. Learners are subjected to skid-pan sessions and night-driving courses. Difficult as it is to compare driving tests, Finland is, anecdotally at least, considered to have a world-class standard of driving.

• Some states in the US can issue ‘driver's permits' to teen drivers as young as 14 and half; for example the Idaho Transportation Department requires the completion of a six-month ‘Graduated Driver's Licence' programme to anyone under 17 who has not been issued a full driver's licence, the terms of which include being accompanied by a supervising person who's at least 21.

• No country requires you to be over the age of 18 to obtain a driving licence, although some US states will not grant you a full, unrestricted licence until you are 21. Most US driver's licenses are valid for between four and five years.

• Driving tests in Japan are also conducted off-road, but on purpose built courses with simulated roads, rather than in a deserted car park.

• In Saudi Arabia, women are not permitted to hold driving licences.

• In some countries it is illegal to drive on a foreign licence. The punishment for doing so in Vietnam is a fine of 1000dong, or $9.50.

• Provisional licence holders in France are required to have completed a minimum of two years worth of training, covering no less than 3000km. They are also subjected to reduced speed-limits (110kph rather than 130 on the Autoroutes, for example.).

• In many countries, new drivers are required by law to pass a medical, and must have had their eyes examined by an approved practitioner (In UK, the instructor will informally ask you immediately before the examination to read a number-plate from a distance of 20 metres).

• Until recently, India's driving test consisted of driving forwards through a pair of cones, and then reversing straight back through said cones. Some regions substituted cones for painted lines on the tarmac, as they were getting through too many (today, India's driving test is more conventional).

• Only recently has Nigeria made taking a driving test compulsory. Previously, licences could be obtained for a fee of $30.

• In the Philippines, a full-licence is called a ‘Professional Licence'.

• Australia's Northern Territory limits learners to 80kph - less than 50mph - in all instances.

• Restricted Licence holders in New Zealand are allowed to drive unsupervised between the hours of 5:00am and 10:00pm, and carry only specific passengers like their spouse or parents.

• A Norwegian ‘S' licence permits its holder to drive snowmobiles specifically.

• The waiting time for a driving test in some large South African cities is more than four months.

• Some countries require drivers to study first-aid. The Swiss must complete a first-aid course before they're able to apply for a provisional licence.

• In Russia (incidentally, one of the very first countries to adopt the driving licence), drivers must possess a ‘certificate of mental fitness' and not have a history of substance abuse. Similarly, in Brazil, drivers have to pass a psychological exam before obtaining a licence.

• As car-jacking is so prevalent in Brazil, learners are taught defensive driving techniques. Like the UK, Brazil uses a points-based system. Offences are separated into categories, earning the driver anywhere between three and seven points. If a driver accumulates more than 20 points in the space of a year, they are disqualified for between one and 24 months.

For straight forward advice on learning to drive in the Reading area give MSM Driving School a call on 01189612055 or drop us an email at info@msm-online.co.uk

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Young drivers should have restricted use of roads to reduce accidents and bring down insurance premiums. Age reduced to 16 and a half and a year on L-plates. 

New drivers should spend at least a year learning to drive before they are allowed to take their test, insurers proposed today. Young drivers should not be able to use their cars at night, have a lower drink-drive limit and should have restrictions on the number of passengers they carry, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said.

The minimum 12-month learning period would enable young drivers to gain more supervised practice, and reduce the number of accidents involving young people. It was also proposed that the age at which young people can start learning to drive should be lowered to 16 and a half, rather than the current 17.

The Association of British Insurers also called for graduated driver licensing. This would include restrictions on the number of young passengers that can be carried by drivers in the first six months after passing their driving test.

It would include, during the first six months, restrictions (with some exemptions) on young drivers driving between 11:00pm at night and 4:00am. This proposal is already in place in countries such as Canada, which has a lower level of accidents involving young people.

During the graduated phase, there would be a lower blood alcohol driving limit. This would, in effect, be a zero limit.

The Association of British Insurers said that in the UK only one in eight driving licence holders was aged 25 or under, yet a third of those killed on the roads was aged under 25 years old.

It added that an 18 year old driver was more than three times as likely to be involved in a crash as a 48 year old driver.

In addition, 27% of motor personal injury insurance claims over £500,000 result from a crash involving a driver aged 17-24 years old.

Association of British Insurers director general Otto Thoresen said today: "Radical action is needed to reduce the tragic waste of young lives on our roads, especially among the 17-24 age group.”

"A car is potentially a lethal weapon, and we must do more to help young drivers better deal with the dangers of driving. Improving the safety of young drivers will also mean that they will face lower motor insurance costs.

"We have all side-stepped this issue for too long. Northern Ireland is introducing reforms, and politicians in Westminster should follow their lead in introducing meaningful reform to help today's young drivers become tomorrow's safer motorists."

The proposals have been met with positive reaction.

Nigel Bartram, senior motor underwriter at Aviva, said: "We believe there should be a minimum 12-month learning period as well as a lower provisional licence age of 16 and a half, both of which would allow young drivers to gain more driving experience before taking their test. We would also like to see a ban on so-called ‘crash learning courses’ which leave drivers ill-equipped to cope with the rigours of driving on today’s roads."

Andy Goldby, at Direct Line, said: “Direct Line fully supports any measures that increase the learning of young drivers and gives them more time to gain real experience on the road. However, we believe these need to be balanced, ensuring any new restrictions are both practical and easy to enforce. The implementation of a Graduated Licensing Scheme would make a real difference to the driving behaviour and habits of young people and more importantly, reduce catastrophic accidents and save lives.”

For Driving Lessons in Reading contact MSM Driving School visit www.facebook.com/DrivingLessonsReading or www.msm-online.co.uk

Report from The Daily Telegraph 4^th Oct 2012

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Driving Eyesight Requirements.

Before you start to learn to drive, make sure you know the eyesight requirements. If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses to meet the requirements, you must wear them every time you drive.

If you have an eyesight condition.

When you apply for your driving licence, you must tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if you have any visual condition which affects...

- Both eyes - not including short or long sight or colour blindness
- Your sight - not including short or long sight or colour blindness - for example, if you have sight in one eye only

If you have had sight correction surgery.

If you have had sight correction surgery you should declare this when you apply for your provisional licence.

The practical driving test eyesight test.

 
At the start of the practical driving test, your driving examiner will ask you to read the number plate on a parked vehicle. You get up to three chances to get it right.

You'll have to read the number plate from a distance of...

- 20 metres for vehicles with a new-style number plate (cars registered after September 2001).
- 20.5 metres for vehicles with an old-style number plate (cars registered before September 2001).

If you can't read the first number plate correctly, you'll be asked to read a second number plate.

If you can't read the second number plate correctly, the examiner will measure the distance to a third number plate. This is your final chance to read a number plate correctly.

If you can't read the third number plate, the examiner will be satisfied that you don't meet the required eyesight standard. This will result in your driving test not continuing and you failing your driving test.
The examiner will then ask you to sign a form stating you were unable to comply with the eyesight requirements. The DVLA will be told that you did not meet the eyesight requirements and your licence will be revoked.

Wearing glasses or contact lenses while driving.

If you wear glasses or contact lenses for the eyesight test, the law requires that you wear them whenever you are driving. This includes during your driving test.

Wearing glasses or contact lenses during your test.

You are not allowed to remove your glasses or contact lenses when carrying out test manoeuvres (reversing and so on). If you wear glasses or contact lenses to read the number plate and remove them during the test, you'll be reminded you must wear them. If you refuse to wear them, the test will not continue.

If you don't bring your glasses to your test.

If you have broken, forgotten or brought the wrong glasses, tell your examiner at the start of the test. If you don't tell the examiner and you attempt and fail the eyesight test, your test will be recorded as a failure. The rest of the test will not go ahead.

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Who Needs To Wear A Seat Belt?

You must wear a seat belt if one is fitted in the seat you’re using. But you need to wear your seat belt correctly for it to work properly in a crash. Find out when you must wear a seat belt and how it should be worn.

You’re twice as likely to die in a crash if you don’t wear a seat belt

You must wear a seat belt if one is fitted in any seat in any vehicle. There are few exceptions.
When you’re driving, you must only carry one person in each seat fitted with a seat belt. Anyone travelling in the vehicle aged 14 years and above is responsible for wearing their seat belt.
Children must use the correct car seat for their weight until they reach 135 centimetres tall or their 12th birthday, whichever comes first.

When you don't need to wear a seat belt?

You don't need to wear a seat belt if you're...

- A driver who is reversing, or supervising a learner driver who is reversing
- In a vehicle being used for police, fire and rescue services
- A passenger in a trade vehicle and you're investigating a fault
- Driving a goods vehicle on deliveries that is travelling no more than 50 metres between stops
- A licensed taxi driver who is 'plying for hire' or carrying passengers

Medical exemptions from wearing a seat belt.

Your doctor may decide that you may be exempted from wearing a seat belt on medical grounds. If so, they will issue a 'Certificate of Exemption from Compulsory Seat Belt Wearing', which you must keep in your vehicle and it show to the police if you're stopped.You’ll also need to tell your car insurer that you're travelling without a seat belt.

For more information about medical exemptions, contact your doctor.

Wearing your seat belt correctly.

A seat belt won't work properly in a crash if it’s put around two people, as they would be crushed together, resulting in serious injuries

To protect you in a crash, your seat belt needs to be adjusted so that...

- It sits as close to your body as possible, without any slack or twisting in the straps
- The shoulder belt lies across your chest and over your shoulder, away from your neck
- The lap belt goes as low as possible from hip bone to hip bone - not across your stomach

If your seat belt is uncomfortable, check the vehicle manufacturer's advice about how to adjust it. Don't use padding, cushions or mats.

Using seat belts with frontal airbags

Airbags are designed to be used with seat belts, but in a crash they can cause an injury if you're sitting too close. You should...

- Allow at least a 25-centimetre gap between your breastbone and the dashboard or centre of the steering wheel

- Only use a rear-facing child car seat on a seat with a frontal airbag if the airbag has been deactivated

Dont forget to adjust your head rest when adjusting your seat belt.

Make sure you also adjust the head rests in the front and back seats to prevent a whiplash injury in a crash. The top of the head rest should be level with the top of your ears and as close as possible to your head.

Wearing a seat belt while pregnant.

In an accident, a seat belt reduces the risk of injury to your unborn child by up to 70 per cent

You must wear a seat belt if you're pregnant, unless your doctor certifies that you're exempt on medical grounds.

You’ll need to take extra care adjusting your seat belt. You'll be safer and more comfortable if you wear the...

- Diagonal strap between your breasts, moving it around the side of your bump
- Lap strap as low as possible across your hips and under your bump – if it goes over your belly button, it's too high.

If you’re driving and need to make room for your bump, don’t put your seat where you can’t reach the clutch, brake and accelerator. This could affect your reaction times when driving. Check your mirrors are still in the right place as you move the seat.

Wearing a seat belt if you're disabled.

You must wear a seat belt if you’re a disabled driver or passenger, unless you’re exempt on medical grounds. You may need a specially adapted belt.

If your vehicle has no seat belts.

You can't carry any children under three years old in vehicles without seatbelts, like classic cars. If you're travelling with children over three years old, they must only sit in the back seats.


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How Replace Your UK Driving Licence

If your UK driving licence has been lost, stolen, defaced or destroyed here is the information you need to get a replacement. 

It is your responsibility to replace your driving licence if it has been lost, stolen, defaced or destroyed. You can do this online, by telephone or by post.

The DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) aim to get your new licence out to you within 3 weeks (21 days) of receiving your application.

For more information visit the DVLA website.

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