Good. But what about driving it? Are you a good driver? Do you have a valid license to drive it? All those who drive cars have a license and they had got it after they passed a driving test.

Well, let not the word ‘test’ make you a nervous chicken. You are best judge of you when it came to your driving skills. You will be the best person to know how many driving lessons can take you through the test and what kind of driving course you can afford. Because driving course comes with a price and when it came to Liverpool, driving lessons are expensive here.

• Your ability to learn driving
• Lessons you are willing to take in a week
• Of course the expertise of the Liverpool driving lessons instructor
• How much you are motivated and the confidence you have to learn
• Finally, your financial soundness

There are many Liverpool driving lessons courses available that are designed to fit everyone’s purse and fit all levels of learners from low-intensity slow driving lessons to that short and fast-track intensive driving course lasting from few weeks to spread across a month, there are many options for you to pick.

If you want to learn to drive quickly, perhaps just for passing the driving test, you still have the fastpass driving course where the driving lessons are tailored to help you pass the test. A few of the Liverpool driving lessons companies even offer a guarantee on passing the driving test- that should you fail the driving test, they will pay for your next driving test.

Driving lessons from such instructors are worth the investment should you be determined, made for 10 hours to 20 hours you can pick the one that suits your requirements as well as budget that apparently will end with the driving test. In fact it makes a lot of sense to select the intensive coaching that guarantees driving test coaching works best for anyone who wants to pass the test.

With all being said, the key to pass the driving test is taking professional driving lessons and also the driving course that has reputation.

Imagine your car is in a bubble. Try and drive the bubble around rather than the car. You have 2 options. As you approach a problem,ask yourself "can I move my space?" If you can, then option 1 would be move your space to a safer position by moving out further to pass the obstruction. If you can't move the space, maybe there is approaching traffic, then option 2 would apply, this is reduce your speed. If you can keep other drivers out of the spaces I have just mentioned, then in theory, you will NEVER have an accident. So how do we do it?

The 2 second rule is used to maintain a safety space to the car in front. As the vehicle in front passes a fixed point we say "only a fool breaks the 2 second rule" or I prefer to count "one thousand and one, one thousand and two" and so on. We should be able to say that before we pass the same fixed point, otherwise we are too close & should drop back. The same applies if someone overtakes and then pulls in front of you, open up a 2 second gap by easing off the gas. This rule applies in good, dry conditions. In wet weather the gap should be doubled (4secs.) and in snow or ice it could take you up to ten times to stop (20 secs).

When passing obstructions, you should leave at least 1 metre or 2 metres in the case of a cyclist. It is true to say that we could proceed through tighter spaces, but as we have reduced the space to say, 0.5m, then we should reduce our speed to compensate for the reduction in space. "Can I move my space?" "No" "Then slow down". Always being prepared to stop.

Finally we have the space to the rear. Some people think a driver has no control over this, but in actual fact we do. We should have 2 secs to the front & 2 secs to the rear. This comes to a total of 4 secs when added together. If a tailgater is following at 1 sec interval, then we gently drop back from the vehicle in front, to 3 secs. We should have a total of 4 secs. If the following driver then decides to overtake, he then has a bigger space in which to return. You can then open up a 2 sec space & now that he is in front, he is a far less danger to you. What about the argument "If we keep dropping back every time someone takes our space in front, we would never get anywhere" If you where taking a six hour journey & this happened 20 times (even this is unlikely), it would only add approx 4 mins to your journey time. Now, after six hours what could you do with that extra 4 mins? Is it really worth sacrificing safety for the sake of 4 mins? I think most people would say No!!

Happy motoring for 2010 & be safe.

Imagine this situation.

You passed your driving test. It is a year or so since you said goodbye to driving lessons. You have had a couple of scary moments: Those moments when you took a bend a little too fast, or missed a red light.

These are the signs that bad driving habits are creeping in. You have three choices. Carry on as you are and hope that you buck your ideas up. What are you going to do if more bad habits creep in to your driving?

Go back to your driving school and ask the driving instructor for a refresher lesson. A good idea and it will fix the bad habits - for now.

Take a course in advanced driving. This is the best option. It will change the way you drive and could cut your insurance.

What is advanced driving?

Advanced driving is the skill of seeing the problems on the road and choosing the correct position speed and gear to deal with them.

Advanced drivers are constantly aware of what is going on around them and react early to problems.

There are three main dvanced driver organisations in the UK.

Diamond, which is run by the Driving Instructor Association. They will train qualified drivers to a standard which means you could pass your driving test with less than six faults. This is the standard that all driving instructors are expected to reach.

The Institute of Advance Motorists. They train their members in the police advanced driver training system. It is a pass or fail course. The certificate is valid for life.

ROSPA. They are also known as RODAR. ROSPA also use the police advanced driving skills. The certificates are graded bronze silver and gold. Gold is roughly the standard a police officer would reach before starting blue light training. A gold certificate is valid for three years.

Why take an advanced driving course?

To Enjoy Your Driving Driving will become a pleasure. You will see and deal with hazards early. This will reduce your stress levels.

Confidence It turns nervous drivers into good drivers.

To Reduce Your Crash Risk Learn how to be in the right place at the right time.

To Improve Your Fuel Consumption A good driving style could save you a months fuel a year

To Ensure Less Wear and Tear on Your Vehicle Good drivers might never need to change their clutch. Bad drivers end up changing it every few thousand miles

To Lower Your Insurance Premiums 'Nuff said

The advance driving routine

When you were learning to drive your driving instructor taught you the MSPSL driving routine. Every driving school teaches this routine to learners.

MSPSL is a good routine if applied correctly. However, most people leave the looking until the last second. They stop when they don't need to stop and go when they should stop.

The advance driver routine avoids this.

Advanced drivers use the information-position-speed-gear-acceleration routine. This is called ISPGA.

You should constantly gather information about the road around you as you drive along. You need to be aware of everything that is around you. This includes to the sides and behind you. So don't forget to use your mirrors.

Once you see a hazard start to select a safe position. A safe position balances the hazard with traffic flow and vision. As you get closer choose a good speed for that hazard, then select the correct gear for that speed. Increase your speed to the correct speed for the road as you clear the hazard.

The information phase of the routine wraps around all the other phases. You might choose third for a roundabout and then see a car approaching at speed. This will change your choice of speed and gear.

The DSA introduced the Theory Test in the 1990's. The intention was to make all learner drivers acquire the same basic level of knowledge about driving. It also brought us into line with the rest of the EU. Most of the members of the EU at the time had a theory element to their driving tests.

Since its introduction, the Theory Test has gone through a number of changes. They added the hazard perception test. Now you use a touch screen computer to take the test. The number of questions has increased.

Learning Styles

We need to look at how you learn before we can discuss different ways of preparing for your theory test. You should prepare for the test in a way that best suits you.

Each of us learns in a different way. This is our learning style. There are three main learning styles: Auditory, Visual and Kinaesthetic. Most people are a mix of two or three styles - say kinaesthetic with a bit of visual.

Here are some questions to help you decide your learning style.

Do you remember the plots of films and TV programmes? If someone shows you how to do something, do you remember what they did? Then you are a visual learner.

Do you remember songs and conversations? Do you learn better when some one you through the task? You are an auditory learner.

Do you remember things once you have had a go at them? Then you are a kinaesthetic learner.

Your reasons for learning affect your learning style. Are you learning just to pass the test? Are you learning so you can be a better driver?

Preparing for your theory test

There are a number of ways to prepare for your theory test. You should choose the mix that best suits your learning style and motivation.

Rote learning aids

The DSA in its wisdom decided that they had to publish the theory test questions and answers. This makes it the only public examination where you know the answers before you sit the test.

As a result, you can learn the answers off by heart. This is learning by rote. If you want to learn by rote, there are a number of CD ROMs and websites available. Make sure that the CD ROMs or website is using the current question bank.

Active Learning aids

These learning aids actually help you to understand the Theory of Driving. People who use active learning aids tend understand the theory of driving. Those who learn by rote can struggle to apply the theory of driving to real driving.

There are three good quality active learning aids.

The CD Rom by GSP is the best active learning CD Rom. GSP are part of Learning Driver Centres.

The BTEC in Driving Skills takes you from core knowledge to the toughest mock theory tests around.

The BTEC in Driving Science also has an active learning programme

Preparing for the hazard perception

Stage one - Your driving instructor may be able to spend a couple of lessons on hazard awarness.

Stage two - Practice spotting the hazards every time you are in the front seat of a car.

Stage three - Find a free hazard perception website and practice the test no more than three times

Booking your theory test

The DSA prefer you to book your theory test online. You can go to the DSA website or through Direct.gov. They will take you to the booking service. Just follow the instructions on the booking service website.

Be warned - at certain times of year the online theory test booking service can be very slow. You can ring the DSA and book the theory test over the phone. You will be on the phone for a long time though.

When you book your theory test, make sure that you tell them if you have any special needs. You might need a reader because you struggle with reading.

The day of the test

Arrive at the test centre five minutes early.

Make sure that you have your confirmation letter from the DSA and both parts of your driving licence. You will not take your test if you do not have these documents.

If you are late arriving for your test, you will not take it. They have too many people taking the test to wait for you.

The test.

The theory test is in two parts.

The first part is the actual theory test. You must answer 43 out of 50 multiple-choice questions correctly. You answer them by touching the appropriate answer on the screen. Try reading the question with each of the available answers. That usually makes it clear which is the correct answer.

After the theory test, you face the hazard perception test.

This is 14 short films shot from a car as it was driven about. 13 of these films have one scoring hazard. One film has two scoring hazard.

You should click your mouse when you see the scoring hazard. You can score up to five points for each hazard. If you score more than 44 you will pass.

The problem is that the films contain more than one hazard - which one is the scoring hazard. You cannot fail if you click the wrong hazard. You can fail if you click all the time or with a rhythm.

Give a little commentary in your head as you are watching the films. Say what you see happening on the screen. Every time you mention a hazard click. Click when you see the hazard and click every time it changes.

The end of the Theory test

After the hazard perception, the DSA may ask you to complete a survey. It is up to you if you do the survey. When you are done, go back to the receptionist and collect the result.

Don't expect to come back from your first lesson ready for your test. Do expect to come back from it stressed, confused and slightly hyper.

Things to do before your first driving lesson.

Read up on car controls, moving off and stopping and left turns. There are plenty of good books. You could use one of the two BTECs in learning to drive.

Make sure you know where both parts of your driving licence are. Your driving instructor will need to see both parts.

Make sure you have the money to pay for the lesson. Most driving instructors will say no money no lesson.

Find comfortable shoes with a thin sole and a little grip. It will help you feel the pedals If you wear glasses make sure that they are clean

The start of the lesson

When your instructor arrives, they will introduce themselves and ask to see your driving licence. They are checking your entitlement to drive. You can expect them to check your eye site. They might ask you to read the number plate of a car.

Check the front windscreen as you get in the car. Real driving instructors will have their badge in the front window. Ask to see their badge if it is not on display. If they cannot show you their badge, they are not a real driving instructor. You should cancel the lesson and tell the DSA.

Once you are in the car your driving instructor will need to ask you three questions. Can they have the money for the lesson? This gets you in the habit of having the money. Do you want the lesson to finish back here? You might want to finish at a friends house. Your instructor needs to know so they can plan the drive. Is this time slot going to be Ok for you? They need to plan their workload and keep the space open.

Your instructor will probably drive you to an area where the roads are nice and quiet. It makes the first lesson a lot easier if the roads are quiet.

The lesson

You have arrived at the place where you will start to learn to drive.

Your driving instructor will ask you sit in the driver's seat. That is all they want you to do. You are about to learn how to set the car up for your use.

The instructor will teach you how to check the doors, seat, steering wheel, seat belt and mirrors. Get into the habit of checking these every time you get into the car.

Once the car is set up for your use the driving instructor needs to explain what each of the car controls do. Some driving instructors may do this as they drive you to the safe area. It is essential that you listen to this part of the lesson.

Make sure that you understand how to use the steering wheel, brake, clutch, gas, signals and parking brake.

Once your driving instructor has explained how to use the car controls they will explain the commands they will give. These are the instructions they will use when you are driving. Cover the... foot over the pedal. More - press it down, less - let it come up.

Its now time to get the car moving. Have fun

RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) has launched a factsheet for safe winter driving which is on their website, and it discusses subjects such as car conditions, accessories and weather issues which drivers are advised to plan especially for longer journeys.

Kevin Clinton, who is the RoSPA head of road safety, said that safer winter driving is about being well prepared. Firstly you need to ensure that you and your vehicle are in a good state to drive and that you have planned your journey in detail.

Some of RoSPA's advice includes:

* Check that the lights are working and clean
* Ensure the windscreen and windows are clean and that the water bottle is filled up with screen wash in the correct concentration
* Carry a functioning torch in the car, in addition to de-icing equipment and a first aid kit
* Be aware of the possibility of being stuck in snow. Pack a blanket, pair of boots, high-visibility jacket, and a mobile phone for emergency use

If conditions are especially bad you should avoid travelling altogether. If you really must travel in ice or snow then do everything extra gently. Give extra distance to other drivers in all directions.

Remember that the winter sun is low and combined with a dry windscreen can be extremely hazardous. Peter Rodger who is the Chief Examiner for the Institute of Advanced Motorists pointed out that we have this low sun in the mornings and later afternoon. UK winter weather can mean wet and dirty roads which mean even more dirt on the other side of windscreens.

On top of this you could have your heater on demist, and the combination of blowing traffic fumes, suspended smoke and oil on the inside of the screen can quickly build up to a film of grime, a major cause of glare. He advises a minimum of a weekly clean but weather dependent more may be better.

Use glass cleaner or water to clean it thoroughly inside and out and dry with paper or leather. Apart from this change the windscreen wipers once a year. Make sure your washer bottles are topped up with a good quality screen wash. Always keep a good pair of sun glasses with you in the car it is a great help.

It is a good idea to do a checklist of the various items mentioned in this article and store them in your car so that you will not be caught out. Sometimes we have to take a trip that was not planned and for safety it is best to know you are fully equipped, in the same way as you need to be 100% sure that you have up to date motor fleet insurance or car insurance.

How do I avoid disaster in the kitchen? My guess is you follow a recipe.

What happens if you leave something out? My guess is disaster.

What happens if you use all the ingredients but in a different order? Chances are you may get away with it, but it won't taste quite right.

How does this compare to driving? I hear you ask. Well, driving does have its own special recipe. If you follow it to the letter, you can avoid disaster. If you miss something out you run the great risk of an accident and if you follow it, but in a mixed up way, well, at best you could get away with it but still at the risk of an accident.

The driving recipe is as simple as six letters, MIRRORS, SIGNAL, POSITION, SPEED, GEAR, ACCELERATE.

So how is this implemented?

As you approach a hazard (the earlier you see it the better), Then check

MIRRORS, what is happening behind? Is the driver behind too close? Are he /she about to overtake? Take the appropriate action e.g. if they are following too close, show your brake lights early, so they know you are slowing down.

SIGNAL - Tell them what you are going to do. Indicator for turning or pulling up, brake lights for slowing or stopping etc. Timing is important, too early can confuse, and too late leaves less reaction time.

POSITION - Take up the appropriate position early, i.e. Left for left, right for right, but be guided by signs, road markings or even local knowledge.

SPEED - Adjust your speed to fit in with the traffic situation e.g. at a roundabout plan to stop, but look for a gap to go, so slow down enough that you can drive into a space, but you can also stop easily if the traffic is heavy. Joining a motorway, you may even have to speed up to blend in easily.

GEAR - When you have lost all unwanted speed, select the gear for your speed. This will also be the gear that will let you deal with the hazard. You should be aiming for one gear change per hazard.

ACCELERATE - Once you safely negotiate the hazard, and then accelerate away, leaving the danger behind.

Ideally, if you get this right, you should be in the correct road position at the correct speed and in the correct gear. This can be quite difficult to achieve all the time, but if you get all of these right, then there really is not a lot that you can do wrong. It does take practise, but talk yourself through each stage in turn. You may not have to do everything, but at the very least, everything has to be considered.

The driving recipe simplified is: - M S P S G A

Give it a try and after a little practise things should seem easier. You will be safer and you might even enjoy driving more than ever.

Safe driving in 2010.

Most driving schools do teach this early in your training.

Yo will start on wide quiet roads. They will talk to you about the manoeuvre and talk to you as you try it out for the first few times.

After a couple of driving lesson you will find that you can do the turn in the road quiet easily. Your driving instructor will take you to narrower roads, roads with cars about. They will ask you to turn the car around on roads with a steep camber. The camber is the way the road slopes to the kerb.

The secrets to the Turn in the Road

Look where you are going. As you reverse the car look over your left shoulder until the car starts to point the other way. Look for the kerb by looking over your right shoulder.

Do not use the mirrors - they will not give the true picture.

Use your clutch and brake for this exercise. Small foot movements will give the best control.

Start the manoeuvre from a parked position and make full use of the kern

Why do I need to know this?

Imagine that you have taken the wrong turning. You need to go back the way you came. You cannot drive around the block and there are no roundabouts. The turn in the road is usually the safest way of turning the car round.

It used to be called the three point turn. The examiners are not worried about the number of points in the turn, as long as it right for the road.

How do I do this?

Before you start

Is it safe to do the manoeuvre here?

Is it legal to do the manoeuvre here?

Is it going to affect other road users if you do the manoeuvre here?

Is the turn possible?

Step 1

Start with the car in the normal parking position.

Prepare the car to move off as you normally would. Check all around you.

Left shoulder - each mirror - right shoulder. Move off very slowly.

Steer right fast. Stop just before you hit the kerb.

Just before you stop flick the wheel to the left.

Handbrake

Step 2

Prepare the car into reverse.

Look left and right

Look over your left shoulder - out of the back window.

Move off very slowly.

Steer left fast.

As the car starts to point to the right look over your right shoulder and look for the kerb.

Stop before you hit the kern.

Before you stop flick the wheel to the right.

Handbrake

Step 3

Prepare the car into first gear.

Look left and right.

Drive off slowly steering rapidly to the right.

When you are in your normal road position check your mirrors and build up speed.

Points to note

It is not a three point turn. Three is the minimum number of points that this manoeuvre takes.

If another car turns up complete the step that you are on and wait for them to decide.

What are the examiners looking for?

The examiner will tell you what they are looking for. The list includes:

Make full use of the road;

Keep the car under control;

Not hit the kerb;

Take account of other road users;

Not take too long over the turn in the road

A lot of driving schools will take a driving lesson to look at pedestrian crossings. They are included on nearly every driving test route in the UK.

There are several types of pedestrian crossings. You have Pelican, Puffin, Toucan, Pegasus, and courtesy crossings.

This article gives out a method of handling them safely

You need to know the types to identify the hazards. When driving it will be a light controlled crossing or a zebra crossing? As you get closer, you will be able to see which type of crossing it is. How many pedestrians are close to the crossing? What can you see?

Zebra or uncontrolled crossing

These are identified by the black and white markings on the road and the Belisha beacons. The beacons are orange balls on a black and white pole. See the hazard. It is a zebra so no lights to tell you what to do.

Assess the hazard.

Any pedestrians at or near the crossing.

Mirrors.

Speed.

Stop for anyone who is, or about to, use a crossing.

Be cautious if there is no one about. They just might appear.

Carry on when the last person has one foot on their new footpath.

Light Controlled Crossings

Pelican Crossings.

Look at the yellow box. Any lights showing. If there are then the button has been pressed. You might see a yellow light. The newer crossings will have two read lights showing on the yellow box. The lights warn you that someone is has pressed the button to cross.

Any one near the crossing, then expect to stop.

Puffin.

These have a sensor on the crossing. They will keep the lights on read until the pedestrian is clear of the crossing.

Look for two red lights on the control box. It is a warning that the button to cross has been pressed.

Toucan crossings.

A Toucan crossing lets cyclists and pedestrians cross at the same place. Expect cyclists to zoom across. That is what a Toucan is for. You might see two sets of control boxes at a Toucan crossing. The rear one is for cyclists.

Pegasus crossings.

These have a second control box set back from the road and several feet from the floor. The box is set for horse and riders

Routine

See the crossing.

What warnings am I going to get?

Look for people near or walking towards the crossing.

Assess the crossing.

Any body near it?

Am I likely to need to stop?

Can I see both sides of the crossing?

Can I see my clues?

Mirrors Speed.

Ready to stop but prepared to go

Look.

Have the lights moved to amber from green? Anybody towards the zebra crossing? If so, get ready to stop.

Action. Drive on if it is safe to do so. Stop if someone is using the crossing and wait for them to get clear.

When the light moves from red to amber, or flashing amber, you may drive on if nobody is using the crossing.

Courtesy Crossing

A lot of councils have introduced courtesy crossings. You will find them on busy roads with a lot of pedestrians. Places where pedestrians tend to step out without looking. The idea was to encourage pedestrians to cross at safer places.

Courtesy Crossings are marked by different coloured stones across the road or some white lines. They have no legal position. This does not mean that you can ignore pedestrians crossing the road. Once the pedestrian starts to cross you must stop. If someone is waiting to cross and it is safe to stop the stop.

Pedestrians

A word of warning.

Pedestrians cross the road where ever they like. They will run out without warning. They will cross the road feet from a crossing. Once a pedestrian is on the road they have right of way. You must stop.

You will see a small ball at the top of the gear stick. The gear stick is designed so that you only need to guide the stick onto place. If you have the palm of your hand facing, where you want the gear stick to go - it will go there.

You will see the numbers 1 to 5 and the letter R on the ball of the gear stick. These are the gears. First gear gives a lot of power and little speed. Fifth gear gives a lot of speed and little power. The gears are set out in an H pattern. The Reverse is the R to one side. This H tells you where to aim the gear stick to choose that gear.

How to Change Gears

Clutch down and off gas at the same time Hand on gear stick Move the stick into the new gear Hand on steering wheel More gas less clutch

When to change gear

Set off in first gear. Into second as soon as you can. If the car sounds fast and high-pitched, use a higher gear. Use a lower gear if the car is struggling. Ask your driving instructor for the speed ranges for each gear.

You may need a lower gear going up or down hill

Try block gear changing. This is missing out gears to make the car work more efficiently. You know you will have to stop at the lights - so slow down into gear and change straight to first just before you stop.

Using the Clutch

The clutch is the pedal on the left. You operate it with your left foot. It operates two plates in the gearbox. These plates join the power and drive parts of the engine together. When you press the pedal down, the clutch plates move apart allowing you to change gear.

The Clutch allows you to change gear

It allows you to control the speed of the car. This is useful when travelling in slow moving traffic or in manoeuvres. Ask your instructor to let you try moving and stopping the car using the clutch.

It helps you move off when you are on a steep hill.

Which gear do I use?

There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Each gear covers a range of speeds. Older cars have a narrower range. That is why older drivers will tell you that third covers twenty to thirty. You might need the gears to help older cars brake. The gearing in modern cars covers a wider range of speeds. Third might cover from 15 to 40. There are two things to think about when changing gear. Listen and feel the engine. If the car sounds and feels as though it is straining change up a gear. The engine will have a higher tone. If the car is sluggish, change down a gear. You must balance the engines needs with the road ahead. Try to select the right gear for the road conditions. There is little point changing up a gear as you approach traffic lights that have been green for some time.

It is a balancing act. The more time you spend learning the contorls the more likely you are to learn to use them. The less time you spend learning what each control does the quicker you can get onto driving the car.

This article tells you all you need to know about the car controls.

The Instructors Controls

Your instructor has dual control pedals. They are the dual clutch and dual brake. He will use these to take control of the car and support your learning. Do not worry if your clutch suddenly goes to the floor - its the instructor.

Your controls

Hand Operated Controls

Parking Brake

This is also known as the handbrake. Press the button and move the lever up or down. It is there to stop a car moving fron stationary. Use it when the car has come to halt for more than a few seconds. Do not use the parking brake when the car is moving.

Gear Stick

This allows you to match the speed of the engine to the speed of the car. Its use is explained in the section on changing gears.

Indicator Stalk

You will find this next to the steering wheel. This switches the indicators on or off. Flick it up with your fingers to signal right and down for left. You do not need to let go of the steering wheel to operate the indicators. This control will also operate the main beam. Ask your driving school about this.

Wipers

This is on the other side of the steering wheel. You can switch the wipers to single, pulse(every now and then) , continuous or rapid. This control will also operate the windscreen washers. Ask your driving school about this.

Steering Wheel

The big wheel in front of you. Place your hands at a comfortable position between ten to two and quarter to three. This provides more control over sudden car movements. Turn the steering wheel using a pull push system. At the same time the other hand slides down and pushes the wheel up. This is known as pull push steering. DO NOT CROSS YOUR HANDS WHEN STEERING.

Foot Controls

Accelerator

This is the pedal on the right. You use your right foot to operate the accelerator. Apply a gentle pressure to make the car go faster. Release the pressure to slow it down. Your instructor will call this the gas pedal because gas is quicker to say.

Brake

This is the middle pedal. You use your right foot to operate this pedal. Start with a gentle pressure, gradually increase it. Release the pressure just before the car comes to a halt.

Clutch

The pedal on the left. This is the only pedal that the left foot operates. The clutch is two plates that connects the power part of the engine to the drive part of the engine. Press it down to separate the clutch to change gear. When you lift the clutch pedal the clutch engages. The clutch makes the car go. If it is not in the right place the car will not go.

Instructor Commands.

Your instructor will use a series of standard commands. These will tell you what to do with your feet. The commands are:

Cover - place oyur foot over the pdeal. More - Push your foot down

Less - Lift your foot up

Set the gas - Enough pressure on the gas pedal to let you hear the engine.

Instruments These are located on the dashboard behind the steering wheel. The Speedo runs 10, 20 ... up to 140 on some cars. It tells you how fast the car is going. The other dial is the rev counter it tells you how hard the engine is working. The rev counter should never hit red. The fuel gage will be there - the needle above the picture of the petrol pump. The dashboard also has a number of warning lights. If a warning light comes on whilst you are on the move - check it out.

Mirrors

These are very important. Your mirrors tell you what is happening to the side and behind you.

Centre Mirror - The flat mirror hanging on the windscreen. MAke sure that you can see most of the rear windscreen whilst you are looking ahead. If not move it - but do not touch the glass.

Door mirrors - These are convex to allow you see a little further out. You should be able to see a little of the back of the car with just a slight turn of the head. If not change them - Ask your driving school about this.

Using them - Every time you are going to signal, change speed or direction you should check your mirrors. Check the centre mirror first and then the relevant door mirror. Your instructor might say centre and left or centre and right.

What do I look for? Any object. You need to know is it near or far. You need to know is it fast or slow.

Why check the mirrors? You need to know what is there before you make a manoeuvre.

This article will walk you through some of the things to think about when choosing a car.

The first question to answer is 'What type of car do I want'?

Don't buy the first car you see. Dont buy a car because it is in fashion. Why not buy a car that suits your lifestyle? You have worked hard for the right to drive and you are just about to spend a lot of money in one go. Why not take some time to get it right?

Which car will suit me the best?

It can be difficult choosing your first car. This section is a series of questions that will help you decide on the type of car that you want.

Your Driving Instructors car

Did you like the type of car you used for your driving lessons?

Yes - Why not buy one? You might be able to buy ine from a driving school.

No - Try the next set of questions.

Power

There is a reason that motorcyclists have to work their way up from small bike to large bike. They need to build up their experience before they get on a powerful machine. It is the same with cars - you need to know how to handle an Evo or a Porsche.

Try to get a car about the same power as the one you learnt in. The insurance will be less than the price of the car.

Lifestyle

Do you have young children?

Yes - How are you going to get them in or out?

No - 3 or 5 door. Either will be OK.

Will you carry a lot of junk or a pet?

Yes - Look at the boot space.

No - Boot space is not a problem.

Will it fit my image?

Yes - Are you sure?

No - What sort of image do you want to give out?

Type of driving

Mainly in town? Think small and easy to park.

Mainly on fast roads? Think easy cruising speed.

Mainly on rural roads? Think safe, reliable, good vision.

Lots of miles? Think about diesel and comfort.

Shops and gym? Think about petrol and space.

Me

Size? It does matter. If you are six foot six and 20 stone, will you be comfortable in a small hatch back? Can I park the car easily?

How much can I afford?

Now that you have decided on the type of car that you want it is time to decide on a price range. Time to work out how much you can spend on a car.

Work out a budget. Add up all your expenses. Now subtract anything that you really could do without. Take that amount from your regular income. The amount left over is the amount you can afford to spend every month on a car. It is your car budget.

Your car budget has to cover the cost of the car, fuel, insurance and repairs.

Which Car?

That car type and budget sorted. Let's find a car.

Research

It is very important that you find out about a car before you buy it. Try to find out what to look for before you go and buy a car. What are the signs that this is a bad car to buy?

Have a look on the internet and see what other people say. What car, Autotrader and Top Gear all have very honest car reviews. Have a look at the guide prices to see what the car is actually worth.

Where to buy?

Main dealers are best for new and nearly new cars. They can offer good deals, especially at the end of the month.

Franchised dealers tend to carry good quality used cars. They can offer excellent deals.

Local Car dealer tend to have used cars. Make sure they have a good reputation.

Paper - People use papers to sell their cars. Be careful - look out for the same phone number in several adverts or the letter T after an advert. These are people trading in used cars. They may not offer the same value for money as a dealership.

If you buy a car from a newspaper, you need to protect yourself from fraud. Make sure that yous ee the car at their house. If the seller is reluctant to do this then you have to ask yourself why. Make sure that the car is in good condition. Take someone who really know cars to check it out. When you pay for the car meet the person at their house and pay cash. You should insist on the documents there and then.

Internet - Be very careful. Make sure that the company, or person, you are buying from is genuine. Do a lot of research before you buy online. Do they have a contact phone number? Is it a real phone number? Do they have an address? Check it out on Google maps. Is it the sort of area a car dealer will work from? Flash website from a terrace house!!!

Apply the same rules as you would for a car from a newspaper.

Auctions - Only if you have a mechanic or car dealer with you. Ask yourself why are these cars in the auction and not on a garage forecourt?

Test Drive

Do I need a test drive?

Yes. You need at least 20 minutes to make sure that you like the car. Do you feel comfortable in it? Can you handle it? No strange noises or smoke?

27774 people were seriously injured - beyond hope of full recovery.

The number of deaths among car users was 1,432.

The number of car users seriously injured was 11,535.

This is a shocking indictment of the way the UK licences its drivers.

We are not concerned about the overall figures. Instead, I want to concentrate on the driving test demographic. This age group is involved in nearly a fifth of all car accidents.

We need to establish the figures for the target group. Transport for London has done this for us. They said that in 2008 17 - 25 year old drivers were involved in 18% of all crashes. Simple maths and we arrive at the figures we need.

4999 people people killed or seriously injured - beyond hope of full recovery.

The number of deaths among car users was 258

The number of car users seriously injured was 2076

The Driving Standards Agency is responsible for driving tests in the UK. They say that those who pass their driving test have had, on average, about 45 hours of professional training combined with 22 hours of private practice. Learners who prepare this way, with a combination of plenty of professional training and plenty of practice, do better in the test.

Yet the problem remains. 17 - 25 year old newly qualified drivers are not properly prepared for life on the roads.

There are three main reasons for this.

In the UK, the driving test is a rite of passage. It does fit Ninian Smarts description of a religious rite. The driving test is seen as something to prepare for - An ordeal to be survived. Learner drives are made test ready and not road ready.

The second factor at play is money. Learning to drive is expensive. Parents put driving schools and driving instructors under a lot of pressure to take pupils to test as quickly as possible. Ask any instructor if they have heard this phrase from a parent. "It only took me 10 lessons"

The next factor at play is the test regime itself. It is inadequate for modern driving. The theory test is neither use nor ornament. Learner drivers can buy CDroms with the questions and answers supplied. There is little incentive for them to learn the subject. The driving test is only thirty minutes. This is not enough time to test persons driving skills.

These factors combine to release young drivers onto the roads with out the depth of skills and knowledge they need to stay safe.

Research into Drivers Ed

The main academic research into drivers Ed' focuses on one study in America. It demonstrates that drivers' has an effect on road safety.

This experiment took place in DeKalb county Atlanta. The high school students were divided into two cohorts. One received drivers and the other did not.

The cohort who had drivers ed' were involved in 6% fewer accidents. The reference for this is a 1994 report to congress by NHTSA.

The effect disappeared after six months. This puzzled many of the American researchers. The answer is simple - the longer you have been driving the more road experience you have - the more expereince the less the crashes. The accident rates even out after two years in this country.

The only conclusion that I can draw from the American studies is Drivers Ed pre-loads driving experience. Drivers Ed is worth six months of driving experience.

European Research.

There is no research published in Europe on this topic. There is one study on styles of driver testing and training. Stefan Siegrist, Ph. D. Of the Swiss Council for Injury Prevention bfu published it at the 2003 Forum on Driver Education and Training, in Washington.

The UK and Holland have the lowest accident rates in Europe. The difference between the Dutch and the British is structure. The Dutch system is tightly structured.

The Dutch have recently trialed a tightly structured driver training course. It involves a series of modules similar. The Dutch course is called Driver Training Steps.

In the Dutch province of Gelderland in 2001, a small-scale test with the DTS took place (Nägele & Vissers, 2001). For the 109 DTS learners, the pass rate on their first driving test was 83%. In the period immediately before the DTS was introduced, the pass rate for the regular learners at the same driving schools was 46%.

In addition, the DTS learners had not needed more lessons than the group of regular learners with the 46% pass rate. From January 2002 to April 2003, a large scale follow-up study was done in Gelderland in which 557 DTS learners participated. In this study their pass rate was 75% compared to 53% for the regular driver training given by driving schools involved in this second DTS test.

Claims for Drivers Ed.

It is reasonable to expect that a tightly structured drivers' course will reduce post-test accidents by 6%. It could prevent 300 KSI accidents a year. A higher pass rate. The expereince in Holland supports this idea. The effect will be an 8 to 10% increase in pass rates.

A UK Drivers Ed' Programme will save lives.

This article is for anyone who has struggled to park at the supermarket on a Saturday or find a space in town.

The parking exercises were added to the driving tests in the early 1990s. They were introduced to tackle the rising number of car park bumps. They also increase the number of parking spaces in which you can park.

Learner drivers practice these manoeuvres in their driving lessons. The driving instructor will teach them the best techniques for them. The techniques in this article will suit most readers.

Remember - if you struggle with any aspect of driving contact a local driving school. They will be happy to help for the price of a driving lesson.

Parallel Park

Why do I need to know this?

This is possibly the most useful of the set manoeuvres.

In many towns, most of the parking spaces are on the road, alongside the kerb.

The chances are that you will need to fit in between two cars. If you drive into the gap, you will need at least four car lengths. If you reverse in to the gap, you will need about two car lengths. Reversing in increases the chance of being able to park.

How do I do this? Before you start

1.Check that the gap is big enough

2.Check that you are not going to hold up traffic

3.Check that the car behind you knows what you are doing

The manoeuvre

1.Draw alongside the car around which you are going to reverse. Position yourself as though you were going to pass it in a narrow road.

2.Make sure that you stop level sith the front of the other car. The car must be straight.

3.Quickly take your seat belt off and put the car into reverse.

4.Look out of the left rear window. When you see the corner of the other car steer to the left until your car is at an angle of about 45 degrees to the kerb. It should be at about 45 degrees.

5.Look at the front of your car. Steer gently to the right.

6.When your tax disc is pointing at the kerbside corner of the other car steer hard to the right until the car is parallel with the kerb

7.Stop the car when it is close to and parallel with the kerb.

Points to note

Make sure that you finish with the car within two car lengths of the car in front. You should not block any driveways to your left

If, in your test, you are going to block a drive tell the examiner "I am going to reverse clear of the drive, but it will take me more than two car lengths from the car in front". Unless the examiner says so - get clear of the drive.

The Bay Park

Why do I need to know this?

It is normally safer to reverse into a parking bay. Imagine that you are at Tesco's on a busy Saturday. You have driven straight into a parking bay. You are reversing out after shopping. How far do you have to reverse before you see the child that has run off from its mum? Same situation, but you reversed into the bay. How far forward do you have to go before you see that child?

It is safer to reverse into a parking bay. You can see more when you pull out again.

Unless the parking bays are at an angle or other drivers have parked badly you should reverse into the parking bay.

This is the same skill as reversing around a sharp corner or onto a drive.

How do I do this?

There are two methods.

The straight bay park, and the angled bay park.

We will look at the straight bay park. Ask your driving school or driving instructor to take you through both methods.

Before you start

1.Chose your bay. It is normally easier to use the parking bays to your right.

2.Make sure that it is big enough. Can you get out of the car when you are parked? Don't laugh - it does happen.

Doing the bay park

1.Start this exercise some way forward from the nesting space.

2.Position the car towards the centre of the lane. Make sure that you let people know what you are doing. Put the car into reverse as soon as you can.

3.Look over your right shoulder, reverse back very slowly, steer the car into your target bay.

4.As the car straightens up check your door mirrors. The car should be in the centre of the bay. Straighten the car and the steering wheel.

5.Look behind you - you do not whant to hit another car. Points to note It is vital that you keep checking all around you as you reverse into the parking bay.

It does not matter who caused the accident. It happned because someone made a mistake.

This is why most driving instructors tell their learner drivers rule number one on their first driving lesson. Rule number one sates "Everybody else on the road is a complete and utter fool. Treat them as such. Stay well away and tell them what you are going to do". Staying away from foolish drivers is easy. You need to develop the habit of good hazard awareness. Try to see what the other driver is about to do well before they become a problem.

Even the best drivers are caught out occasionally. They will have to react quickly to prevent an accident. This article explains how to stop in an emergency.

Your driving instructor should practice the emergency stop with you. You should practice it with in a driving school car. Other drivers expect you to stop suddenly. The driving instructor knows when it is safe to stop suddenly.

You should only use this technique to prevent injury to yourself or another road user.

You are driving along a country road and a small bird flies out of a hedge six feet from you. You would not carry out an emergency stop, it is not going to hurt you or damage the car. If it a cow, or large animal, ran out six feet from you then you would need to do the emergency stop. The impact will hurt you and the car.

You are driving in town and a little Scottie dog runs into the road a few feet ahead. You would not do the emergency stop. Neither you nor the car are likely to be hurt. A German Shepherd Dog would need an emergency stop because that impact will hurt you and the car.

This does not mean that you should run over dogs or birds. If you can stop in time then stop.

What if a child runs out in front of you? What if a car pulls out in front of you?

You will need to practice the manoeuvre. Only your driving instructor or driving examiner can insist on you doing this exercise. We are trained to decide if it safe. If you are practising with a relative, you both must decide if it is safe.

The Controlled Stop

The emergency stop is best described as the controlled stop. You want to stop quickly and under control. Do not check your mirrors. There is no time. Hold the steering wheel firmly. Brake followed straight away by the clutch Firm fast breaking to a halt Secure the car and check no one is hurt. Move off as you normally would.

Skids Skids are caused by driver error. The driver did not match their speed and gear to the road conditions.

If you are skidding, lift your feet off the pedals If you are skidding in a straight line just keep the steering wheel straight. Steer into the skid until the car is straight. Steer left if you are skidding right.

If you are skidding to the left, steer to the right.

ABS Most modern cars are equipped with ABS. This is a system of sensors. If the wheels are locking under hard braking, the sensors make the car take over braking. The ABS will work the brakes faster than you can.

ABS allows you to steer in an emergency. IT DOES NOT PREVENT SKIDDING.

If, when braking in an emergency, you feel a 'thump thump' under the pedals it is the ABS. Just keep braking.

It is important that you speak to your driving instructor about posttest training. Their driving school will have a policy stating which post test course they offer.

Posttest training does two things. It fills in the blanks in your learner driver training. The focus of the driving lessons changes. The focus is on the skills a qualified driver needs. This takes you from learner driver to real driver.

One of the most important skills a real driver can develop is defensive driving.

A defensive driver is not a scared driver. A driver seems to be in the right place at the right time at the right speed. A defensive driver sees the problems early and reacts to avoid any difficulties.

We will be learning about the five skills of a good driver. Spend a day practicing each skill on your own before you do your in car training.

Skill 1 - Look well ahead Think back to when you were learning to drive. Did things seem to happen all of a sudden? When you are learning to drive your attention is focused in the car. As you developed as a driver, you became more aware of what was going on around you. The hazard perception test helped develop your awareness of the road ahead. Skill 1 takes hazard perception to the next level. The human eye has evolved to see into the distance and pick up movement close by. So, by making an effort to look as far down the road as you can you are making the best use of your eyes. Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college. Look as far down the road as you can. Say what you see out loud.

Skill 2 - Keep your eyes moving The human eye is never still. It is constantly moving about. Try staring at the end of a pencil for two minutes. What happens to the end of the pencil? In driving, we use the natural movements of our eyes Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college. Start by looking as far down the road as you can. Now look from building to building - check what is happening on the sidewalks. Now check to each side of the car. Now look in the rear mirror. Keep repeating this cycle. How much more did you see compared to the last exercise.

Skill 3 - Spot the problems Try this exercise next time you drive into work or college. Give a running commentary on what is happening around you. When you see a hazard say what you see.

Skill 4 - Make sure that you keep space all around you. Practice positioning for space. You know that you need to stay back from the car in front. What about the sides? Adjust your position in the road to keep the greatest space from the greatest danger. A bike to the right and parked car to the left - move to the left. Remember never hurry to slow down. As soon as you see a problem, react to it. React early and adjust your speed - , and with any lick the problem will have gone.

Skill 5 - Let the other drivers know what you are going to do as soonas you can. BE seen. Now try the defensive driving quiz