Road Safety Minister Mike Penning praised the changes, which aim to prepare learners for more realistic scenarios once they have passed their test. Penning said that learning independent driving skills from the beginning of the driving process “will help make new drivers safer”.

Peter Rodger, chief examiner of the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) agrees that this is a good step forward. He stated that “all new drivers have to learn that multi-tasking – controlling the car, looking out for hazards and planning ahead while navigating – is an integral part of day-to-day driving”.

The change has been criticised as harsh. Candidates can fail with only a handful of minor driving faults, and the length of the test has been extended. There is also speculation that there will be a considerable fall in those passing the driving test, with a senior driving instructor’s agreement. However, the test was not developed to make it more difficult but instead to produce a safer generation of young drivers. In fact, instructors were already teaching independent driving prior to the change, and the manoeuvres including in the test will fall from two to one.

It has been suggested that the DSA are missing the point that the biggest road safety problem is still new drivers. The Association of British Insurers is calling for more changes to the test, suggesting that the learning period for new drivers should be at least one year. Their poll of 2,500 people revealed that 75% thought new drivers should not be permitted to take their test within 12 months of learning, to help reduce the high death and serious injury rate recorded among young motorists.

If you have recieved a driving ban and/or penalty points on your driving license then Widdoes Mason, car accident claims lawyers can help. Widdows specialise in road traffic accident claims an can offer help and expert legal advice.

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The man was pulled over when he failed to stop after being ‘blue lighted’ by police. Police then took further action which resulted in one car mounting the pavement to block the driver’s path. Only then were police able to seize the vehicles keys.

Eamonn Donohoe uses the mobility scooter as he suffers from blocked arteries in his lower legs. He was pulled over after spending the evening playing dominoes with friends at his local pub. He had consumed six or seven pints.

The pensioner was understandably shaken and somewhat peeved after the incident, he commented “I can’t believe how they treated me – anybody would think that I was a bank robber or a member of Al-Qaeda,” Donohoe told the Daily Mail. The pensioner was kept in police cells for 12 hours, fingerprinted and had his DNA taken.

He continued; “They must have known, like I did, that the rules of the road don’t apply when you’re riding a mobility scooter down the pavement at three and a half miles an hour, but it didn’t seem to matter one jot.”I didn’t stop at first because I wanted to get home, and I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

Mr Donohoe was given a roadside breath test, to which he failed and was found to be three times over the UK limit for drunk driving. As a result of the arrest he was banned from driving, however, as his mobility scooter was not classed as a car, he is still able to drive it, which leads to the question of why he was arrested in such dramatic fashion in the first place.

Recently there have been several cases of unusual drink driving offenses, the most publicised being Welsh rugby star Andy Powell after he was convicted after driving a golf buggy the wrong way down a motorway, in another case a milkman was convicted for being drunk in charge of a milk float.

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Passengers have spoken out about the shock on board a double decker bus after the driver was arrested upon suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol. The passengers onboard included children and elderly people when the police pulled over the vehicle before breathalysing and then arresting the driver for drunk driving.

One shocked passenger who does not want to be named commented: “We couldn’t hear the police officers after they had stormed in and were talking to the driver. We all panicked but did not know what to think. We just didn’t have a clue what was happening when we saw the blue flashing lights.”

One shocked passenger who does not want to be named commented: “We couldn’t hear the police officers after they had stormed in and were talking to the driver. We all panicked but did not know what to think. We just didn’t have a clue what was happening when we saw the blue flashing lights.”

After the driver had been detained by police, the company sent over a replacement drive that arrived within minutes. Chris Harris, public relations manager at Blustar said because of the serious nature of the incident the employee was suspended immediately.

He continued:” The consumption of alcohol while on duty or reporting for duty while under the influence of alcohol is expressly forbidden. It is a strict rule that all Bluestar employees are required to be completely sober at all times when on duty. ”

It is important that companies such as Bluestar act quickly in response to drink driving allegations in order to reassure customers and take potentially dangerous drivers off the road. The safety of passengers aboard Blustar vehicles is paramount to their operations, so it is important to reassure passengers through swift response to issues such as this one that they are willing to do what is necessary to ensure safety.

The driver has been bailed until later in the year.

If you have been convicted of drink driving and been given a Driving Ban, then visit Freeman Keep On Driving expert Road Traffic Solicitors.

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Men are also more likely than women to drive through floods or suffer a vehicle fire, according to the study which looked at five years of accidents.

These are the findings of a study performed but the Insurance Company. Diamond who looked into over two million road accidents over five years and compared statistics between the sexes.

As well as having head-on collisions, men are more likely to hit crash barriers and trees or drive up and down embankments. Cars belonging to men are also more likely to catch fire, even though one hypothesis with this is the over use of high power-driven electronic goods use to ‘upgrade’ a cars stereo and speaker equipment.

Women suffer more than men from having their car broken into and having something taken from inside, while men are more likely to have their car stolen outright.

Diamond’s managing director Sian Lewis said: “Women tend to be in more accidents at slower speeds where cars are close together, while men have more high-speed accidents where it is easy to lose control.

“Our research suggests the way men and women drive is different. Possibly men drive faster and more aggressively than women, while women are more easily distracted than men behind the wheel of a car.”

She went on: ” But one reason why women are more likely to have their car broken into is perhaps because they’re more likely to leave expensive items, like their handbag or sunglasses, on show than men.

To avoid a drink driving ban, then visit Freeman Keep On Driving and avoid your driving conviction and find expert driving lawyers.

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Several different types of speed cameras are currently on the roads in Britain. Some cameras are fixed whereas some are in-vehicle. If you are caught speeding by one of these cameras it is possible that you may escape as often stand alone cameras run out of film, but not always.

When you are charged with a speeding offence you will receive a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) within a period of fourteen days of you committing the offence. You will be required to fill in the forms and return them within twenty eight days of receiving them. You must identify who was driving at the time of the incident- failure to do so can mean you receive 6 points on your licence. If you drive shared company cars you will be required to keep a record of when you were driving each car.

Often drivers will receive fixed penalty notices or summons. If you admit liability for a fixed penalty notice you will usually have to pay 60 in charges and receive 3 penalty points to your licence. If you do not admit liability though you will be required to take your case to court. Occasionally drivers are offered a ‘speed awareness course’ instead of receiving the 3 penalty points. The course is designed to educate and rehabilitate your attitude to speed.

Many people often wonder what is deemed to be a speeding defence. The best way to avoid getting a speeding endorsement or fine is to avoid speeding in the first place. Speeding is a road traffic crime and can cause accidents, therefore it is considered very serious by the courts.

If you are the vicitm of a road traffic accident Liverpool you may be eligible to claim compensation using solicitors Liverpool EAD.

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With respect to sizing, the CT comes in 4,320 mm length and 1,765 mm width, with a 2,600 mm wheelbase. These dimensions put it in the same league as the Audi A3 and provide the owners with 345 litres, about 12.2 cubic feet, of cargo room with the rear seats up, or 700 litres (24.7 cubic feet) with seats folded down.

Lexus CT 200h will be officially launched in 2011 and will be sold in the US. This is the first hybrid car by Lexus and has everything to offer to make it a dream car. This hybrid car is a five door car with 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and magnet electric motor. It is definitely a combination of style and performance.

The interior is of superior quality as you would expect from luxury car makers. The dashboard is split into two zones; the upper zone is the Display Zone and has an eight inch monitor. The lower zone is the operational zone and has the shift lever and the Lexus remote touch multi-function controller.

Lexus CT 200h has many safety features built around the break system, which will keep the driver and the passengers safe. A lot of technicalities have been kept in mind while designing the structure of the car to provide each and every facility to the owner of the car. Not only have they made the car stylish and sporty, it has everything that any other Lexus car has to offer. It symbolizes the luxury living, and it is a lot more than just being a hybrid car. It is all about having fun and saving the environment at the same time by delivering low emissions.

The driver is set low as the driver has four drive modes to select from. The different driving modes are; EV, ECO, NORMAL and SPORTS. In EV mode, the CT 200h will run on electric power only and can be driven for 1.2 miles at 28 mph. In Sports mode, the ambience of the cabin changes with the instruments light up, changing to red from blue.

The CT 200h also has a new suspension set up that uses a dedicated double wishbone and a lightweight trailing arm at the rear. This was developed to combine the ride comfort, expected of a Lexus with superior driving and handling agility. There is also a new front anti-roll bar, designed to improve roll rigidity.

The CT 200h is expected to go for sale in late 2010 all around the world, as a 2011 model. It promises to deliver class-leading fuel consumption and tax-saving emissions. It will only be available as a five door hatchback. Lexus expects to lure younger customers, who are looking for an affordable luxury car. That is one of the main reasons for offering a sports drive mode in the CT 200h.

Detailed information about the Lexus CT200h is availiable. Why not book a test drive now!

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The Lexus CT 200h will be powered by a 1.8 WT-i gasoline engine and an electric motor. The car can be driven in three different modes which are EV, normal and sports. In EV, the car will run over a mile at a maximum speed of 28mph. In normal mode, the electric motor and a petrol engine will be used depending on the driving conditions requirements. In sports mode, the car becomes more powerful and the interior display of the controls changes from blue to red, giving the car a sportier atmosphere. The transmission is a continuously variable transmission that automatically selects the power source and the gear.

People, especially those who are car enthusiasts have high expectations with the new Lexus CT 200h. The fact that the car allows switching between three different driving modes is quite exciting by itself. The three modes include Eco, Sport and normal. With all these features and many others, the Lexus CT 200h is already set for a great start even before its sales.

Lexus has not announced the engine horse power or its fuel consumption and emissions. It has also not disclosed its maximum speed and the time it will take to go from 0 to 60 miles an hour.

It is expected that Lexus CT-200h will deliver dynamic driving experience, will have handsome exterior as well as interior and will also provide tough challenge to CT’s competitions. People also expect that it will be near 187 hp churned out by the North American HS250h sedan, in which a 147-hp, 2.4-liter engine is mated with a 105-kW (141-hp) electric motor.

The new Lexus CT 200h has been designed with a lower displacement engine along with fuel efficiency, both of which are expected and preferred by the European customers. The modes of driving that have been incorporated in the car are another appealing feature of the car. Considering that the normal mode and the sport mode are two entirely different ones, the presence of both in the same vehicle is a great accomplishment on part of Lexus.

The CT200h was designed with the European market in mind indicating that it is more suitable for that population. It has four driver-selectable driving modes available which are Normal, Eco, EV, and Sport. In Normal mode, the car can run on battery-only power up to speeds of 28 mph, while EV mode forces the car to rely only on battery power for 1-2 miles distance.

People do want a reliable, economical, environment friendly luxury car and if the Lexus CT 200h meets these requirements at an affordable price, it will definitely be a much sought after car.

Detailed information about the Lexus CT200h is availiable. Why not book a test drive now!

Technorati Tags: hybrid cars, IS 250c, Lexus LS 600h, Motoring, Rx 450h