NEW facilities for thousands of armed forces personnel learning to drive the latest military vehicles and their instructors have been officially opened.

The development – which includes classrooms for 200 students and facilities for instructors, as well as three huge storage facilities for Mastiff and Wolfhound vehicles – was erected in just 20 weeks at the Defence School of Transport at Leconfield.

The buildings are the latest addition to the world’s largest driver training establishment.

About 850 civil servants and support staff are employed on site beside 230 military staff, who put 16,000 students through their paces every year.

Most students go on to frontline operations in Afghanistan.

The new facilities, called the “Herrick” block, referring to recent operations in Afghanistan, were officially unveiled by director general of Army recruiting and training, Major General Gerry Berragan.

Major Shaun Robjohns said as well as four state-of-the-art classrooms, 60 instructors who work day and night shifts were getting their own facilities, including showers and a kitchen.

Even modern vehicles needed regular modifications, he ex- plained, adding: “The new vehicles are designed in such a way with such an emphasis on safety that it is giving soldiers so much confidence to do their jobs.”

Engineers have been installing the latest seats in Wolfhound vehicles which protect drivers from explosions – at a cost of £10,000 each.

During their Leconfield training, students are put up against mock river crossings, gullies and other obstacles they are likely to encounter in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Comments(0)

A DSA (Driving Standards Agency) examiner at Morden Test Centre alerted the police to a 35 year old who regularly took practical driving tests for other people.

Gageen Preet Singh who took payment of up to £3000 from individuals wanting him to impersonate them on test would wear wigs and disguises in order to trick examiners. Unfortunately his disguise on this occasion led to him being sentenced to a 12-month prison sentence at Guilford Crown Court.

Mr Singh is thought to have taken over 100 fraudulent tests, many of which he failed. He even sat exams whilst disqualified for drink driving.

Officers found around £55,000 in Mr Singh’s property thought to be from the scams, this money along with his car is to be forfeited.

It is worrying to think that if this examiner had not informed the police, thousands of potentially dangerous and unqualified drivers would be on the roads. Even more worrying is that Mr Singh could not pass the practical test despite taking it hundreds of times.

What are your thought on this article? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

Comments(0)

Cell phones, music players, and a numerous other gadgets in cars pose a constant problem - distraction for the drivers. But soon, in-car coach could solve this problem.

Professor Linda Ng Boyle from University of Washington has developed an in-car driving coach, an electronic device that reminds you to keep your eyes on the road if it finds your vision wandering away from the road.

The coach uses an eye tracker to monitor drivers’ gaze.

“By providing continual feedback, drivers may be more likely to learn from their mistakes and put their eyes back on the road,” said Boyle.

In the study, the high-risk drivers’ longest glances tended to be between 2 1/2 seconds and 3 seconds. They also had the shortest time to collision, a measure of how long until they could crash.

After the drive, a trip report summarized what the driver did right and wrong.

The coach decreased the length of high-risk drivers’ glances by an average of 0.4 seconds and the feedback also increased the high-risk drivers’ time to collision by roughly 8 seconds.

“I think that drivers are coachable,” Boyle said.

“The worst drivers can benefit the most, because we can change their behavior the most dramatically. We can also reinforce the good behavior for safer drivers,” she added.

Comments(0)

Some 64 per cent of British drivers have admitted to driving in a potentially dangerous way, a study has revealed.

Research conducted by Sainsbury’s Car Insurance found that 38 per cent of motorists had driven while eating or drinking in the last month.

Some 28 per cent admitted to driving whilst feeling tired, 18 per cent said that they had got behind the wheel while wearing flip flops or without shoes, which is a four per cent increase on last year.

Over the last month, some 16 per cent of motorists drove at excessive speed, the survey revealed.

Ben Tyte, Sainsbury’s Car Insurance manager, said that simple things like eating while driving can significantly increase a person’s risk of being in an accident on the roads.

“We would urge motorists to focus on their driving and not be tempted to engage in anything that may distract them,” he added.

Earlier this week, research by the Institute of Advanced Motorists revealed that 44 per cent of motorists in the UK are in support of the government’s decision to cut the funding of speed cameras.

Comments(0)

POLICE will target motorists with high visibility patrols throughout May, after it was revealed more people are likely to be killed or seriously injured on the roads of Merseyside this month.

Each May, Merseyside Police sees an increase in the number of casualties among child pedestrians, cyclists aged eleven to 16, drivers and passengers in motor vehicles and motorcyclists.

Since 2006, 221 people were either killed or seriously injured on the roads of Merseyside during May, compared with 185 in April and 197 in June.

Last May, 59 people were killed or seriously injured compared with 46 in April and 36 in June.

Half of all those killed, or sustained life-changing injuries, are drivers and passengers in cars, with 41 per cent of those being young people aged 17 to 25.

Chief inspector Chris Markey, from Merseyside Police’s Roads Policing Unit, said: “The number of people killed or seriously injured on the roads of Merseyside comes at a huge cost in terms of human tragedy and financial impact.

Comments(0)

SPECIAL Constables took part in a two-day clampdown on motoring offences last weekend.
The officers issued 42 fixed penalty tickets for drivers using a mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt or for speeding.

A further 37 motorists were given words of advice during the operation, which took place in Todmorden and at the other end of the Calder Valley in Brighouse. Officers said it had been a success.

Sergeant Julian Hartley, Specials co-ordinator for Calderdale Police, said: “The work that special constables do over the course of a year is very important.

“They are volunteers who give up their free time and do an excellent job.

“They again showed their true value by carrying out an important operation in areas where motoring offences are regularly identified as key priorities by the local community.”

The operation took place to mark the national Specials Weekend which recognises the constables’ hard work and dedication to policing.

The theme of this year’s operation was road safety.

Stuart Clarke, senior section officer for Calderdale Specials, said: “Taking part in the national operation has been a good opportunity for Calderdale’s Special Constabulary to get involved with an area of policing that is often of concern to the local community.

“It also highlights the variety and diversity of work that Special Constables can do.”

Comments(0)

January saw the country come to a standstill with snow disrupting transport, schools, hospitals and driving tests.

Driving tests across the U.K. were cancelled by the DSA (Driving Standards Agency) during January due to the freezing weather and icy roads.

Figures suggest that 31,000 of the 40,000 scheduled tests were cancelled affecting not only cars, but bikes and LGV’s.

The DSA do not refund or pay compensation to pupils if the test is cancelled due to weather conditions, instead pupils are advised to contact their test centre to confirm whether their test is to go ahead and if not they are automatically given a new test date.

Natasha Simper of Britannia Driving School said: “I know it can be upsetting for pupils who have their tests cancelled especially if they are nervous about taking it in the first place however, safety is paramount and with the roads icy and driving conditions extremely poor it has to be done.”

Comments(0)

The Education Department is eagerly awaiting a proposal from the Transport Ministry on incorporating driving lessons in schools.

The proposed syllabus would see grade 11’s complete their year with a learner’s license and matriculate with their drivers.

The initiative would see under 500 000 pupils qualify annually and could also curb corruption.

The Basic Education Ministry’s Hope Mokgatlhe said Minister Angie Motshekga had yet to receive the framework.

“The Minister of Basic Education Mrs. Angie Motshekga is aware of this initiative and the minister is quite excited. She cannot wait to see what the content of this proposal is,” she said.

Comments(0)

A driver has confounded Swiss police by committing 15 traffic violations in just over 10 minutes, officials say.

The 47-year-old initially raced past an unmarked police car in heavy rain at 160 km/h (100mph) before weaving close to other cars and the road’s kerb.

The serial offender clocked up further offences for speeding, driving on the hard shoulder, running a set of red lights and failing to stop for police.

When finally pulled over by St Gallen police, he failed a drugs test.

The unnamed driver, who lives near Zurich, faces a lengthy driving ban and a possible jail sentence when he appears before a Swiss court.

Comments(0)

Each year thousands of cars used by the AA driving school to teach learners are being re-sold to unwary members of the public. Many of the buyers once realising where their car has come from are unhappy as traditionally learners are thought of as the most volatile drivers on the roads.

The cars are being sold on the used market under an unfamiliar name and individuals feel as though the arrangement isn’t straightforward. Despite the assurance that the cars are well looked after, they inevitable get a lot of hammer.

Consumer experts have advised that all customers that purchase a Ford Focus should check for the tell-tale signs of dual controls having previously been situated under the passenger-side mat. These are used by the instructor to keep control of the car and then removed before the car is sold on.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “Individual dealers will not know that the cars were used by the AA Driving School. The cars are given new clutches, new brakes, new tyres and mats and are than passed on to dealers for sale through a third party.”

What are your thoughts on this article? Send your views to Britannia Driving School by using the comments link below:

Comments(0)