Ronald

Rules of the road; How well do you know them?

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Learning to drive is one of the most difficult, yet rewarding things that you can do. Being an inexperienced driver and sitting behind the wheel for the first time can be one of the most daunting and frightening things. After hours of stressful driving lessons, theory mock-up tests and the dreaded driving test itself, you’re ready to hit the road solo. There is no better feeling than being able to pick up your keys, get in your car and drive around freely to your hearts content. It doesn’t take long to turn from a shy driver to an extremely confident one who knows the roads back to front and all the rules that go with it… or so you might think.

When it comes to driving, safety should always be the number one priority. Wherever you drive, the basic rules will always be the same.

Follow the speed limits

Speed limits are there for a reason, they are not placed there just as a recommendation. Did you know that inappropriate speed contributes to around 11% of all injury collisions reported to police, 15% of crashes resulting in a serious injury and 24% of collisions that result in a death?

Don’t run a red light

Many drivers will attempt to run through an amber light that is just about to change to red. This can be a dangerous game, however, if the traffic light has a camera attached to it and you’re even just a fraction of a second too late, the camera will flash and you’ll be receive a hefty fine and potentially points on your license – which is never good for car insurance renewals!

Keep a safe following distance

You must drive a safe distance behind a vehicle travelling in front of you. This will give you enough time to react and break safely if the driver in front has to break suddenly for any reason. Following another vehicle too closely is known as tailgating, which is a primary reason for rear end crashes. It’s recommended to keep a 3 second distance between you and the car in front of you in dry conditions, 4 seconds for wet conditions!

Always wear a seatbelt

Do you always wear your seatbelt? Well, you should. Even if you are only travelling a short distance and think you have no chance of crashing. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Seatbelts are pivotal to keeping you safe on the road; they dramatically reduce the chance of death and serious injury. Front seat passengers and drivers who wear their seatbelts reduce the risk of death by 45% and cut the risk of serious injury by 50%. People not wearing a seatbelt are 30 TIMES more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash. So before you turn on that ignition, strap up!

To keep up with safety standards, the rules of the road are always changing in order to deliver the safest possible experience for drivers, passengers and pedestrians. With all these constant changes it can be overwhelming to stay on top of them all. There may be some situations where you’re not even aware that you’re breaking the law!

Did you know that it could be our four legged furry friends that could land you in the dog dirt? You may often see dogs hanging out the window, tongues out and enjoying life whilst they cruise down the road with their owners. However, there is a correct way you should be driving with your dog in the car and you could be breaking the law if you choose to ignore these rules. Your dog should be retrained in the car so they are not to cause a distraction when you are driving. With this being put into action the dog should be harnessed in a way that will not cause injury to you or him in case you were to come to a sudden stop. Failure to comply could land you a hefty £5000 fine. Tyre Pros have published a handy article of all the dos and don’ts of the road that involve your dog that are worth checking out!

What is car leasing and how does it work?

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When it comes to getting a car, leasing has become quite a popular choice in recent years, with more people choosing this method over buying a car outright. But there is still some uncertainty around what leasing a car involves. If you’re considering leasing a car but not sure where to start, we’ve put together this simple guide to help you understand.

What is car leasing?

First you need to choose a car to lease, then you pay a deposit which is usually the equivalent of a few monthly instalments and then you pay the fixed monthly payments until the contract ends. The length of the agreement is usually between two to four years but it is entirely up to you and how long you actually want the car for.

Leasing a car usually means that road tax and breakdown cover is included, sometimes servicing is too. It’s a great option if you are looking to get a brand new car as it’s usually the lowest upfront and monthly cost.

What happens at the end of the lease?

With leasing you never own the car at any point and you don’t have the option to buy it either, which could be a downside. When the agreement has come to an end, you have two options; you can either extend the lease or give the car back to the finance company. You will need to get in touch with them prior to the agreement ending so you can discuss your options further.

If you choose to give the car back and the car is damaged in any way, you will be charged for the repairs as the finance company will want it back in a sellable condition. It’s worth noting that if you’ve gone over your mileage limit during the agreement, you will also be charged for this.

Is leasing cheaper than buying?

There are many factors that influence whether it’s cheaper to lease or buy a car and it really comes down to the individual’s circumstances. With a leased car, the monthly payments are low and you could be driving a brand new car that you might not have been able to afford.

If a car retains its value, it will be better to buy as you’ll have a valuable asset in a few years. There are websites you can use to estimate how much your car will be worth on the second-hand market to help you decide if it’s worth buying or leasing.

Hopefully this post has given you some insight into leasing a car and whether it is more beneficial for you than buying a car. If you’re still uncertain whether leasing a car is the best option for you, it’s best to speak to a respectable car dealership who will be able to provide you with further information.

Top distractions to avoid when driving

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When driving it’s important that you give all your attention to the road, as being distracted is not only dangerous for you and your passengers but other drivers too, potentially leading to road accidents. Even being distracted for a few split seconds can have catastrophic consequences because your reaction time isn’t as quick as it would be if you were paying full attention. Kwik Fit has created a #DrivenToDistraction game where you can test your driving knowledge against your reaction time. Here are some of the top distractions you should try to avoid when driving.

Mobile phone

In the UK it’s illegal to hold a mobile phone when driving and being caught behind the wheel doing so can land you with a £200 fine and 6 points on your license. If you need to use your phone when driving you must have hands-free access such as a Bluetooth headset, voice command or a dashboard holder. The only time you can use a hand-held phone is when you are parked safely or if it’s an emergency and you need to call 999. While you may think that glancing at your phone quickly while you’re stopped at traffic lights or queuing in traffic won’t do much harm, it can affect your concentration levels and you need to be paying full attention at all times.

Being sleep deprived

One fifth of road accidents are caused by tiredness and drivers falling asleep at the wheel. If you find yourself getting tired whilst driving, you should stop in a safe place and take a break. It’s recommended to take a 15-20 minute nap and to drink two cups of coffee or a caffeinated drink. Avoid having a heavy meal or exercising before driving as these can have an added affect and if you are prescribed medication, check for any side effects that may cause drowsiness. Although it’s not against the law to drive when you’re tired, you are putting yourself and others at risk and increasing the chances of a road collision.

Loud music

Driving while playing your music loudly can result in you receiving a fine or penalty points as it’s classed as driving without due care and attention. Playing your music at a high volume could stop you from hearing the sirens of emergency vehicles that may be approaching, as well as other users on the road and pedestrians. Loud music can reduce the driver’s attention, with evidence suggesting that the louder and more upbeat it is, the more it increases driver error and aggressive driving. Try to keep the volume of your music to a standard.

Disruptive passengers

Passengers can be a major distraction for drivers, especially children. If a child is upset and crying in the back of the car this can be very distracting for parents, possibly causing them to turn around and take their eyes off the road. Even having a conversation with a passenger can cause a driver to avert their attention and studies have shown that male drivers in the presence of peers are likely to be more distracted.

Many drivers experience these distractions at some point, which is why it’s vital that you should be fully alert and paying full attention to the road ahead and your surroundings all the time.

WHY USING TOWING SERVICE IS SO IMPORTANT

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Transport dates back to 4000bc when man used animals as his mode of transportation. All that has been surpassed by the revolution of technology that came along with vehicle as the primary source of transport on land. Many people have welcome this technological revolution of transportation, but few people can afford cars, therefore opting for bicycles and motorcycles. The transport industry has played a vital role. One of them is providing jobs that include offering towing services that have helped many. The services are readily available as soon as you make a phone call to the offering company. Here are some of the importance of using towing service.

Towing service helps you to avoid back end damage of your vehicle when your pulling. To maintain the same speed of both vehicles during stretching is very difficult because it causes damage to both cars. In some other instance, transmission slipping may occur when you are pulling and may lead to an engine explosion.

It saves you time and money. In some areas, it is illegal not to use a tow truck when towing a vehicle. In some of this areas you can end up paying huge fines because of not following the law. Corona towing service saves you time since most of the services offered are as soon as you call. The service is more reliable because you end up using less time, especially when you are going for other activities.

Towing service is safe and protects your vehicle. Most of the towing companies have all the equipment and experienced personnel to do the job, which most the roadside assistance don’t have. In case towing companies damage your car, you are sure of getting compensated instantly. It is therefore advisable to contact towing companies to avoid injuries and your vehicle getting damaged.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT USED CAR AUCTIONS

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The invention of cars dates back to 1886. The design follows a series of events that includes several auctions of top-class vehicles. In the modern-day world, people result in going for affordable cars. Various car auctioning events have helped people get the best cars. Getting auction cars can sometimes be a daunting task; these are because some of the cars might be what you need. It is advisable that before you go for the vehicle, you should be keen and put into consideration several factors. Here are the things you need to be aware of before you go for the option of used car auction.

Banks have the best cars. Vehicles sold via the banks are as a result of recovering loses, and that makes the banks the best dealers. Most of the cars are new, and in various types, so it is good to check out bank auctioned vehicles.

Most used car dealers bring questionable cars. It means that some of the vehicles delivered have malfunctioned. Therefore most of their dealers have a preference on who or which company to sell. It is good to be aware of the deals of used car dealers, even if the agreement seems lucrative.

You are Alone in Car Auctioning. It has been proven that in-car auctioning there is nobody to watch your back. It only shows the saying, “Every one for himself, God for us all” some of the cars as a result of getting rid of the stock, and you can find vehicles in terrible conditions.

You should consider warranties. Not only is it right to find warranties, but you should also put an eye for the extended warranties. Some of the guarantees are no good, and you will end up spending more on car repairs.

Early bidder gets the best car. It’s a great idea since you end up with the best car. Late bidders end up with poor vehicles that are costly in terms of repair after being bought from the auctions.