From the 1st December 2003 it became illegal to use a hand held phone while driving. There is a £30 fixed penalty, with up to £1,000 if convicted in court. There is a fine of £2,5000 for goods lorry drivers, buses or coach drivers.

You cannot use any phones/equipment if they have to be held at any point during the course of making or receiving a call – or any other interactive communication.

There is still the possibility of a fine for using a hands-free kit – if you are found to be distracted and therefore not have proper control of your vehicle.

Texting, internet access and computer phones are also prohibited if you have to hold the phone to use them.

GPS and personal digital assistants are allowed as long as you do not have to hold them.

If your phone rings while you are driving, ignore it until you have pulled over to a safe place. It is best to switch on your voicemail before you travel.

In a traffic jam, or at traffic lights, you are still prohibited from using your phone if you have to hold it. This is unless you are obviously stuck, and your engine is switched off.

Two way radio’s are not included in the legislation – but they can be distracting so it is best to use them while parked.

Research has shown that most car thiefs are opportunists, and therefore can be deterred by taking some simple steps

62% of reported car crime is made up of thefts from cars, so:

• Never leave anything on display in your car
• Always lock all doors and boot.
• When you leave, take your wallet and mobile phone with you (40% of car break- ins involves theft of mobile phone).
• If you cannot take items with you, keep them well hidden.
• Never leave your keys in the ignition, even if you are just at the petrol station.
• When parking use a garage if you have one, and lock both the car and the garage.
• If you do not have a garage or driveway park in a busy, well-lit area.
• In car parks, choose ones that have on-duty attendants and park in a well-lit space that can be seen easily.
• Alarms are effective in preventing theft of the car and items from it. Always use ones approved by the vehicle systems installation board.
• Engine Immobilisers – most new cars have one fitted. They prevent the car from starting. To get one fitted expect to pay around £120.
• Steering Locks can be a useful deterrant and can be bought from most shops and garages.
• Get a lockable petrol cap – thieves will even steal fuel!
• Buy a car stereo that you can remove, and take it with you when you leave the car.
• Etching – this can be useful for older cars. It involves having the last 7 digits of the VIN number etched onto all the windows, windscreens and headlights.
• Invest in locking wheel nuts. These are cheap and easy to use, and prevent your wheels from being stolen.
• If you have a very valuable car, it may be worth getting GPS tracking device fitted. This enables police to track your vehicle wherever it is.

Alarms & Immobilisers

It is usually cost effective to invest in security equipment, unless your vehicle is worth very little. Although most new cars have an alarm or immobiliser fitted (law since 1998), you may want to upgrade it. If so ensure that all devices are Thatcham approved – they have one of the most rigorous test regimes in the world.

To give you an idea of the cost of these devices:

AN550 Thatcham Category 1 Approved Alarm £169.99. Fitting takes 4-5hrs at £150-£175 extra.

M1600 Thatcham Category 2 Approved Transponder Immobiliser £54.99. Fitting cost approx. £80

(examples from www.microscanalarms.co.uk)

If Your Car Is Stolen

• Unless you have seen it being stolen, then you do not need to call 999.
• Call your local police station, and give them the details of the theft.
• Have the details of the car ready – make, model, colour , registration.
• You will be given a crime number for insurance claims.
• If your car is found, it will be kept for forensic examination.
• To get it back, you will have to pay a garage fee (you can claim this back through your insurance)
• If your vehicle is not found, then report it to your insurance company as such and give them your crime number.

The figures are frightening- over 41,000 people die in road traffic accidents every year and over 2million more suffer severe and disabling injuries.

There are a number of effective ways to stay safe whilst driving. One is by ensuring that your car is roadworthy and well-maintained, but it is especially important to take responsibility for your own driving whilst being vigilant of other vehicles on the road.

This is more commonly known as defensive driving- the practice of protecting yourself from harm by keeping a close eye on other vehicles as well as driving responsibly in your own car. A large number of crashes are caused by drivers speeding, not paying attention to road conditions, being careless (not checking for other vehicles etc.) and not wearing seatbelts (or not wearing them correctly).

Safety Tips

Therefore, there are some very simple ways that you can avoid accidents and collisions:

• Always wear a seatbelt, and ensure that all passengers do too. It is best to get into the habit of securing everyone before you have even started the engine. It is also worth investing in special dog car harnesses. You can buy them in most pet shops and car stores. They protect your pet and you.
• Drive at a reasonable speed, not too fast or slow.
• Consider the conditions and drive accordingly- is it wet and slippery, foggy with poor visibility or fine and dry?
• Be familiar with the rules of the road and stick to them- Give way to traffic on the right, stay in the correct lane at roundabouts.
• Do not contend with other drivers- don’t race them, cut them up or in any way obstruct their path.
• Keep a gap between vehicles - Stay at least 3 seconds behind another vehicle.
• Be vigilant of other vehicles- if you notice another car swerving or braking suddenly for no reason, the driver may be impaired and you should avoid driving near it.
• Alert the police to any suspicious driving – it could prevent a serious accident.
• Never drive after you have been drinking- you may have only had 1 drink, but there are a number of factors (if you haven’t eaten, your sex and weight, how long ago you drank) which affect your blood alcohol level. Don’t risk it – take a taxi or designate a driver who won’t drink.
• Don’t drive if you are sleep deprived or very tired. This affects concentration, reactions and perception. Ask someone else to drive or reschedule the journey.

Driving Courses

You may wish to consider enrolling on a defensive driving course, or a driver improvement course. These types of course focus on being a more responsive and responsible driver, better handling of vehicles and how to avoid collision safely.

These websites offer further information and enrolment on courses:

• www.nsc.org/train/ddc/ddcchart.cfm
• www.besafedrivertraining.org.uk

Breakdown

It is very likely that at some point in your life you will be in a vehicle that breaks down whilst on the road. To ensure your safety and that of other passengers, there are some basic steps to follow to keep safe.

• When you realise something is wrong, don’t panic and swerve or brake suddenly. Slow down gradually and pull into the emergency lane or hard shoulder. Use your hazard lights (emergency flashers) to let other drivers know what is happening.
• If you have a mobile phone, use it to alert a breakdown service to the problem.
• If you don’t have a mobile phone, walk to the nearest emergency phone or telephone box (if not on a motorway/dual carriageway). Do not attempt to get the attention of other drivers by flagging them down or stepping into their path.
• If you can’t move the vehicle, put on the emergency indicators and let police/breakdown service know immediately.
• Once your vehicle is off the road, use hazard lights and reflective triangles and raise the hood to make it visible to other vehicles and breakdown services. If it is dark, put on the interior light.
• Do not stay in the vehicle if it on the side of a road. Get out and stand back from the road.
• If you are changing a flat tyre, ensure it is safe to do so- that you are far enough away from other traffic. Always move the vehicle out of the road and never attempt on the spot repairs.

Safety Equipment

It is helpful if you carry with you some basic pieces of equipment:

• Mobile phone – to telephone breakdown services or police
• Torch/flashlight – for night time emergencies
• Reflective marker triangles – to make your vehicle visible to other drivers and breakdown services
• Telephone number of breakdown service and if you are a member, carry your card in the car – for speed and simplicity
• Spare jacket – in case you have to wait outside your car in the cold or wet
• Jack – all the following are helpful for tyre changes
• Wheel brace
• Spanners
• Screwdrivers
• Car manual – you never know when you may need that information!