Tips

Following the recent announcement that driving tests will be changing from the 4th of December 2017 (see our previous blog for full details) further changes are coming to the way in which new drivers learn how to drive.Read more

Learning to drive is, for many, essential but it is also an exciting time for the younger generation. However, the increased expenses that come with being a new driver are making it quite difficult for youngsters to start driving. A major expense to consider is the often prohibitive insurance premium which new drivers need to pay.Read more

Although winter brings hazardous road conditions, did you know that it is actually the summer months that are the most dangerous to road users? We commonly apply caution during the winter months to cope with icy roads, damp conditions and fog but we often assume summer driving is much safer.Read more

Research conducted by the DVSA has indicated that more than half the drivers that currently use the road make use of satellite navigation devices. Consequently, the decision has been announced to integrate sat nav skills into the driving test. From the 4th December 2017, learner drivers being examined for a licence will have to show that they have sufficient skills to use a sat nav.Read more

Highway Code rule 146 seems to be one of basic common sense. But is it really? Because this rule covers a broad range of possibilities and the interpretation of adapting the way you are driving under certain road conditions can be different for everyone, this rule is open to interpretation. In fact, the way two different drivers interpret this rule at the same time may well depend on whether the road conditions produce an outcome that results in an accident.Read more

For many drivers it’s all too easy to be blasé about mobile phone use when in charge of a vehicle. It seems that our 24/7 attachment to our smartphones today has at least something to do with it, while drivers getting away with mobile use may also lull them into a false sense a security.Read more

As a business, we take the protection of our pupils’ information incredibly seriously, but we also understand that there is plenty of confusing information out there in relation to data protection, and how it applies to businesses such as ours. Because of this, we thought that we’d share with fellow driving schools the long, short and the basics of data protection in plain English.

The Official Word from the ICO

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the public body responsible for ensuring businesses meet their obligations in terms of data protection. They enforce the Data Protection Act 1998, which applies to living individuals’ data which is stored either digitally or physically on paper.
There are eight core principals to the Data Protection Act, which state that personal data must be:
“1. Fairly and lawfully processed;
2. Processed for specified purposes;
3. Adequate, relevant and not excessive;
4. Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
5. Not kept for longer than is necessary;
6. Processed in line with the rights of the individual;
7. Kept secure; and
8. Not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area unless the information is adequately protected”.

If you wish to read the full guide from the Information Commissioner’s Office this can be found here.

The seven-step checklist to meeting your data protection obligations

1. You must let your pupils know what information you’re holding and what it will be used for.
2. You must hold the data securely (see our section on this further down).
3. The data you hold must be kept up to date.
4. Once you no longer have any need for the data, it must be destroyed (such as when a pupil passes).
5. You must ensure access to the information is only given to those who need it.
6. Where CCTV is in use, it must not record any details (e.g. it must be faced towards your desk, rather than behind it).
7. You must train your staff on their data protection responsibilities.

Do driving instructors need to ‘register’?

You may have heard that some small businesses need to notify the ICO about their data processing. Driving instructors do not fall into this category, and you don’t need to register.

Important pointer: You must hand over a copy of all data held on an individual if requested

Should a pupil request to see their information, you are legally obliged to provide them with a copy.

“What happens if I breach the Data Protection Act?”

Breaches of data protection are taken seriously and can be deemed a criminal offence, the punishments for which ranges up to a £5,000 fine.

Storing data securely

Cloud storage offers just about the most robust protection you could find – over and above storing files on your hard drive (which could, in all likelihood, be stolen should your premises by burgled). But you must choose a premium provider (free providers simply won’t offer the same level of security as the paid options). You must also ensure that any cloud provider is going to store your data in the UK (as outlined in the Data Protection Act).
Alternatively, you should follow good data practice when storing it in-house namely:
– Keeping all paper files locked away in a robust filing cabinet when not in use
– Using anti-virus on your computers
– Installing a firewall for your IT system
– Ensuring that staff change their passwords regularly, that they do not share passwords, and that passwords contain at least one capitalised letter, a number and a non-alphabetically character, to a minimum of eight characters long.

Our pupils are safe in the knowledge that our data management skills are as good as our driving tuition. To book a driving lesson in Kent, call the team at Lanes School of Driving, Kent – phone on 020 8166 5678 or pop us a message via our contact page.

Now that winter is truly upon us, drivers need to make sure that their vehicle will be able to operate effectively regardless of what the weather is like.

Coping with winter mornings and travelling long distances in poor and dark driving conditions is bad enough. But if you have not made adequate preparations then there are a range of problems that can arise that can prevent you from arriving at your destination.

We believe that prevention is better than cure, so here are 10 important preventative measures that any driver can take to minimise problems when driving during the winter months.

1. Top up your radiator – Antifreeze should be used to top up your radiator. This means that your engine coolant will not freeze in sub zero temperatures;
2. Check your oil levels – this takes a matter of minutes to check and insufficient oil in the engine can lead to your car breaking down and painful repair bills, too;
3. Clear your windscreen – make sure that your screen wash is topped up regularly so that you can keep your windscreen clear at all times. Ice scrapers are a cheap solution to the problem of icy forming on your windscreen and keep de-icing spray in the car, as this can make it quick and easy to remove ice build ups on car windows. Also check your wiper blades – worn, or broken blades need to be replaced immediately;
4. Check your car battery – battery failure can happen at any time but is more likely during the winter months. Battery should not be a problem as they are checked when your car is being serviced. However, if you have any concerns about how your car starts don’t leave it until it is too late, and have your car battery checked as soon as possible;
5. Check your tyres – car tyres have to work that much harder during harsh weather conditions. Make sure that the tread is adequate and that the air pressure is correct. Also ensure that your spare tyre is in good condition, with good treads and the right tyre pressure. Ensure that you carry all the tools and equipment you require in the car with you, so that you can replace your tyre, should you need to do so;
6. Make sure your lights work – make sure your headlamps and all lights on your car are working, correctly, including your fog lamps and reversing lights;
7. Remove condensation – condensation on the inside of your vehicle can make it impossible to see through. Left overnight it can freeze on some cars. Make sure that you rear window demister is functioning, and that you can see clearly out of your windscreen and all other windows are condensation free before setting off on your journey;
8. Take a shovel with you – You never know when you will need to dig yourself, and your car, out of snowdrifts. So keep a decent sized shovel with you at all times. For the times when conditions are so icy that a shovel won’t get you moving carry generously proportioned strips of carpet. These should be placed under the wheels of trapped vehicles making it easier for them to gain traction on the ice below;
9. Pack an Emergency Kit – you never know where you might end up, or how long it will take you to get home. If your vehicle breaks down or bad weather stops you from going home, you will be pleased that you packed an emergency kit. What you include in your kit depends, to a certain extent on personal preference and the amount of space available in your vehicle. It is likely to include many of the following items – a warm blanket, change of clothes, first aid kit, torch, radio, jump leads, high visibility vest, chocolate (optional!), warning triangle and a pencil and paper;

We all know that making a telephone call or sending a text when holding a mobile phone can be distracting and dangerous, but what about listening to music? Could it be that listening to music might be distracting too?

So, the short answer to that question is “It depends”.

That is because, drivers can experience one or more of the following distractions while driving:

Mental – requiring the driver to concentrate on something other than their driving;

Physical – requiring the driver to actually remove their hand(s) from the steering wheel;

Visual – requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road;

So how does music affect drivers, mentally, physically and visually?

Mood – there is no doubt that music can change the way you feel. Indeed the attraction of listening to music is that it provides a mood changing experience. Furthermore, the quality of a piece of music is often decided based purely on its ability to affect our emotions. So, few would deny that music has the potential to affect the way we think and feel, and can stimulate memories and feelings from the past. This close relationship between music and moods is a potential danger. Especially when the driver is experiencing challenging driving conditions due to poor weather conditions, perhaps. It is perfectly possible that playing certain types of music,  whilst driving can engender moods and memories that divert the drivers attention, increasing the risk of road accidents;

Concentration – a loud, syncopated beat characterises so much of our contemporary music. There is an enormous amount of research that shows how fast paced music, played at a loud volume can lead to erratic and unpredictable driving.  It’s not the act of playing of music in the car which is the problem. It is the fact that music with certain characteristics such as music which has a rapid tempo and music played at high volume, can reduce their concentration levels and delay some people’s reaction times. The key takeaway from this is simply that if you play fast paced music loudly while driving you may well the exposing yourself, your passengers and other road users to excessively high levels of danger;

Relaxation – Now, while music with a fast tempo played at high volumes must be avoided while driving, there is nothing to stop a driver playing music with a low tempo, at a reasonable volume. Furthermore, there may be benefits for drivers who listen to this form of music. The psychological benefits of listening to classical music include creating a feeling of relaxation and well being. These benefits can also be found in some types of contemporary music with a slow tempo;

Operating in car music systems –  There is no doubt that as motor vehicles become more sophisticated so have their music systems. These music systems can do more than ever before, but can also be more distracting. Any activity that requires a driver to concentrate on something other than driving,  from changing the channel on the radio, to choosing which music to play, is a potentially dangerous distraction, and is something that should be avoided;

So, in brief, it does not matter whether you listen to opera, hip hop or classical music while driving. It is the tempo, and volume, of the music which matters most. The greater the tempo, and the volume, the more distracting and dangerous the music can be.