Planning to drive through Europe? Driving rules and requirements change from country to country, so before you head off on your next trip, make sure you’re prepared and have everything you need. We’ve put together this useful guide that’s full of everything you need to know, from pre-trip checks and what to take with you to things to remember when you get there.  Please note: This guide is aimed at UK citizens who plan to take their own vehicle or a hired/leased vehicle out of the UK for less than 12 months. There are different rules for commercial drivers, or if you’re planning to take y ..read more

It’s that time of year when your windscreen wipers are probably working harder than usual. Rain, hail and snow – or all of the above – are always a likely possibility during unpredictable UK winters. However, like every other part of your car, your wiper blades will suffer from wear and tear over time – and they do need replacing at some point. To give you a helping hand for when this does happen, we’ve put together a quick guide below, including when your blades need to be changed, the different types of blades available, how to fit them and more. Why is it important to replace your wiper bla ..read more

Changing your wipers is easy and takes just five minutes to do! The UK has unpredictable weather to say the least, which means our windscreen wipers play an important role in maintaining our safety on the road. Wiper blades are essential for seeing the road ahead in wet conditions and they also clear stray leaves, salt and other debris that blows into your line of vision. However, over time, the effectiveness of wiper blades deteriorates, and you’ll need to replace them when this happens. We’ve put together this handy guide to help you understand when to replace your wipers and how t ..read more

Drivers have been warned that new speed cameras with the latest technology will soon be coming to the UK.  The VECTOR-SR cameras have been developed by tech company Jenoptik and are the most advanced of their kind yet. Set to be in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, they will work differently to old-style cameras in that they will track two-way traffic instead of just the left-hand lane. They will also double for both speed and red-light enforcement, making them one of the most versatile cameras on the market today. Using a video-based system that will work in tandem with an int ..read more

Road Safety Week is here, so what better time to slow things down and talk about speed limits – or rather, the importance of sticking to speed limits. Across the UK, we have a range of speed limits that help us navigate the roads and help keep both ourselves and those around us safe. But, especially if it’s been a little while since passing your driving test, it can be easy to start trickling over the speed limits during our daily commutes. It’s important to remember that those limits are not recommendations, they are there for a reason and there can be serious consequences if they are not adh ..read more

After months of lessons and practice, there’s no better feeling than when you finally pass that test and become a fully-fledged driver – ready to take on the roads and embark on a four-wheel adventure.   Of course, many learners are currently facing big delays when it comes to taking their practical test. An ongoing backlog created during the pandemic and lockdown means that many learners are having to wait weeks or even months before taking their test. Unfortunately, this increase in demand shows no signs of slowing down – with delays expected to run into 2024.   However ..read more

While driving in the UK, it is normal - and reasonable – to think that adverse weather conditions exclusively refer to torrential rainfall.  However, every once in a while, the weather making it difficult to drive might, in fact, be a cloudless sky and the sun. Especially during the winter months, where the sun is likely to be hanging low in the sky, piercing sunlight can make navigating the roads extremely difficult.  To help with this, we have a few tips to combat this rare phenomenon and keep you safe on the roads no matter the weather, rain or shine.  Your visor Every car wi ..read more

The automotive industry is in the middle of a massive shift, moving away from traditional combustion engines to almost exclusively focussing on electric. Whilst prime minister, Rishi Sunak, announced this week that the ban on new petrol and diesel cars would be pushed back from 2030 to 2035, the change is still coming, and it's important to stay up to date on electric developments. But with acronyms at every turn and new terminology for us to learn, the switch to electric can seem pretty daunting at first. To help ease this transition to the next phase of automobile life, we’ve prepa ..read more

We all want to drive as safely as we possibly can, and one of the most obvious things to get right is maintaining proper stopping distances when we are out and about driving. But what do we mean by proper stopping distances? And what are some of the external factors you should be taking into account when driving?   Stopping distances  Stopping distance is the measurement of how far it takes you to come to a complete stop when you need to suddenly brake. Most people know that you should give roughly three car lengths of distances between you and the car ahead of you in good condi ..read more

If you’re heading on a long road trip, there are several simple steps you can take before you leave home to ensure your journey is as smooth as possible.   As with most things, preparation is key, and spending a few minutes carrying out these vehicle checks can save you a lot of time and money in the long run – and, most importantly, help to keep you safe on the roads. So, before you head off, here’s a list of our top pre-journey checks* that will help you drive safer, avoid any dreaded breakdowns and make your journey more enjoyable.  *Approved by Automotive expert, William Deary fr ..read more