About the car
Everything starts with the car itself. Some cars are definitely better than others in terms of safety so it is best to check out magazines, web sites etc to make a smart choice and get a car with great safety features.
Speed
Though it may look obvious, speed is the cause of a number of accidents. The slower the car is, the safer it is; of course it does not mean to go at 30miles/hr everywhere, just to be respectful of the law and drive within speed limits.
Awareness
On the road, you can never know as to what other drivers may be thinking like if they are going to cross in front of you near the injection or if they are drunk. The best thing is to be always alert and to react as the situation demands it.
Wear your seat belt
It goes without saying that this should be an obvious fact too but many people do not take these simples seconds to put on their seat belts. This can make a whole difference in an accident as it has been seen that wearing a seat belt can reduce the chances of death by 50%.
Vehicle maintenance
The maintenance of your vehicle is an aspect that you should not forget as it can reduce your chances of breakdowns and accidents. Check your oil, belts, tyres, air in the tyres, keep the windows clean, lights are working properly etc. These basics can keep you safe on the road.
Be prepared
Make sure that you are prepared for all eventualities like bad weather, breakdowns, accidents etc. Be smart and prepare anything that you may need like cables, first aid kit, shovel, extra oil and gas etc.
Take a class
By taking a class on driving and safety you will become a safer driver.

It is important to concentrate on what you are doing whilst on the road as you need only a simple distraction to get involved in an accident. Today, learner drivers are even more distracted with a number of things on the British roads.
There are 5 main distractions that you can encounter as a new driver:

1. Mobiles- whilst driving it can be very dangerous using your phone and it also increases the risks of accidents. Texting is even worse when driving. The best thing to do if you cannot switch off your mobile phone during driving is to pull over and use it or ignore it until you get to your destination.
2. Mirror adjustment – though it may not look like a big deal, adjusting your mirrors while driving can lead to an accident. Make sure that you get everything right before starting off the car. The same goes for radios, CDs and windows.
3. Passengers – having a number of passengers can lead to an accident for driver learners and it has been shown in Australian studies that young male drivers with 2 or more passengers with them increase the risks of accidents. Make sure that you do not carry too many people with you then or have an older family member travel with you if necessary.
4. Eating – it is a common thing to go to a drive through of a fast food place to get a meal, but wait until you are safely at home or at your destination to eat at your ease. It only takes a moment of inattention to crash.
5. Outside distractions – obviously one of the biggest distractions for drivers is what is happening outside of the vehicle: pedestrians, billboards, shops, you name it. Make sure that you concentrate on the road and try to avoid distractions as much as possible.

It is important that you purchase learner driver insurance as there are a number of distractions that can lead to an accident and one of the best ways to prevent them is to get the right information from your driving instructor and strategies to overcome them.

Before taking on the road you have to get the provisional driving license first. Only people aged 17 and above are allowed onto the road but you can apply for your provisional driving license two months in advance before it becomes valid.

There are some exceptions, like if you have a higher rate Disability Living Allowance, you can get a provisional driving license at 16.
To get a provisional driving license you must complete the D1 form from the DVLA, the local post office or online.

You need to enclose your original documents regarding your identity, a passport size photograph and a cheque of £45. You will receive your provisional driving license within three weeks and from there on you will be able to take driving lesson and do your theory test as well.

When driving, make sure that you follow the appropriate rules as bad habits are difficult to lose in the long run. Make sure of the following while taking your lessons: the vehicle is properly taxed, competent and has appropriate insurance, there is the L plate at the front and rear of the vehicle that you are driving (Wales: D plates) and that any person with you in the car must be above 21 and hold a driving license for more than 3 years.

Without a doubt, you will want to spend as much time possible in a vehicle once you get your provisional driving license.
The best lessons are from professional instructors though driving with friends and families can add to the learning process too.

1. It is sad to note that a large portion of road accidents have been associated with driving and drinking. It accounts for 40% of on road deaths per year out of which 60% is related to youngsters aged between 16-24 years because of a lack of judgment. The solution is very simple though, when driving cast out drinking.
2. Car accidents have been on the rise due to mobile use whilst driving; there has been the implementation of new laws restricting mobile use during driving even when it comes to sending a simple text. If you have to use your mobile, pull over and do it or wait to get to your destination to do so.
3. Many people die on the roads as a result of aggression or disputes with other road users. It has been shown in studies that many people tend to fight back when they get into disputes on the road but truth is such situations can take the life of people and so the best thing is to simply be an adult and ignore them.
4. A car seat is of primordial importance for a child; it has been seen that car accidents are the leading cause of child death aged between 2-14 years and the cause behind injuries of children aged between 0-2 years. Your child is a priority while driving so make sure to get them in a car seat before starting off.
5. Though obvious, this simple fact is often not considered; 15% of car crashes is due to speeding with 35% consisting of fatal crashes. When you drive fast, you have less reaction time both for yourself and other road users and the scenario is even worse under uncommon conditions as is reflected in statistics. Drive slowly especially in dangerous situations.
6. 20% of car accidents have been due to bad weather conditions so to be on the safe side, always drive slowly and patiently when in such situations.
7. It is important to get an eye test before renewing your driving license so as to make sure that you can clearly see what is happening on the road and know how to react as such. Get your eyes regularly checked if you have to wear glasses.
8. A seat belt is of utmost importance whilst driving and it has been seen that at least 5,000 deaths are due to people not wearing their seat belts per year. Be responsible and wear yours.
9. You can get lessons from a defensive driving school if you have to learn how not to over steer in dangerous situations.
10. Driving when tired can be very dangerous as the person cannot concentrate fully on the road. Switch drivers every couple of hours or practice driver revival techniques to make sure that you can do it.

You have seen the main factors that can lead to accidents, now you can discuss them with your friends, family or even driving instructor to know more about the subject.

You initial thought of being asked if you want to go on it is ‘hell no, I know how to drive I just passed my test didn’t I?’ but there are many benefits for you as a driver to go on it. As a learner you are not allowed to drive on the motorway buy you can drive on a dual carriageway driving at a speed of 50mph on a motorway the national speed limit is 70mph and the driving experience is different in so many ways. The first time you drive on the motorway can be a little scary as you have no-one to guide you and you have to use all the knowledge that your instructor taught you, you’ll have no prompts and no-one to give you tips.

Another daunting driving experience is driving at night; you need to be more aware as the hazards are more difficult to spot because of lack of lighting after dusk. One of the best incentives to go on the pass plus course was because a long time ago you would get a further 30% off your insurance quote but unfortunately during the last few years having a pass plus certificate no longer means reduced insurance. Insurance for new drivers is still very expensive and unfortunately having pass plus no longer guarantees cheaper insurance coverage.

Don’t let this put you off as being a confident driver makes you a safer driver therefore reducing the risk if an accident as a newly qualified driver. You won’t always be able to have mum, dad or your partner in the car with you when you need to go out.

When you first meet your instructor he or she will ask you about any driving experience you may have, don’t worry as most new learners have never even sat in the driver’s seat before. As you are most likely to have never been in the driver’s seat before the instructor is most likely going to drive to a quiet area where you will switch places. When you reach an area that is safe and free from traffic you will switch seats with the instructor who will then tell you where all the controls are and how to use them.

Don’t worry as learner cars will have dual controls so if the instructor feels like you need help he or she will take control. The first task will be to put the car into first gear and move off, you will spend most of the lesson doing this as you need the practice and confidence before you can drive with other cars on the road.

As part of the first lesson your instructor will also teach you all the gears, how to hold the steering wheel and all about using your mirrors. Remember that you need the practice so the more lessons you get the better and confident you will get. If you are covered you can also ask your parents to give you lessons as this will help you greatly in passing quicker.

There are ways of getting cheaper insurance and one is the car you drive. If you are a young driver you really should forget those ideas of driving a Ferrari or an Aston martin until you’ve notched up some no-claims bonus. In order to do this you should buy a car which falls into the lower insurance categories. Basically the theory goes, the smaller the engine size, the less likely you are to be able to drive recklessly, although you might still drive without “due care and attention”. The lower categories for insurance purposes start at 1 and the most expensive cars to insure are in the 20 category.

So what is a group 1 car? The classic Volkswagen Beetle is a category 1 car, as it doesn’t go very fast, and they do need a lot of care and attention, but they look cool. Everyone notices an old beetle, so if you want to be noticed, this is the coolest car in the group 1 category unless you can get hold of an old Mini Cooper. However these tend to be pricey these days as they are collectors’ items, but they, too are certainly cool. The old Citroen 2CV6 is another old classic that is in category 1.

Other cars that are in the first category are the Vauxhall Corsa, the Fiat Punto, the Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 107, and the 206 is in category 2. The Smart for two coupe is a category 1 car too. However be careful as the category 1 cars are not the top of the range models these are the standard models with the smallest engine capacities. For example the Ford Fiesta top of the range model will be in category 6. The 1 litre Corsa is in category 1, but others will be in higher categories.

These new (not classic ones like the Beetle) cars are cheap to insure because they cost less than others (so if one was a write-off after an accident the insurer would not have to pay out too much), their spare parts are readily available and insurance companies would not have to pay for a courtesy car for long if you had an accident.

Shelve those dreams of a Ferrari and buy a cheap, small car for the time being so that you can notch up your no-claims bonus and pay less on insurance premiums right now. Don’t forget to shop around for the best deals.

UK government introduced the hazard perception test in Nov. 2002 for enhancing the driving skills and for reducing the number of people being killed or seriously injured in road accidents. It is basically introduced by a collaborative planning of the DSA (Driving Standard Agency), the TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) and the Road Safety Division to test the hazard awareness skills of a driver.

Hazard perception test is executed through clicking the mouse of a computer. Every learner driver is presented with fourteen different video clips, featuring day-to-day road scenes. 13 out of 14 clips would consist of one scoring hazard, while the rest 1 clip would include two scoring hazards. One has to be prompt enough to click the mouse button at appropriate timing for passing the test.

In order to get high score each time, you will need to respond as quickly as possible. This is because responding early to a hazard development will mean lesser chance of the occurrence of an accident. However, there is a common mistake a candidate does too often and that is clicking of the mouse button too early, i.e. even before the computer can perceive the hazard. If you click too early, you won’t get any number. This usually happens in case of hyperactivity, which is common among candidates who are overconfident or nervous.

There is no option to review your answer once you have clicked the mouse button. This measure is there to let you realize that you will get only one chance to respond to any developing hazard on the road. This is why you are required to be paying your utmost concentration while giving the test.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter how good you are at responding to hazard developments, the highest score you can get can never be more than five. It doesn’t matter for which vehicle you are giving your driving test; the version of hazard perception test is always the same. This is because the skills of early perception of any potential danger and of recognising any available clues are pre-requisites for any driver.

Getting car insurance for learner drivers tends to be an expensive venture mainly due to the fact that they are considered as high risk compared to drivers who have years of experience. As such, it is imperative to understand some of the major ways through which you can lower these costs and as such, get the same at considerably lower costs. For starters, you can opt to insure your own car third party only rather than comprehensive. This is especially ideal if you can afford to buy your own car and get it insured straight away. Since it will be under your name, it will give you the opportunity to earn a no-claim discount and this will go long way in safeguarding your future interests.

You could also opt to get an additional cover for a co-driver. This is good for learners who choose to buy their own car since it ensures that they are covered on all sides in case of any eventuality. On the other hand, if as a learner you choose to practice in someone else’s car, it is important to request that they have you covered as an additional driver. At this point, it is ideal for the learner to know the various types of car insurance for learner drivers and the different policies available. To start off with, there is the third party only policy which covers damages you might cause to other people whether bodily, to private property or death. Secondly, there is third party fire and theft which acts in the same manner as third party but goes a step further to protect your car. Finally, there is the comprehensive policy which covers every conceivable possibility.

At this point, it is ideal to note that you should take the time to understand the provisions made in these policies before making your decision to settle with any. When getting learner driver insurance, it is important to note that apart your age, the model, size of engine and age of the car will greatly affect the overall cost of the policy. The most ideal thing about getting insurance is the fact that most insurers allow you to spread your costs and make payments in monthly installments. As a learner, ensuring that you get additional information to warrant you as a safe driver will ensure that you get a low cost insurance policy and for this reason, make sure that you get an additional certificate like the pass plus to show insurers that you’re a competent driver.