Having been in a near fatal collision myself, where a man 4 times over the UK drink drive limit hit my stationary car at over 80mph. This post rings a few bells with me.
Rose Pell explains her role in helping people to cope with the aftermath of an RTC
‘I think I’m going crazy!’ ‘I’ve always been able to cope’. ‘Why can’t I get over this?’
I frequently hear these words when people come to see me after they have been involved in a road traffic incident, irrespective of its severity. For some people a crash can be a life-changing event and even a minor bump can cause fear and anxiety about returning to driving or being a passenger.
I am the Manager of RUSS (Road User Support Service) and with the aid of a Team of counsellors and ADIs (Approved Driving Instructors) we professionally support people who are finding it hard to come to terms with the aftermath of a collision, whether they are drivers, passengers, cyclists, pedestrians, witnesses or family members.
The psychological and practical treatment is available to anyone, irrespective of who was to blame.
I initially explain to clients that everyone’s experience of a crash is unique to them, no-one else will feel exactly as they do. Managing thoughts and reactions that are out of their normal range of everyday emotions can be very challenging, scary and confusing. There can also be a feeling of not being wholly in control. So many factors determine how a person reacts and recovers from such incidents. These include how vulnerable they felt at the time of the crash, the severity or perception of any injuries sustained, behaviour of others involved – which also includes the emergency services, their personal support system, and even parental messages.
You may know someone who is suffering after a road traffic incident who may have one or more, and perhaps even all, of the following symptoms:
Flashbacks and/or intrusive thoughts, sleep disturbance, impaired concentration, lethargy, mood swings, anger, irritability, social withdrawal, reduced work performance, general anxiety and fearfulness. Sometimes people avoid, as far as is possible, driving or journeying as a passenger and maybe prefer to walk or utilise public transport. All of these are normal reactions. Some symptoms will settle down with the passage of time, others may require professional intervention.
Obviously not everyone who is involved in a collision will experience full blown PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or even necessarily need help from RUSS. However, for those whose symptoms persist RUSS is able to provide tailor-made emotional assistance with very well -qualified and experienced counsellors to help resolve any lasting trauma. In addition empathic and skilled ADIs are able to help drivers and riders regain their confidence. Clients who attend RUSS assistance are treated with the upmost respect and care.
RUSS was set up in 1997 and to date has professionally and appropriately assisted over 8,000 people. This specialist help is currently avail- able in Devon, Somerset and Dorset. Owing to an identified need for such a service, in addition to proof of efficacy of treatment, there are plans to expand to other areas in the South West.

Foreign embassies’ motoring fines revealed
The bill for unpaid congestion charges by foreign diplomats in London has reached £87.4m, MPs have been told. The US – which argues it is covered by diplomatic immunity – owes £9.4m, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said. Councils are also owed £322,135 in unpaid parking fines, including £49,000 from the Nigerian High Commission. In a written statement, Mr Hammond said the Foreign Office had held meetings with a number of embassies about their parking fine debt, and had also sent letters asking them to pay or appeal if they thought they were incorrect. Payments totalling £214,154 were then made, he said, leaving the total bill for 2014 of £322,135. The multimillion pound congestion charge bill dates from February 2003 until 31 December 2014.

Update on new law on smoking in cars & other vehicles with someone under 18.
From 1 October 2015 it will be illegal to smoke in a car (or other vehicles) with anyone under 18 present.
The law is changing to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Both the driver and the smoker could be fined £50.
The law applies to every driver, including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence. The law does not apply if the driver is 17 years old and is on their own in the car.
Every time a child breathes in secondhand smoke, they breathe in thousands of chemicals. This puts them at risk of serious conditions including meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also make asthma worse.
The law applies to any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof. It still applies if people have the windows or sunroof open, have the air conditioning on, or if they sit in the open doorway of the vehicle.
The law won’t apply to a convertible car with the roof completely
down.
Image by Seriouswheels.com

I’m surprised it’s taken 2 years but finally a conviction. For those who still hog the middle and outside lanes, move back to the left. Motorist becomes first person to be convicted of ‘hogging’ the middle lane after getting fined £1,000 for driving at 60mph when inside lane was free
 Police said six cars had to brake and swerve to avoid the van on the M62
 Driver didn’t show up to court and received five points on his licence
 Leeds Magistrate Court told he had many chances to move into left lane
A van driver is believed to have become the first ever to be convicted in court of ‘hogging’ the middle lane of a motorway.
The stubborn motorist at the wheel of a Citroen Berlingo van was driving at 60mph and refused to move out of the central lane of the M62 near Huddersfield.
Magistrates ordered him to pay a £940 fine and put five penalty points on his driving licence after the incident on August 25 last year, in what is to believed to be the first court conviction for the offence since the government made it illegal in 2013.
+3
Magistrates slapped a ‘lane hogger’ driver with a £940 fine and five points on his licence after he refused to move out of the middle lane of the M62 eastbound carriage near Junction 23.
Police said six drivers had to brake and swerve to overtake the Berlingo, as it travelled on the eastbound carriage of the motorway near Junction 23.
Leeds Magistrates Court heard the driver – who did not turn up for the hearing – had numerous opportunities to move back into the left-hand lane but failed to do so, choosing instead to drive in ‘an inconsiderate manner’.
He and ordered to pay a £500 fine, £400 in costs and a £40 victim surcharge in his absence, as well as docked five points on his licence.

Contrary to beliefs, you start your driving test with a pass. It’s up to you to earn a fail.
Observations at junctions

Driving off the edge of a cliff is a bit of an exaggeration. But poor observations at junctions is one of the top 10 reasons that people fail.

You’ll be marked with this fault for not taking effective observation before emerging at junctions, and emerging into the path of other vehicles. Always make sure it’s safe before proceeding.

(Oh, and don’t wolf-whistle – it’s really not cool).

vimeo.com
2. Moving off safely
Moving off safely
Crown copyright: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Moving off safely makes it into our top 10.

When you’re moving off from the side of the road, you need to make sure you look around, check your blind spots – and that you’re indicating the right way!

3. Use of mirrors
Use of mirrors
Crown copyright: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Well OK, people don’t sit combing their hair on their driving test, but not using mirrors properly is one of the top 10 reasons people fail.

Remember that you need to use your rear view mirror and wing mirrors – and react to the information! People get caught out for pulling up with no mirror checks, increasing their speed with no mirror checks, or using their mirrors too late.

4. Reverse parking

The next reason is reverse parking. In the driving test you’ll either do a parallel park on the road, or reverse into a parking bay at the test centre.

You’ll notch up a fault in this area if you need to reposition to correct a loss of control or accuracy. A complete misjudgement or significant loss of control will count as a serious fault.

vimeo.com
5. Response to traffic lights
Response to traffic lights
Crown copyright: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Giving the right response to traffic lights is something that catches people out.

Some of the mistakes that people make include waiting at a green filter light when it’s safe to proceed and staying at the stop line when it’s safe to move.

Other faults that count include not conforming to a red light, and stopping beyond an advanced stop line in the area designated for cyclists.

6. Steering
Steering
Crown copyright: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Believe it or not, steering makes it into our top 10.

You need to be able to maintain a steady course in normal driving. Things like mounting and dismounting the kerb, and not following the contour of the kerb results in faults in this area.

7. Positioning
Well that might be a very extreme example, but positioning is really important.

Your vehicle should be positioned correctly for the route you’re taking. If lanes are marked, make sure you’re in the middle of the lane. Avoid straddling lanes.

vimeo.com
8. Turning right at junctions
Turning right at junctions
Crown copyright: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Turning right at junctions makes it onto our list.

When you’re turning right, position your vehicle correctly – it shouldn’t cut the corner when turning right.

Also, watch out for cyclists and motorcyclists, and any pedestrians crossing the road.

9. Control when moving off
Control when moving off
Crown copyright: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Is this the one everyone dreads doing?

Repeated stalling is one of the things that counts as control when moving off.

Other things that are included in this reason are moving off (or trying to!) with the handbrake on, rolling backwards when trying to move off – and not putting the car in gear and attempting to move off.

10. Response to road markings
Response to road markings
Crown copyright: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
And finally… look out for road markings.

You’ll be marked with faults in this area for doing things like unnecessarily crossing the solid white centre lines on the road, and not following directional arrows.

Stopping in a yellow box junction when the exit is not clear also counts for this reason. So make sure you know the rules about using them.

Prepare to pass
It’s normal to be nervous before your test, but if you’re properly prepared and your instructor thinks you’re ready, then there’s really no reason to worry.

On average, people who pass the test have had 45 hours of driving lessons and 22 hours of private practice.

Your examiner’s not trying to catch you out; they just want to make sure that you can drive.

Well sort of,read below. If this takes off it will reduce the costs of fuel dramatically particularly if they liquefy it.
ENERGY NEWS 24 COMMENTS
Audi to Make Fuel Using Solar Power
The automaker is using technology from SolarFuel to make renewable methane for natural-gas vehicles.

By Kevin Bullis on January 25, 2013

WHY IT MATTERS

Renewable energy needs a more cost-effective form of storage.

Gas maker: SolarFuel operates this 250-kilowatt demonstration plant that produces methane from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

Audi is building a plant that will use solar and wind power to make methane from water and carbon dioxide. The plant, which will use technology developed by Stuttgart, Germany-based SolarFuel, is scheduled to start operation later this year. It will produce enough methane to power 1,500 of Audi’s new natural-gas vehicles, which also go on sale this year.

SolarFuel’s process uses excess renewable energy generated as a result of Germany’s push to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. There’s now so much renewable energy in Germany that supply sometimes exceeds demand—such as when the wind is blowing late at night. That power could be cheap enough to make methane from water and carbon dioxide, even though the process for doing so is inefficient.

SolarFuel says its approach may be a solution to one of the biggest challenges with renewable energy—its variability. Methane, which can be stored in existing natural-gas storage facilities, provides a convenient, long-term option for storing the energy.

To make the methane, SolarFuel combines two existing technologies. One is electrolysis, which splits water to produce hydrogen and oxygen. The other is methanation, which combines hydrogen with carbon from carbon dioxide to make methane. The company says its innovation lies in the way it’s combined the two processes.

SolarFuel’s chief customer officer, Stephan Rieke, says that the amount of excess renewable energy in Germany grew, in two years, from 150 gigawatt-hours per year to 1,000 gigawatt-hours per year. “That’s electricity that we could use for nothing,” he says. The amount is expected to continue to grow as Germany pursues ambitious goals to cut greenhouse-gas emissions 80 percent by 2050 using largely renewable energy (see “The Great German Energy Experiment”).

SolarFuel can’t compete directly with the wholesale price of natural gas. But it hopes to compete with biogas—methane produced from organic sources—a relatively large industry in Germany. It may also compete with retail natural-gas prices by building its plants close to consumers.

The uses of the technology outside of Germany—with its excess supply of cheap renewable energy—will be limited. The company is in talks with mining companies in Chile that currently get power from expensive diesel generation—its system could help such operations cut costs. The technology might also be attractive for rural communities without grid power (see “How Solar-Based Microgrids Could Bring Power to Millions”).

One major drawback of the process is its inefficiency. Its small-scale demonstration systems are only 40 percent efficient at converting electricity to methane. It hopes to improve that to 60 percent efficient in its commercial plants. Even then, when factoring in the losses from burning methane to generate electricity again, the overall process is at best 30 percent efficient. SolarFuel hopes to recoup much of that lost energy by using it for steam, but doing that is limited by the demand for steam and the infrastructure for distributing it.

Just a quick update on the tax disc situation. As end of the tax disc age catches out motorists: The new car tax rules you need to know to avoid an £800 fine or having your car clamped
Motorists no longer need to display a tax disk on their windscreen, but other modifications – such as the way vehicle tax is transferred when a car changes hands – has left many people confused.
In October last year, vehicle tax went digital. Cars no longer need to display a tax disc and instead police cameras will automatically check a car’s licence plate to establish whether it has been paid. Drivers also gained the ability to spread the cost of the tax by paying by monthly direct debit.
But the change that is catching people out is this. For decades, if a car changed ownership any remaining vehicle excise duty would be transferred as well.
Anyone selling a second-hand car could boast that it was ‘taxed and MOT’d’ until a certain date – it was one of the perks of buying second hand.
From October, the paid tax is automatically cancelled if a car changes hands.
This means that the new owner must pay again. The former owner will automatically receive a refund of any full months of remaining paid tax.
Who will this affect?
Anyone who buys or sells a car or just changes the name to whom a car is registered. All other drivers can continue to pay their car tax as usual – the only difference is they will no longer receive a tax disc and payment options are now more flexible.
The number of cars that have been clamped has rocketed by 60 per cent since the new rules came into force, from about 5,000 a month before the changes to 8,630 after.
The increase suggests drivers may be confused by the fact outstanding tax is cancelled, even if there is a seemingly valid tax disc in the car window.
What happens if you’re caught out?
The DVLA says it is writing to all buyers of vehicles to let them know they must pay the tax. If it isn’t paid, it also sends out a reminder.
If you fail to pay the tax, your car will be clamped and you’ll have to pay a substantial release fee to get it back.
The government website www.gov.uk/get-a-clamped-or-impoundedvehicle-released has more information.
To release an untaxed vehicle that has been clamped a fee of £100 must be paid. In addition, the vehicle must be taxed or a surety of £160 for a car or motorcycle must be paid before the vehicle can be released. The surety payment is forfeited if the keeper does not show the vehicle has been taxed within 2 weeks. This may be done at the nearest car pound. If the vehicle is not released within 24 hours it is impounded and the release fee increases to £200.
There is a £21 per day storage charge as well as the requirement to tax the vehicle or make a surety payment. This must be done at the car pound where the vehicle is being stored. The motorist would need to call NSL on 0843 224 1999 to find out which car pound this would be. If the necessary release and storage fees are not paid, DVLA could dispose of the vehicle after it has been in the car pound for seven days.

Congratulations to Mark Howard passing 1st time today with just 4 minor faults. Well done pal.

The centre will relocate as soon as a site is found.

Rochdale driving test centre
Rochdale test centre will be moving later this year.
We have been given notice by the landlord and need to vacate the test centre by the end of June.

We are committed to providing testing from the Rochdale area and are in the process of locating a new site.

We will let you know the details of the new location as soon as they are available.

Just a quick one about planned maintainance on Dvsa
Planned maintenance this weekend for some DVSA online services
This weekend some of DVSA’s online services for driver and rider trainers won’t be available because of planned maintenance.
You won’t be able to use the following services from 9:00am Saturday (28 March) until mid afternoon on Sunday (29 March):

book and manage your practical driving test
DVSA practical test business service
ADI online services (eg. renew or update your registration)
record Driver CPC training you provide
check your Driver CPC periodic training hours
upload delegated examiner records
We’re sorry for any inconvenience this causes.

Online theory tests

The online theory test booking service won’t be affected. You and your trainees will still be able to book and manage your theory tests as usual.

Dear All

In case any of your members use the theory test centre in Cheltenham, I wanted to advise you that the location of this centre will be changing in April.

The last day of testing at the current site at Pate Court on St Margaret’s Road is Thursday 16h April. There will be no testing in Cheltenham between Friday 17th April and Friday 24th April to allow the fit out of the new site. Testing will then start at the new site on Saturday 25th April.

The address of the new theory test site is as follows:

The Coliseum
18-20 Albion Street
Cheltenham
GL52 2LP

Candidates will be informed of the new address in their email confirmation of their test booking.

I hope you find this information useful and there is minimal disruption to candidates and trainers. Please let me know if there is any other information which would be helpful to pass on to your members.

Elizabeth Smith | Driving Theory Test Service Manager
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency | Finance and Corporate Services
Phone: 0115 936 6429 Mobile: 07818 494 632

DVSA, The Axis Building, 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, NG1 6LP