3 minute read – Veygo

Road Safety Week 2024

Angharad Evans — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:12:44 +0000

What is Road Safety Week?

Road Safety Week is an annual campaign dedicated to promoting road safety awareness and advocating for safer roads and responsible driving behaviour. This week-long event aims to shine a light on road safety, with the purpose of reducing road accidents and saving lives by educating all drivers on the importance of responsible driving, pedestrian safety and the need for improved road infrastructure.

According to road safety charity, Brake, every year more than 1,700 people die on UK roads, with another 30,000 receiving serious, life-changing injuries. The numbers are shockingly high and have remained at a consistent level for a long time, impacting not just the casualties but also their families.

For this year’s Road Safety Week, Brake will be revealing the stories behind the statistics – including the families of those who’ve been impacted by road accidents – and calling for the highest standard of care for every road victim.

How to Participate in Road Safety Week 2024?

It doesn’t matter if you’re a learner driver, new driver or experienced driver, everyone can sign up to take part in Road Safety Week 2024. You can sign up here.

For Road Safety Week 2024, Brake will be doing the below:

Leading on the development of a Road Victims’ Charter, calling on the new government to provide sustainable funding and parity of care for road victims and their families, whoever they are, wherever they live, and whether or not a crime has occurred.
Bringing communities together to remember loved ones who have died or suffered life-changing injury in road crashes.
Helping children and young people learn about the people who help us after a crash.
Helping organisations that employ people who drive for work to learn why we need robust investigation into the causes of road crashes, so we can understand why they happen and prevent future road death and harm.
Helping people whose lives have been torn apart by road crashes to talk about their experience.
Showcasing the work of Brake’s National Road Victim Service, which provides expert emotional and practical support to thousands of road victim families during their darkest and most difficult times.

Here are some ideas on how you can get involved:

Observe Safe Driving Practices: Practice responsible driving by following speed limits, avoiding distractions, and obeying traffic rules.
Promote Pedestrian Safety: Educate pedestrians about safe crossing and encourage drivers to yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.
Support Road Safety Campaigns: Participate in or organize road safety awareness campaigns and educational events in your community.
Advocate for Safer Roads: Advocate for improved road infrastructure, including better signage, lighting, and pedestrian facilities.
Conduct School Programs: Engage with schools to teach students about road safety and encourage safe behaviours among young pedestrians and cyclists.
Drive Responsibly: If you drive, set a positive example by always wearing your seatbelt and refraining from texting or using your phone while driving.

So, make sure to encourage your school, university, place of work or community to support the initiative by sharing important road safety messages.

Don’t forget to visit the Veygo Hub for loads of important information on how you can keep safe on the roads, including guides to help you understand key things like stopping distances, reversing around corners, driving at night and understanding speed limits.

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Staycation driving guide. Veygo’s advice to help young drivers at higher risk of fatigue.

Angharad Evans — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:05:59 +0000

While road trips can be exciting, research shows that the risk of driver fatigue is particularly high for those under 30 – the age group most prone to accidents caused by tiredness and boredom. Data suggests this is because young people can’t cope as well without adequate sleep and the fact that the area of their brain that deals with driving-based decision-making is still maturing.

There are four main warning signs of fatigue you should look out for when driving. They are:

Difficulty concentrating
Yawning
Feeling like your eyelids are ‘heavy’
Experiencing your eyeballs starting to ‘roll’

With the above in mind, here’s Veygo’s practical advice to ensure your safety on the road and help you manage fatigue before and during your drive:

Take regular breaks: If it’s a long journey, plan to take a break at least every couple of hours. Rule 91 of The Highway Code advises that for every two hours of driving you should take at least a 15-minute break.
Share the drive: If a passenger has also passed their test, consider splitting the drive. Opting for a flexible insurance option, such as Veygo’s temporary car insurance, means a driver can be insured within minutes, for as little or as long as is needed.
Plan for shade: Driving in hot weather can be exhausting. Before setting off, look at your route and see if there’s anywhere you can pull over and either get a few minutes in the shade outside of the car.
Stay hydrated: Having a thermal water bottle is an ideal way to keep water cool in the car. As fatigue can occur because of dehydration and thirst is a sign of mild dehydration, it’s essential drivers drink water before they feel thirsty.
Get plenty of sleep before setting off: Prevention is better than cure. Aiming to get eight hours of sleep before driving will set you up for safe driving success.
Recognise the signs of fatigue: Fatigue is easy to identify as there are four main warning signs. These include difficulty concentrating, yawning, feeling like your eyelids are ‘heavy,’ and experiencing your eyeballs starting to ‘roll’.
Avoid driving at night: Driving at night has its risks, particularly as data shows 40% of road collisions occur during darkness. Driving after sunset means road markings, pedestrians and cyclists can be harder to see, and it can be harder to judge distances and speeds.
Use caffeine wisely: Energy drinks are a tempting tool to stay alert, however, drivers who are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine could face serious side effects including reduced alertness, control, and mood. Consume caffeine in moderation as it’s not an alternative to sleep or rest.
Stay engaged: Actively scanning the road, anticipating hazards, and maintaining awareness of your surroundings are crucial. If a driver finds any of these difficult, it’s a sign they need an immediate break at the first safe opportunity.

Hopefully these tips help you stay safe on the road when you venture on your next road trip or staycation. Don’t forget, longer car trips are far more manageable and enjoyable when you share the journey. So, if you’re heading on a staycation with your friends or family, make sure you get Veygo’s flexible temporary car insurance, so you can split the drive, helping you have a safe trip.

Get insured within minutes, for as little or as long as you need, to share the driving load on your next staycation.

Get a Quote

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What affects your car insurance costs?

Angharad Evans — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:28:41 +0000

We know that car insurance costs can be confusing, whether you’re looking for learner insurance, new driver insurance or pay-as-you-go, temporary car insurance. There are lots of factors that can impact your quote – anything from your area to the vehicle you’ll be driving, to how the wider insurance market is performing.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with our simple guide to some of the things that affect car insurance costs:

The driver

Things like your age, how long you’ve been driving, where you live and your occupation will all be taken into consideration.

The vehicle

We look at factors like the type of car you’re going to drive, including its engine size. We also consider things like the cost of the car and the claims history for that type of car.

Claims and convictions

It’s important for us to know if you’ve previously been involved in an accident and whether or not you were at fault. We have to consider your driving history, including any non-fault accidents. You’ll also need to share any previous claims with us.

What if I’m not eligible for cover?

While we always want to get you covered and on the road, we’re not a guaranteed form of insurance, so we won’t always be able to insure you, unfortunately.

Our eligibility criteria changes regularly and is based on multiple things including industry data. As our criteria changes regularly, being rejected today doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be able to get insurance with us tomorrow. Always give us a try if you need insurance as our eligibility criteria is regularly updated.

Sometimes, you might not be eligible for cover because of the car you want to drive. So, if you have access to another car, we suggest you do a simple re-quote with the other car as we may be able to offer you cover on that one instead.

Due to our changing eligibility criteria, you may encounter occasions where we’re unable to cover you. We understand how frustrating this might be, however as our eligibility criteria is continually updated, there will be occasions where you may have had cover in the past but you’re now being rejected.

Indicative pricing

We display your indicative price throughout the quote journey. This is likely to fluctuate, based on the details you input at each stage. This means that you may see a difference in your final quote compared to your initial quote.

Hopefully some of these pointers help you in understanding what can affect your insurance costs and eligibility to keep you covered. To get a quote for our learner insurance, new driver insurance or temporary insurance, head to our website for more information.

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Adding a driver to your car insurance: What you need to know

Angharad Evans — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 13:58:08 +0000

Car insurance is a critical aspect of being a responsible vehicle owner. It not only protects you and your vehicle in the event of an accident but also ensures that you comply with legal requirements. Adding a new driver to your car insurance policy is a common option, whether you’re a parent adding a teen driver or sharing a vehicle with a friend or family member. But is it always the best option for you?

Understand the Necessity

Before diving into the process, it’s important to understand the need for insurance. If someone who isn’t insured gets into an accident with your car, your insurance might not cover the damages. Therefore, making sure the driver is insured ensures that they’re protected, and your coverage remains valid.

Determine Who Needs Cover

Identify the individuals who need to be covered to drive your car. Common situations include:

Adding a spouse or partner: you may want to share a car either permanently or on a temporary basis
Adding a teen driver: As your child becomes a licensed driver, it’s essential to add them to make sure they’re insured. Keep in mind that young and inexperienced drivers often result in higher premiums if added to your policy.
Adding a family member or friend: If you plan to share your car with someone, such as a sibling or close friend, you need to ensure they are covered.

What will you need?

Any insurance provider will request specific details about the driver you wish to add to a policy. Be prepared to provide information such as:

The driver’s full legal name
Date of birth
Driver’s licence number
Their driving history, including accidents and penalties

Your insurance provider will provide you with the required documentation to add the driver. This may include a policy endorsement or an updated declaration page. Make sure to review these documents carefully to confirm that all the information is accurate.

Understand the Cost Implications

Adding a driver to your car insurance policy can affect your premium. The cost depends on various factors, including the driver’s age, driving record, and the type of vehicle they’ll be using. Young and inexperienced drivers often result in higher premiums due to the increased risk associated with this demographic.

Could my no claims bonus (NCB) be affected?

Yes, if you add a named driver to your insurance policy it could impact your no claims bonus if the named driver made a claim. Even if the person you add to your policy is a responsible driver, you can’t control the behaviour of other drivers. This is one of the main downsides to adding a named driver to your policy

What other options do you have?

If you don’t need to add someone to your policy for a long period of time (such as a year) it could be much cheaper and safer to use a Temporary Car Insurance policy.

Consider Temporary Car Insurance if:

The driver you are adding doesn’t use the car everyday
The driver you are adding doesn’t need to be added to the policy for a full year
You don’t want to risk affecting your no claims policy
You want to save money
You want flexibility on when the additional driver is insured

Conclusion

Adding a driver to your car insurance is a straightforward process that ensures both you and your designated driver are protected in case of an accident. To ensure a smooth transition, it’s essential to understand why you need to add a driver, determine who should be added, and provide accurate information to your insurance provider. Remember that this may result in increased premiums and there are other options. You can get temporary car insurance so we’d recommend you get a quote for this option before committing to adding someone to your own policy.

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A guide to rural driving

Angharad Evans — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:59:40 +0000

Rural driving can be a unique experience compared to driving in urban areas. The roads are often less crowded and the speed limits are higher, but there are also other challenges that you may not encounter in the city.

Let’s think about a few factors that may come into play before discussing rural driving. You have to think about whether you know the area or not, car size, changing speed limits and always be aware of different spots to pull over incase of oncoming traffic. So, here are some tips and tricks to help you navigate rural roads safely and confidently.

Animals

When rural driving animals are going to be there, it’s essential that you’re aware of wildlife. The smaller animals are typically the ones hardest to spot as they dart out quickly into roads and can cause you to potentially slam on the brakes, or swerve. Not only that but some animals like badgers can damage the car badly if they’re hit so it gives more incentive to avoid them!

Animals such as deer, cows, and horses can also wander onto the road unexpectedly. Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of wildlife and be prepared to slow down or stop if necessary. If you do see an animal, try to avoid hitting it by braking and sounding your horn

Other drivers

Watch for slow-moving vehicles. You may encounter tractors, trailers, and other slow-moving vehicles on rural roads. Be prepared to slow down and wait for a safe opportunity to pass. Always use your turn signals and make sure the road is clear before you pass.

Road conditions

Stay alert for curves and hills. Rural roads are often winding and hilly, which can make it difficult to see what lies ahead. Slow down and be prepared for unexpected turns or inclines.

Be mindful of weather conditions. Rural roads are often exposed to the elements, which can make them slippery or icy in the winter. Slow down and be extra cautious in bad weather. You should also take note that these kinds or roads are usually more shaded and get far less attention from local councils to get salt or grit down on them.

Keep your distance. Rural roads often have fewer cars on them than urban roads, so it can be tempting to drive too closely behind other vehicles. However, it is important to keep a safe distance to give yourself time to react if something unexpected happens.

Check your tires. Rural roads can be rough, with gravel and potholes, so it is crucial to make sure your tires are properly inflated and in good condition. This will help you maintain control of your vehicle and prevent a tire blowout.

Use your headlights. Even during the day, it’s a good idea to turn on your headlights when driving on rural roads. This will make you more visible to other drivers and help you see the road ahead.

Pay attention to road signs. Rural roads often have signs that warn of potential hazards, such as sharp turns, bridges, and steep grades. Be sure to pay attention to these signs and adjust your speed accordingly.

Be prepared for the unexpected. Rural roads can be unpredictable, so it’s important to be prepared for anything. Make sure your vehicle is in good condition and always have a full tank of gas and a spare tire. Similarly, to bad weather conditions, rural roads usually get less attention from councils and are typically in a worse condition, so things like potholes may be more prevalent.

Stay calm and take it slow. Rural roads can be challenging, but they can also be beautiful and peaceful. Stay calm and take your time, and you’ll be able to enjoy the journey as well as arrive safely.

For a nice visual overview of rural driving why not check out our helpful learn video to give you an idea of what it’ll look and feel like driving down the back roads!

So, thinking about rural driving requires a different set of skills and mindset. Watch out for wildlife, slow-moving vehicles, curves and hills, weather conditions, and unexpected hazards. Keep a safe distance, check your tires, use your headlights, and pay attention to road signs. Stay calm and be prepared for the unexpected. Remember that rural driving can be a unique and enjoyable experience if you approach it with caution and patience.

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Driving home for Christmas!

Angharad Evans — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 15:57:27 +0000

Driving home for Christmas can either be considered exciting or worrying. Exciting because you’re going to see everyone like your family and friends, but worrying, because you just know you’ve got so much to do in such little time.

So here at Veygo we know the stress of travelling around the country trying to visit all your family and friends, and trying to get everyone everything they deserve, so we’re going to throw a few things together in this article to help you out!

Know your journeys

So as simple as it sounds about driving home for Christmas it may not just be from point A to point B. Home may just mean a town or a county where all of your friends and close family live. Or maybe you’re heading somewhere where part of your family lives and then you may be travelling to a different area to see other parts of your family.

Family

So, first of all, let’s talk about going to see family. If you’re travelling back, you’ll probably want to see your parents. You may be at the age where siblings are a bit older and moved out and want to visit them, or maybe even go see grandparents who live in a close area.

As you get older you realise Christmas is less about getting gifts and more about giving and having a good time with your family. So, make sure to set time aside and visit everyone you can. This way everyone is happy, and you can rest easy.

Friends

It’s that time of year where most people are super busy and excited so you’re going to want to optimise your time and efforts to enjoy the holidays as much as you can! As much as it may sound like it’s not fun, some careful planning can help you to efficiently get around to see and enjoy with everyone.

Not only should you make the effort to see your family but spending time with friends is a good way to make use of your time during Christmas! As nice as it is to see family, you don’t want to be thinking “Wish I had made time to have fun with friends” as Christmas is a great time for going out and celebrating and enjoying!

Home from uni

This is really a combination of the two, but it’s its own category, as you’re likely to have plenty of free time (not forgetting your assignments). So, this gives you ample opportunity to get about and see everyone!

One way to take advantage of this would be to get on some of Veygo’s temporary car insurance. Doing this is a great way to get insured on someone else’s car over Christmas giving you the freedom you need to see everyone!

Once you’re home…

When you’re eventually home, you’re going to need to get about. That’s where we at Veygo come into it! You may have taken public transport or a lift to get to your destination, that’s fine, but when you’re in said location, you’re going to want some means to get around.

As previously mentioned, we offer temporary car insurance, purchasing this will allow you to get insured on a friend or family member’s car from as little as 1 hour to 60 days, which is the ideal time frame for when you’re visiting home for Christmas!

Getting temporary insurance with Veygo is more than just being able to drive someone else’s car while you’re home for Christmas! It saves you having to get about on public transport.

Public transport this time of year is potentially at its worst, not only is it always busy and loads of people everywhere, there’s cancellations and not to mention how cold and wet the weather is! Compare that to sitting in your own car with a bit of Chris Rea on and the heating on full whack! Two completely different experiences..

Not only avoiding the inconvenience of public transport, but also if you’re travelling far, you may be able to save some money or effort by sharing a lift. If you’re car sharing not only will you be able to split the cost of fuel, but share the effort of driving.

With Veygo temporary insurance you’d be able to get both people insured on the car and do half of the journey each! So not only do you save yourself some inconvenience, but there’s also ample opportunity to save some money!

If you plan well and set times to see everyone this means that not only, will you be able to get around everyone, but can also help you to get about more safely. A part of driving this time of year isn’t just to have fun, you’ve also got to be considerate to others (on the roads as well as getting them gifts).

For some tips on driving this winter check out the following article Driving in winter: tips for driving in rain, snow and ice.

Going away for Christmas

Very similar to driving home for Christmas you’re going to need to plan, however, going away somewhere usually means you’ve planned ahead! You’ve likely sorted a way there and some accommodation, probably some activities as well!

Let’s talk a little bit more about the planning, one thing people usually forget about is parking. Not only is parking an issue when going away, but knowing where’s safe to park is always helpful. Making sure your accommodation has parking is pretty simple, just contact whoever owns the accommodation and they should be able to help. Alternatively do a thorough search online and you should be able to find somewhere!

An advantage of scouting the area online for parking is finding recommendations of what to do in the area. This time of year, you’ll almost certainly be looking for a Christmas market, even if it’s just to walk through and have a quick gander. But also finding other places to visit like fun activities or nice places to go out for a meal.

Despite having access to live maps on your phones or sat navs having a rough idea of the route ahead is useful, just in case of any accidents or needing alternative routes, so maybe familiarise yourself with some hotspots in and around the area you’re planning to go to.

Finally, whoever you’re going away with, consider splitting the journey, it’ll prevent either driver from getting too tired and make it safer! You can simply do this by buying some temporary car insurance with Veygo, and it’s really cheap and simple to do!

This applies for the drive home, possibly even more so as you’re more likely to be tired after a trip away and will want the journey to be as safe as possible!

And as always, if you’re a learner driver just looking to get some extra practice in or already have a licence and looking to use another car, Veygo offers both learner driver insurance and temporary car insurance for any situation!

Get a quote

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Manual vs Automatic – Which to learn to drive in

Angharad Evans — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 14:17:03 +0000

When it comes to learning to drive you essentially have two options, you can either learn to drive in a car with an automatic gearbox, or a manual gearbox. Typically you’ll learn in a manual car as it’s more common for cars to have a manual gearbox and it’s kind of a special request to learn to drive in an automatic car.

So, what’s the difference ?

When learning to drive a car with a manual gearbox, you’ll notice that you have to be able to control the revs, clutch, gear stick, and just managing shifting gears. This is why it’s called manual. As much as it sounds once you get into the groove of learning to drive these things will become second nature, as you notice the sound of the revs and instinctively find the biting point on the clutch.

Automatics, as it may seem somewhat obvious as to why they’re called this, basically automates the process of shifting gears and having to control a clutch. In an automatic car you’ll notice the gear stick wont have as many numbers on it and may have some letters such as D, R, P, and N.

D – Drive, this will be the selected gear that allows you to drive forwards.

R – Reverse, this is the gear that will allow you to.. You guessed it, Reverse!

P – Park, this is the parking gear, so whenever you park the gear you’ll need to select this gear.

N – Neutral, this just chucks the gearbox into neutral so it can move either forwards or backwards if needed.

Different types of cars

When it comes to what cars are manual and which ones are automatic there isn’t a huge difference. If you can find a car in manual, you’ll typically be able to find it in automatic.

The only issue you’ll find is when looking for certain cars that are automatic, you may not be able to find it manual. This will usually be if you’re looking at electric cars as they don’t use a conventional engine so they don’t require gears.

Veygo short-term cover and learner driver insurance

Here at Veygo we offer two types of insurance, learner driver insurance and temporary car insurance. Both of our types of insurance policies offer cover for both manual and automatic cars, in 2022 we sold over 162,955 automatic policies and more than 696,037 manual policies.

Automatic cars

There are definitely pros and cons to driving automatic cars, these fall under a few different sub categories, learning to drive, driving, finding automatic cars, and buying automatic cars.. Not to mention future proofing them. So let’s look through some of the pros..

Pros

Easy to get the hang of when learning
No need to shift gears
Less chance of you ruining the clutch
An automatic gearbox is more reliable than a manual as it involves less human error.
It’s a way to future proof your driving habits

As mentioned it does seem like it would be worth signing up to drive an automatic car as there are some real pros worth considering for it, however, there are definitely drawbacks (whether convenient or not..)

So let’s quickly dive into what isn’t so great about automatic transition

Cons

The idea that it isn’t “real” driving.. Feels more like a game or go-karting.. (it’s definitely real so still be as careful as you would in a manual.)
If you’ve passed your test in an automatic car, then you’re limited in what cars you can drive.
Typically an automatic car is more expensive to buy (especially second hand)
Cost of repairs are usually more expensive, this is due to being more complex than a manual transmission gearbox.
Breakdown/recovery can sometimes be much more complicated.

Despite there definitely being pros and cons to what type of transmission your car has, they’re definitely worth considering when you look at what type of car you want to drive. But with that being said some of the views of driving an automatic mostly come down to stigma. Automatic gearboxes these days are super efficient and with the way the world of cars is going it’s looking like electric is the way forward, meaning nearly every car is going to be automatic transmission eventually.

Manual cars

Just by looking at the numbers it’s clear that manual cars are by far the more popular one! It would be far more popular as the manual transmission gearbox has been around for far longer.

As we just mentioned manual cars have the advantage of feeling like you’re really driving. This stems from being more difficult to learn in and not to mention professional motorsport, seeing and knowing your favourite drivers shifting gears is bound to give you the urge to want to feel like that (no matter your age!).

After thinking a little bit about manual cars let’s dive right into the pros and cons..

First off, you’re not limited to what kind of car you can drive.
finding /purchasing a manual car is far easier in the UK.
“Proper” driving, more of a feel of actually driving, or more interesting to drive.
Repairs are far more common in a manual car, meaning it would probably lower the cost.
Unlike an automatic car, recovery is consistently simple. (or as simple as a breakdown and recovery can be)

As fun and convenient driving a manual can be, let’s not forget about the cons..

Can be considered slightly more difficult to learn to drive in.
Potential to burn out the clutch
May not be the way forward as it seems most cars are going in the direction of electric motors.
Having to change gears while driving..

Which is best ?

It’s very easy to look at the pros and cons when considering what type of car to drive, and again it’s very easy just to think “I’ll learn to drive in an automatic, it’ll be quicker and easier”, but it’s not always as simple as that.

It may be a bit easier to drive an automatic when you first start driving but there are definitely other factors to think about. For example when learning to drive there are far fewer driving instructors that teach in automatics, purely because of availability. This then leads to longer wait times which in turn results in a longer wait to get on the roads.

On the other side of that coin you may be thinking about learning in a manual, but you may take ages to get the hang of driving a manual car, this will then result in more time in driving lessons, and more money spent paying an instructor for extra lessons.

However, you could get around paying your instructor to take you out driving by purchasing some of Veygo’s learner driver insurance, buying this will allow you to get out on the roads, and you can pay for as little as one hour so you don’t have to over spend on an extra driving lesson or buy a whole learner policy.

Speaking of insurance, don’t forget to think about how much you’ll have to pay after your test. Typically a manual car is cheaper on insurance than an automatic, but this isn’t the deciding factor on what makes a car cheap to insure!

If you’re unaware of what you want to drive or when you’ll be looking to purchase your full policy, then here at Veygo we offer temporary car insurance, you’re eligible to purchase this after you pass your driving test and can just roll around in your parents car while you decide which car you’ll be driving.

Just a final reminder, if you’re learning to drive and need to get more time in to practise on that pesky clutch then our learner driver insurance is a great option for you to get the hours in without breaking the bank!

Get a quote

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Driving test manoeuvres | Parking and reversing tips

Michael Chapman — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 11:24:22 +0000

The practical driving test will feature an exercise involving reversing, and these exercises are commonly referred to as driving test manoeuvres.

The exercises are:

Parallel parking at the side of the road.
Parking in a parking bay – where you’ll either reverse in or reverse out.
Pulling over on the right-hand side of the road, reversing two car lengths, then rejoining traffic.

You won’t know which you’ll have to do until asked. There’s a one-in-three chance it’ll be any of the manoeuvres above, so it’s worth knowing how to ace them all.

How do I parallel park?

Parallel parking involves parking at the side of the road, usually in a line of parked vehicles. The goal is to get as tight to the kerb as you can, and in line with it (in other words, parallel to it).

We’ve got a handy guide to parallel parking here, which tells you everything you need to know.

How do I park in a parking bay?

There’s a one-in-three chance you’ll be asked to park in a parking bay, usually in a spot such as a supermarket car park. It’s fifty-fifty as to whether you’ll be asked to reverse in and drive out, or drive in forwards and reverse out. For our money, it’s a bit easier to reverse in, because your vision is likely to be obscured when you’re reversing out.

Check out our guide to reverse bay parking here.

How do I pull over on the right and reverse?

This is a three-step manoeuvre, and your examiner will be looking to see you’ve checked all the right boxes. Most importantly, you’ll have to perform the exercise safely, with good all-round observations at each stage.

Step one: Pulling over on the right

First of all, you’ll have to choose a suitable spot. When your examiner asks you to perform the exercise, you’re in no rush, so take your time to pick a decent spot. You’re looking for a space which is nice and safe, with loads of space.

Make sure you avoid pulling over anywhere where there’s parking restrictions. It should be somewhere where it’s legal to park, so steer clear of double yellow lines, bus stops, driveways or access routes.

It’s also best to avoid junctions or bends. Try not to pick a space where you might reduce other road users’ visibility.

When you’ve chosen a spot with plenty of space, go through your MSPSL routine, and signal right. Give way to oncoming traffic, and check your mirrors and blind spot before pulling over. Approach the opposite side of the road at a shallow angle, and straighten up as close to the kerb as you can. Try to get within 30cm of the curb.

When you’ve stopped, pull up the handbrake, and put the car in neutral.

Step two: Reverse two car lengths

After you’ve stopped, the examiner will ask you to reverse roughly two car lengths. If you’ve stopped parallel to the curb, this will make your life a lot easier.

Put the car into reverse gear, and wait for any oncoming traffic to pass. When it’s clear, make observations all around the car. When you’re sure it’s safe, start to reverse slowly. You’ll mainly be looking through the back window, keeping an eye out for pedestrians or other road users. If you need to stop to let someone pass, make sure you do your all-around observation again before you carry on.

Reverse slowly and steadily, keeping the car straight to the curb. The examiner will be looking to see that you’re in control of the vehicle, so be careful but confident. Once you’ve reversed roughly two car lengths, stop, apply the handbrake and pop the car in neutral.

Step three: Rejoin traffic

After you’ve stopped, the examiner will ask you to move off, rejoining traffic on the left-hand side of the road. Again, all-around observations are crucial here, so apply your MSPSL routine. Check all your mirrors, and don’t forget your blind spot.

When you’re sure it’s safe, and there’s no oncoming traffic, indicate left. Then move off into the left-hand lane, and continue to drive as you normally would.

Throughout this manoeuvre, you need to demonstrate awareness of your surroundings, control of the vehicle, and accuracy in your positioning. As long as you’re aware and courteous to other road users, and perform the exercise safely, you’ll be fine.

Will I have to reverse around a corner?

Reversing around a corner is no longer in the driving test and hasn’t been since December 2017. So, we can say with some confidence that you won’t be asked to do this on your practical test.

That said, your driving instructor may well teach you how to do it. It’s a useful skill to master and pops up occasionally in day-to-day driving. You may find it useful when changing course, for example, or reversing into a driveway.

Will I have to do a three-point turn?

Again, the turn in the road manoeuvre (or three-point turn to its friends) hasn’t featured in the driving test since 2017. So, you definitely won’t be asked to do it.

But it’s quite a common manoeuvre in everyday driving and is often the easiest way to turn the car round to face in the opposite direction. For this reason, it’s well worth asking your driving instructor how to do it, or they may suggest it anyway.

What other driving test manoeuvres are there?

Not a manoeuvre exactly, but there’s also a one-in-three chance you’ll be asked to perform an emergency stop on your test. This forms part of the general driving ability section of the test[1], so you may be asked to do it in addition to a reversing exercise – not instead of.

You can find out what to expect on your driving test day here, including how to prepare, and what to bring.

If you aren’t super confident doing these manoeuvres then it would be worth purchasing some of Veygo’s learner driver insurance. Purchasing this can give you all the time you need to get out there and practice!

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Good driving is for life, not just for test day

Michael Chapman — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 17:40:23 +0000

A lot of time, effort and money is spent learning to pass your driving test. But often, the skills you went to so much effort to learn are quickly forgotten once you’ve passed.

Since I became a driving instructor, the test has become progressively harder. I’m sure this has been done to improve driving conditions and make the roads safer for everyone. However, standards of driving seem to be getting worse. I’ve observed, particularly since lockdown, people being more impatient, less observant and generally more aggressive in their driving. So, it’s important to keep the skills learned during lessons in mind and apply these to everyday driving.

The basics

Checking mirrors is a safety fundamental. If you don’t know what is going on around the car, it’s more difficult to make good decisions. How many times have you had somebody drift into your lane because they haven’t checked if anyone is there?

On any change of speed or direction, you should be aware of what’s behind and alongside you. At some point in your driving career, you’ll be about to turn left and suddenly realise there’s a cyclist shooting through on the inside. Just the sort of surprise you don’t need. If you’re coming into a junction with someone tailgating you, you may want to slow down a little sooner than normal.

To be able to make good decisions, you need to check your mirrors for information.

Blind spots and reversing

You cannot pass your test without adequate observations and yet, worryingly, so many people forget once they’ve passed.

Whenever I see a car with a post-shaped dent in the back, I always make sure to point it out to my learners. What really worries me though is that could have been a child.

Blind spots should be checked when changing lanes, merging, reversing and pulling away from a standstill.

People wouldn’t dream of driving forwards whilst looking behind them. But I often see experienced drivers reversing without looking over their shoulders at all.

Signalling

There’s nothing more annoying than pulling up to a roundabout, slowing down and waiting for someone who then turns left without a signal. More importantly than that, it can be dangerous.

If you’re going all the way around a roundabout without a signal, people won’t know to stop for you. Using appropriate signals is important — it lets other road users know where you’re going, which gives you a greater chance of completing the manoeuvre safely. Sadly, there seems to be a culture of not bothering to signal and it’s getting worse.

Pedestrians are especially vulnerable to a lack of signals. I’ve lost count of the number of stories I’ve heard of people nearly getting hit by a car that suddenly turned into a road without signalling. Imagine that was a member of your family.

Other issues

People are in such a rush. A light turns red, and two or three cars jump through. People pull out into gaps that aren’t sufficient. Cars overtake on roads they have no business overtaking on. These are just a few examples of driving behaviours I observe on a daily basis.

We can’t prevent other drivers from behaving badly. What we can do is minimise the risks to ourselves by:

Being observant
using mirrors
checking blind spots
giving appropriate, timely signals
generally adhering to the rules of of the road!

This of course includes speed limits. Good drivers will always consider road, weather and traffic conditions, so remember it’s a limit not a target. Good driving does not mean fast driving.

So, what can we do? Look after your licence!

Distractions

Avoid distractions in the car; turn your phone off and tell your passengers that when you are driving, they need to keep the noise to a minimum.

If you are caught holding and using a phone, sat nav or tablet whilst driving, you are liable for a £200 fine and six points on your license.

Remember: for the first two years after passing your test, six points will lose you your licence.

Tiredness

The Highway Code tells us we shouldn’t drive when tired or ill. However, real life doesn’t always work like that. If you are tired or feeling under the weather there is all the more reason to be on top of your observations, mirror and blind spot checks. These tend to be the first things that go when you’re tired. Be aware of any bad habits that appear when you’re not at your best.

Planning a journey

One of the ways to ensure you safely arrive at your destination is to plan your journey and leave yourself plenty of time. Even when I know where I’m going, I’ll use a sat nav to check traffic conditions along the route. It really does help to prevent rushing and taking driving shortcuts because you’re running late.

A speeding ticket will not only cost you money but three points on your licence. If you get caught twice, they will take your licence off you.

Car maintenance

It’s important to keep your car well maintained. Aside from ensuring it’s taxed and MOT’d, ongoing checks and maintenance are very important.

If your tyres are bald, you can receive three points and up to a £2,500 fine per tyre. Remember the show me tell me questions from your test and perform regular checks on your car. Most good garages are happy to do tyre and brake checks if you are unsure. Check out our checklist that will help you perform regular checks.

Black boxes

One thing that could help you focus on good driving practises is to have a black box installed. There are various options available, so talk to your insurance provider. Basically, you will need to adhere to speed limits and drive smoothly without sudden breaking or acceleration to achieve good results, which will then feed back to your insurance company and reduce the cost of your insurance over time.

Remember to keep your insurance up to date, as not having valid insurance will cost you six points. Put a reminder on your phone for the month before your insurance is due for renewal so that you don’t forget.

Be the best driver you can

All those skills that your instructor helped you develop whilst preparing for your driving test are there to keep you and those around you safe. It may also be worth considering further development through taking Pass Plus courses or working towards your advanced driving.

Most important of all, be the best driver you can; be observant, stick to the rules and be considerate of other drivers and road users.

Most importantly, don’t forget to get some of Veygo’s learner driver insurance. Buying some will enable you to get the extra hours practice in and help you to become the best possible driver you can be. Happy driving!

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Warning over illegal driving instructors

Michael Chapman — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 15:38:10 +0000

Warning over illegal driving instructors as long waiting lists for lessons continues

Pent up demand for driving lessons and tests during the pandemic means learner drivers continue to face long waiting times before they can get behind the wheel.

In fact, 66% of instructors say driving test waiting lists haven’t reduced at all over recent months, according to a survey by Young Driver.

In 2021/22, there were 38,839 approved driving instructors in Great Britain. The number of registered driving teachers has fallen year-on-year consecutively since 2011/12 when there were over 46,000, meaning demand often outstrips supply.

James Armstrong, CEO of learner-driver insurer Veygo has warned that ongoing delays and the scramble to find available driving instructors could mean young people sign up with illegal instructors who are not approved by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

According to exclusive data obtained by Veygo via a Freedom of Information request, the DVSA has received 323 reports of illegal driving instructors over the past five years. And it’s likely many more go unreported.

Over the same time, almost 1,000 driving instructors were removed from the DVSA’s approved register for not attending standards checks, poor standards check performance or not meeting ‘fit and proper’ reasons.

What are the risks to learner drivers?

Section 123 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 states driving instruction for payment can only be given legally by registered or licensed persons.

There are two types of licensed driving instructors – a Potential Driving Instructor (PDI) who will display a pink badge and an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) who will display a green badge. Both can legally teach you how to drive after passing tests of their own.

Anyone can get hold of vehicle branding, a roof sign and dual controls that makes them look like a legitimate driving instructor. They may have previous experience as an approved instructor or have never been through any professional training. Both types of unregistered driving instructors are breaking the law.

Learner drivers taking lessons from unlicensed driving instructors face several risks. They may miss out on key driving skills due to low quality teaching, or from adequate insurance protection in the case of accident or injury behind the wheel.

An illegal instructor will also not have a valid CRB check and therefore may have a criminal record, putting your personal safety at risk.

There are also no guarantees that the vehicle you’re learning to drive in is roadworthy or safe. Finally, even if you complete your lessons, your practical test could be cancelled on the day when appropriate checks are run, unfairly penalising you.

How to avoid illegal driving instructors

Always use trusted online sources when researching driving schools or instructors and never rely on word of mouth or social media pages without carrying out your own checks
Visit the DVSA’s online directory of approved driving instructors to find those local to you. If a driving school or instructor isn’t listed on the directory (it isn’t compulsory) you should contact the DVSA directly with their name and ADI number. If a PDI is teaching you to drive, that’s perfectly normal as it means they are actively working their way towards taking their final test to obtain their ADI licence
Before getting into an instructor’s vehicle check that they are displaying a valid pink or green badge with their name, a head shot, date of expiry and a unique instructor number. If an instructor is replaced or covered for a session due to illness or holiday, make sure to repeat your checks
Never get sucked in by cheap lessons or special offers. If the price is too good to be true, based on research on costs in your local area, then it probably is.
Always report any suspicions directly to the DVSA here.

One final way to ensure you’re not learning with an ilegal driving instructor is to sign up for Veygo learner driver insurance, it allows you to get behind the wheel with a friend or family member and practice with them.

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