Before you can learn to drive you must hold a Provisional Driving Licence for Great Britain & Northern Ireland.

YOU CAN ONLY APPLY FOR A PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCE IF YOU...
- Are a resident of Great Britain.
- Meet the minimum age requirement (17 years of age, 16 years old for people receiving the higher rate of disability living allowance) For further information on any medical or health conditions that may affect your driving go to www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring.
- Meet the minimum eyesight requirements – you should be able to read a number plate from a minimum distance of 20 m. If you have any visual conditions that affect your eyes or sight, not including long/short sightedness and being colour blind, you must inform the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency).
- Are not currently prevented from driving for any reason
- Are able to pay the fee by cheque, debit or credit card (Master Card, Visa, Electron or Delta)
- Hold a valid UK passport or another form of identity and a national insurance card/letter – To find out more about identity documents visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring
- Are able to provide a current address and previous addresses for the past 3 years.
- Have a passport photo that has been signed by a reputable person who you’ve known for at least 2 years.

NOTE: You will be required to send off your original documentation confirming your identity and it’ll take approximately 3 weeks to be processed and returned from the time the DVLA receive your application (if you have any medical conditions the application can take longer to process).

APPLYING FOR A PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCE
You can apply for your provisional driving licence up to three months prior to your birthday. You can apply online through the DirectGov website (www.direct.gov.uk) or by sending your application in the post. Pick up a provisional driving licence application form from your local Post Office (www.postoffice.co.uk) or apply to receive the form through the DVLA online order form service - www.dvla.gov.uk/dvla/onlineservices.

LEARNING TO DRIVE
Once you’ve received your licence you can begin learning to drive. However, you must ensure that the vehicle you choose to drive is in a roadworthy condition and is correctly taxed and insured. As you only hold a provisional driving licence you must be accompanied by another driver over the age of 21 that holds a full driving licence and has done so for at least three years. You are also legally required to display learner ‘L’ plates in a noticeable position at the front and rear of your vehicle - if you live in Wales you can display ‘L’ or ‘D’ plates.

Learning to drive can be a very daunting experience, but remember to just stay calm. You should be in safe hands if you are learning with an ADI instructor (Approved Driving Instructor who has been approved by the Driving Standards Agency) as they will have taken extensive tests to gain more driving experience, knowledge and instructing abilities. Most driving instructors will have a dual control vehicle which means they’ll be able to help you with the clutch and brake whenever necessary.

DRIVING TESTS
You must hold a valid provisional driving licence to take both the theory and practical driving tests. You’ll be required to pass a driving theory and practical driving test in order to obtain a full driving licence. To find out current driving test fees see Direct Gov's website (www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring). You must pass your theory exam before you can book and sit your practical driving exam.

THE DRIVING PRACTICAL TEST
- To take your practical test you must hold a valid theory pass certificate
- Find your local driving test centre on www.dft.gov.uk
- The most convenient method to book your practical test is to book online which you can do at: www.driverpracticaltest.direct.gov.uk -as with the theory test you will also be able to make any alterations or cancel your booking online. To book your practical test online you'll need to have your valid provisional driving licence, your theory test certificate and credit or debit card to hand - if you wish to take your test in your driving instructor's car you'll also need your driving instructors personal reference number (their ADI number). If you wish to use your own vehicle check that your car complies with the testing rules beforehand, see these at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/PracticalTest. The alternative options are to book over the phone by calling 0300 200 1122 or to book by post by downloading the practical test application form and sending it to this address: Driving Standards Agency, Booking Department, PO Box 381, Manchester M50 3UW, along with a cheque or postal order payable to ‘Driving Standards Agency'.
- Once your application has been accepted you will be sent an ‘application reference number', you will need this if you wish to check, re-book or cancel your booking, you can do this on Direct Gov's website: www.driverpracticaltest.direct.gov.uk/
- The test will last approximately 40 minutes.
- At the beginning of the test you will be required to do the eyesight test by reading a number plate approximately 20 metres away.
- Before you begin to drive you will be asked two vehicle safety questions - you'll incur a minor fault for any incorrect answers.
- To pass your practical driving test you will need to incur less than 15 minor faults and no serious or dangerous faults - serious and dangerous faults will result in an immediate failure. A dangerous fault is when you not only put yourself, but also your examiner and the public or a property in danger. A serious fault is a fault that could have potentially been dangerous and a minor fault is a fault that isn't potentially dangerous i.e. sitting at a junction for longer than necessary, however if you continue to repeat the same fault it could become a serious fault.
- During the test you will be required to do one manoeuvre, which could be either a reversing park (parallel or bay-park), turn in the road or reverse around a corner. These manoeuvres are put in place to test the control you have of the vehicle, and your reversing ability.
- You may be required to carry out an emergency stop - this is generally carried out in 1 out of 3 driving tests.
- Throughout the test the examiner will give you directions, you will experience different traffic and road conditions i.e. roundabouts and junctions.
- As of the 4th October 2010 an independent driving section has been in place within the practical driving test.
- For the duration of the test, the examiner will mark you on your general driving ability, marking down any faults that you may have made. At the end of the test the examiner will tell you the result and then explain any faults you've acquired if you so wish.

INDEPENDENT DRIVING SECTION
The independent driving section will last the duration of approximately 10 minutes of your overall driving test. In this section you'll be asked to follow either a series of directions on a map or follow a series of road signs - you can end up with a combination of both.

Try not to be anxious about taking the wrong direction or forgetting what direction you should take, as this can happen to the most experienced of drivers. This section is not to test your navigational skills, it has been put in place to ensure you confirm within plenty of time what direction you are taking, and that you make the correct decisions of when it is safe to proceed.

HAVE YOU PASSED OR FAILED?
If you failed the test you can easily rebook the test using the same method as before and can usually do this as soon as you finish the test however, in some cases, it can take a few hours for your test result to be processed. It is advised that you go through the faults which you incurred in the test with the examiner as this will be beneficial and you can then focus on correcting these before you take your next test - you will be given a failure slip with the faults listed. Although failing your test will be disappointing and costly, you can easily book another test and even though it is expensive you have to remember that once you do pass the test you have it for life, so look at it as an investment.

If you have passed you'll receive a pass certificate and the examiner will give you the option to have your full licence to be sent automatically, which means handing over your provisional licence there and then. On the other hand, you can send off for the full licence at a later date - click here for further details on applying for a full licence. Once you've passed you can drive straight away, you don't need to wait for your full driving licence to arrive. However, your driving instructor will drive you home from the testing centre. A high percentage of new drivers will crash within the first hour of passing their driving test, usually due to the heightened sense of achievement. Therefore please ensure that you are extra vigilant when you are new to driving independently.

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Follow these tips and I am sure you will have the confidence to turn your visit into a pleasurable experience.

1.   It is important that your car is properly maintained and it should be serviced annually regardless of mileage.  Service schedules can be very confusing so ask your garage to advise you on the most suitable service to meet your requirements, based on mileage, age of the vehicle, usage and to ensure that you do not invalidate any warranty you may have on the car.

2.   Provide the Service Team with a written list detailing the symptoms the car is experiencing, when it happens and whether it is an intermittent or permanent fault. Include your contact details for that day.

3.   Engine Management faults can be complex and diagnostic terminology often contains jargon which is meaningless to most of us.  Request a print-out of the diagnostic test and a brief, simple explanation of the diagnosis.

4.   Request a quotation of any repairs necessary including parts, labour & VAT before the work is undertaken.

5.   If you are unsure of the condition of your tyres seek the advice of an MOT Tester since they will give you impartial advice and tell you whether the tyres are legal.

MOT 6.   You can have your vehicle MOT Tested up to one calendar month before it is due and the time left to run is added on to your new MOT certificate.  This is very useful as it allows you ample time to get any repairs carried out if needed.

7.   If a vehicle fails the MOT Test on a particular item then a Failure Sheet will be issued and this means that the work must be carried out before an MOT Pass Certificate can be issued.

8.   Some issues identified may be advisory items only. i.e. that they will pass an MOT at that time but they will need attention in the near future.

All advisory items are listed either on the pass certificate (if the vehicle has passed the test but with some advisory items to note) or on the failure sheet (if the vehicle has failed the test and there are also some advisory items).

MOT certificates, Advisory Notices and Failure Sheets are now all printed on plain white paper as they are more often used online these days.  However, this can make it easy to mislay the paperwork as the forms no longer look official!

Note: if an item has been recorded as an advisory item it does not have to be rectified in order to pass the mot.  However, it is good practice to consult your garage’s advice regarding a future repair.  Sometimes, it is sufficient to just get it checked in a few months but in other cases replacing a small part before it leads to a bigger, more expensive repair may be prudent.

*To find out more information on MOTs go to the Direct Gov's website (www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring)*

GENERAL 9.   Do not worry about having to drive your vehicle into the workshop.  Park in the car park, hand over your keys and relax.  Any reputable garage will use seat covers, floor mats and gloves to ensure that your car stays clean. To find a Trading Standards Approved garage visit their website: www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk.

10.  If you are thinking of changing your car seek the advice of a specialist independent garage beforehand and ask if there are any common faults which that particular make & model of car is prone to.

Since cars are now equipped with so much complex technology and on-board diagnostics, the importance of maintaining and servicing them has never been more crucial. However, service schedules and manuals are becoming increasingly confusing and difficult to comprehend.

Often we wait for the service indicator warning to illuminate on the dash before making a booking. Assuming, that is, that the last time the vehicle was serviced the indicator was re-set!?

New cars and their warranty
Whilst a vehicle is still under the manufacturer's warranty, usually 3 years, it must be serviced as per the manufacturer's specification.  This is often mis-construed as meaning that it has to be serviced by the Main Dealer.  However, this is not the case.  Under The EC Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002 (October 2003), go to www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/fact-sheets/page38070.html for further information, motorists have more flexibility where they choose to get their servicing carried out as long as the service is carried out as per the manufacturer's service schedule.

Understanding Service Intervals
Vehicles of the same model and year of manufacture can often have different service intervals so there are two important factors to consider when planning your car service - time intervals and mileage.  An example is 12,000 miles or 12 months and this means that the car must be serviced every 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first.  Therefore, if 12,000 miles is clocked up in less than 12 months then it must be serviced at that point.  Conversely, even if the vehicle has extremely low mileage it must still be serviced every 12 months in order to validate the warranty.

For cars who no longer have the warranty to fulfil, choosing a service that meets the vehicle's requirements and also represents good value for money is made harder since you cannot drive past a garage without seeing a service advertised for £99.  But what does it include?  What parts are replaced?  What parts should be replaced and how often?  One thing is for sure, most reputable garages could not afford to carry out a comprehensive service for £99.  The two important factors to consider here are age of the vehicle and service history. A minor service will usually consist of replacement of the engine oil and filter.  The rest of the service will be made up of visual checks of the lights, levels and braking system etc.

Therefore, it is vital that a more comprehensive service is carried out at the appropriate mileage intervals to ensure that the air filter, fuel filter, pollen filter and spark plugs (if petrol) are also renewed since if these items are not renewed regularly the vehicle will not run as efficiently and it will cost you money in the long run.  It is equally important that the fluids, particularly brake fluid and antifreeze, are also renewed regularly irrespective of mileage since the fluid becomes less efficient the older it becomes.  The wheels should also be taken off to inspect, clean and adjust the brakes and a thorough examination of the vehicle is advisable to flag up any repairs that may be required in the near future.  For example, if a leaking water pump is left unnoticed, it could result in further extensive damage resulting in an expensive repair that could have been avoided if it had been rectified sooner.

In sum, before you book your vehicle in for service ask your garage what service components should be renewed given the age and mileage of the vehicle.  You can then make an informed decision as to whether a £99 service is appropriate? Many garages have Special Offers in conjunction with more comprehensive service packages, such as a FREE Mot, which sometimes represent better value for money, so be sure to ask.

Don't do it yourself!

Gone are the days where cars were 70-80% mechanical - when DIY mechanical repairs were reasonably straight forward, if you're mechanically minded that is.

Modern day vehicles now have several on-board computers and electrical components that can make fault diagnosis a little tricky, especially without a qualified technician and/or bespoke equipment.

Reasons why car maintenance is impractical
Modern vehicles are just as mechanical as before but now have just as many electrical components also. Newer vehicles have several ECUs (engine control units), a small handful of these are for example:

- ABS
- Engine management
- Auto gearbox
- Manual gearbox
- Central control
- Air bag
- ESP
 and so on. In some cases the failure or absence of one control unit can cause the failure of other systems.

If you have a warning fault light illuminate on your dash it is imperative that you have it diagnosed as soon as possible at your local specialist, using your vehicle's manufacturer's diagnostic equipment to enable an accurate, quick and cost effective solution.

To save money many DIY mechanics will spend money on the basic code readers, which are easily accessible from well known sites like EBay, to diagnose a fault on their vehicle themselves. However, these readers are often basic and a multi-make system thus not giving a clear diagnosis. Many readers have a literal translation from a European language (e.g. French) to English because many of the vehicle's components are manufactured in Europe. This can in turn make interpreting the results very hard to understand, even for the professionals.

An example of a common misconception using the basic code readers is that many coil packs on the Peugeot and Citroen ‘TU' engines [1.1, 1.4 & 1.6] were replaced unnecessarily as the actual fault lied with the fuel injectors.

COMMON DIY MISTAKES
Something as ‘simple' as replacing a bulb is often carried out incorrectly. If headlamp bulbs are fitted incorrectly (upside down) there are many repercussions.  Firstly it's an MOT failure, secondly the headlamp aim will be incorrect thus blinding other road users and thirdly it may burn out the light unit. Another common fault with renewing bulbs is when replacing the two pin bulbs in the rear (i.e. brake lights and sidelights) the pins can easily be bent causing interaction with other lights. For example, when applying the brakes the indicators can illuminate as well as the brake lights.

Another common mistake DIY mechanics can make is replacing a fuse that's of a higher amp rating than the original fuse fitted, which can cause the wiring to burn out resulting in a more costly repair - if you are ever unsure of what fuses are needed for your vehicle consult your local garage.

If you are thinking of buying an electric car here are some of the pros and cons which may be of interest to you...

The concept of electric cars being futuristic and space-like is no longer the case, although some can be, take the twizy for example which are small and compact making them easy to park and ideal for the city. There are also conventional family cars like the fluence which are spacious and have plenty of boot space. Therefore, depending on the desired use of the vehicle there could be a suitable electric car for you.  For more information on the twizy and fluence see www.renault-ze.com.

Advantages! 

Fuel Costs (Charging costs) - On average it takes 6 - 8 hours for the battery to reach full capacity which can be charged from a conventional household plug socket. A full battery can range from 30miles (lead acid) to 245 miles (lithium ion). Most manufacturers are producing cars with a range of about 100 miles. There is also a network of publically available free electric car charging points in the UK. Lakeside shopping centre Thurrock, Essex is the only local charging point which you can conveniently use whilst shopping. However, there are hundreds across the country and150+ charging points in London alone making the cost of fuelling an electric car extremely attractive.

Savings - there are financial incentives for using an electric car such as no congestion charge in London, no road tax, free or discounted parking and free charging bays.

Recyclable - many electric car designers take into consideration the impact they have on the environment and ensure they make the cars recyclable, they also use recycled materials to build the cars.

Noise - electric cars are extremely quiet. They've even introduced artificial noises to ensure those with visual impairments can hear them.

Energy & Emissions - electric cars produce zero CO2 emissions when running, they don't emit nitrous oxide or other particle emissions either. However, they can only be regarded as zero emissions if they obtain their power from a renewable source. So if you charge your battery at home and your house is powered from a non-renewable source, then you are still creating emissions. Electric engines are more efficient, so even if you do charge the battery from a non-renewable source, it still only produces halve the amount of CO2 compared to a conventional engine. 

Health - petrol and diesel engines create a toxic mix of exhaust fumes, although in recent years fuels have improved and leaded petrol has been banned in the UK, they still contain a range of chemicals which are not good for the environment or the human health.  Electric cars produce none of these! 

disadvantages!

Speed - high performance electric cars can reach up to 85-90 mph, on the other hand, the average electric car available in the UK will only comfortably reach 50-55 mph. 

Costs - the upfront purchase cost of a new or used electric car is more expensive in comparison to its petrol or diesel counterpart. Go to www.renault-ze.com to see Renault's new range of electric cars called the ZE range, some of which are conventional but not all!

Distance -the range is affected by many different factors such as the battery, the weight of the vehicle, type of driving and the conditions.  However, electric cars are relatively limited in how far they can go on one full charge but you can extend this with top up charging. Also, cold temperatures will affect the battery life as with any battery.

Batteries - as above, batteries have a fairly short trip life, they can only be recharged so many times before they require replacement - they are expensive to replace and they contain toxic chemicals that must be handled properly.  These batteries do not run out without warning though, you will notice before they completely stop as a result of lack of power and sluggishness.

Charging time - the full recharge time for batteries can be upwards of 7-8 hours, however most batteries can achieve 80% in around 2.5 hours, this is still a lot slower than filling up a conventional car!

Lack of Infrastructure - Charging points, availability, maintenance and servicing are all concentrated in the cities (In the UK, London). To keep electric cars in warranty you'll have to take it to the dealer or a specialist but these at the moment are scarce. For them to be practical they'll need to be able to make longer journeys by having available facilities to recharge and the process needs to be quicker as you do when filling up a conventional car. 

Electricity demand - Electricity generation in this country is not fully environmentally friendly as it stands. At the present time the UK grid could not support the demand for electric if everyone was to buy an electric car.

Many new vehicles are now built with a Key-Free System and Power Starter Button, so getting into your car is more convenient and simple, but how safe is it?

KEYLESS ENTRY
The keyless entry system allows you to lock and unlock your vehicle, without even taking your key out of your bag or pocket. This works by sensors on the car detecting a signal emitted by the vehicle’s key, when it’s a certain distance from the car, and activates the locking mechanism accordingly.

POWER STARTER BUTTON
With a Power Starter Button you no longer need to insert the key into the ignition to start the car. Once inside the car with your key, to start the engine all you need to do is simply push the Starter Button while holding down the clutch or brake pedal if it’s an automatic.

NEW: ‘KICK’ OPEN BOOT
A kick-activated tailgate has recently been unveiled. Similarly to the keyless entry, with this you are able to open and close the boot by simply waving your foot underneath the rear bumper. This feature is to aid those who are carrying something that they need to put in the boot without the necessity to put the item down.

HOW SAFE IS KEYLESS ENTRY & START?
Keyless car entry systems were designed to make it easier getting into your car, but could it also make it easier for criminals to gain access to your car as well?

The keyless entry system works on a signal output from the key to your car.  By being in a close proximity to your vehicle the locking mechanism will act accordingly. The danger of this is that people, particularly women, are at risk of being attacked by a thief when accessing their vehicle. Organised criminals will watch car parks in particular to find out which cars have keyless entry.  Once in the vehicle they’ll be able to use the keyless Power Start Button, as they’ll still be within close proximity of the key, and it won’t become an issue of not having the key until they turn the engine off.

Alternatively, criminals will find a way of intercepting the key signals and increasing the signal so that the distance from the car to access is greater. They can then access keyless vehicles without the owner being in a close proximity, preventing the need to attack them. The only way to protect from this is to have some sort of shield on the key to prevent it emitting a signal once the vehicle is locked, however, to have this you’ll have to know where the key is, therefore eliminating the use for a keyless entry system.

In summary, these vulnerabilities should give the manufacturers a pause for thought, before they add another ‘convenience’ feature to vehicles.

Using a hand held device whilst driving or riding a vehicle is incredibly dangerous and also illegal. If you’re caught using a mobile phone when driving you could be prosecuted.

THE DETAILS
Whilst driving, you must not use your hand-held mobile phone, smartphone or PDA to:
- Make or receive calls
- Send or receive text messages (including picture messaging)
 Or
 - Access the internet

This includes when you have stopped at a set of traffic lights or if you are queuing in traffic.

THE PENALTIES
If you're caught using a hand-held device whilst driving you’ll incur an automatic fixed penalty notice, which is: 3 penalty points on your driving licence and a fine of £60.

However, if your case goes to court you may be faced with disqualification from driving and a maximum fine of £1000.  The fine maximum increases to £2500 if you are driving a bus or goods vehicle.

NOTE:  If you’ve passed your test within the past 2 years and have 6 or more penalty points you’ll lose your licence and will be required to retake your driving test in order to have your licence back.

WHY IS IT DANGEROUS?
- Using a hand-held mobile or device will distract you
- You won’t have full control of the vehicle with one hand on the steering wheel
- Your reaction times can be up to 50% slower than that of someone who is driving normally if you use a hand-held device.
- You are 4 times more likely to crash if you are using a mobile phone whilst driving
-  Think! Even the best of drivers can be distracted easily by a text or call, the moment lapse of concentration could easily result in a crash.

WHEN IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO USE A DEVICE IN YOUR VEHICLE?
- In state of a genuine emergency you’re able to call 999 but only if it’s unsafe to stop.
- If you are a passenger, unless you are supervising a learner driver.
- If you are parked safely – not on the hard shoulder of the motorway (unless it’s a genuine emergency)
- If your device (mobile/sat-nav/radio) is hands-free! However, if the police feel that you are not in control of the vehicle you can still face the same penalties.

ADVICE
If someone calls you whilst you’re driving and you don’t have hands-free you should ignore the call and should only listen to the answer message or take the call once you’re safely parked. Even if your device is hands-free you should still inform the other person you’re driving and arrange a different time to take the call.

Using a hand held device whilst driving or riding a vehicle is incredibly dangerous and also illegal. If you're caught using a mobile phone when driving you could be prosecuted.

For many people their car is one of the most expensive things they own, so avoid becoming a victim of car crime by following the tips below...

-  Ideally a garage would be the safest place to park your vehicle over-night. However, most motorists will only have access to park their vehicle on a driveway, if this is the case you could install motion sensitive lighting around the vehicle to deter thieves. If you are only able to park your vehicle on the street ensure it is left in a well lit area that has CCTV surveillance around the local area whenever possible.

-  Look after your keys. One of the easiest ways for a thief to steal your vehicle is to have the keys. Avoid leaving them in a visible or easily accessible place in your house and the common mistake of leaving them on a table when you’re ordering food/drink as this is an open invitation for someone to just take them.

-  It is advisable that you have an alarm fitted to your vehicle. Most vehicles will have a factory-fitted alarm as standard but if you don’t have one then you may want to consider having an after-market alarm fitted. Having an alarm fitted to your vehicle can also reduce the cost of your insurance, depending on the type and quality of the alarm fitted this can greatly reduce your premiums - car alarms vary from detecting a broken window to someone opening the bonnet so be sure to ask your insurer.

-  Opportunist thieves break into vehicles to steal anything from your radio to a handbag. Eliminate the temptation. Remove any portable items from your vehicle when you leave it, this includes even empty bags. If you are unable to take these items with you lock them away out of sight, preferably in the boot rather than the glove compartment. For peace of mind you could even empty the glove compartment and leave it open to show you have no valuables locked away there. If you have a portable Sat-Nav make sure you put the holder out of sight and wipe any suction marks from the windscreen if necessary.

-  An immobiliser fitted to the vehicle can deter criminals from stealing your vehicle but not breaking into it, as this only prevents the vehicle from starting. Having an immobiliser can also reduce your insurance premiums as well, providing that it is approved by the insurer.

-  Be wary of number plate theft, if your number plate is stolen you should report it to the police straight away however trivial it seems, as you could incur unwanted penalty charges for speeding, parking, etc. and even be associated with a criminal offence.

-  Steering wheel, handbrake and gearstick locks are a relatively cheap way of deterring thieves, but do they work? Thieves can easily remove them within minutes, but you could still use them as an extra deterrent because they are likely to put off most opportunist and inexperienced criminals.

All of the above can’t guarantee that your vehicle won’t be subject to crime however, by following the above tips you’ll be making it difficult for criminals, which will reduce the risk of your vehicle being broken into or stolen. Taking some of these measures may also reduce your insurance premiums so be sure to ask your insurer.

Finding the right tyres for your car and ensuring they are to a satisfactory and legal standard is essential for keeping you safe on the road, and by doing this it will also improve your driving experience.

In the UK you are required by law to replace your tyres when the tread depth reaches 1.6mm or less and they must not have any cuts, bulges or cord/ply showing.

If you are uncertain of what condition your tyres are in, check with your local garage and they’ll advise you accordingly.

FINDING THE RIGHT TYRE
Before looking for new tyres you need to find out what type and size of tyre your vehicle requires, you can find the recommended tyre size and road speed in your vehicle’s manufacturer’s specifications.  If you don’t have this information, then refer to the size on the tyre sidewall or consult your local garage.

It’s important to note that although a tyre’s brand name may not be well known that does not necessarily mean the tyre build quality is poor and although two different sized tyres may be of the same brand that does not guarantee they are of the same quality. In the EU tyres are not required to have a wear rating as they are in America. It may be beneficial to buy tyres that are marketed for America as well as the EU, thus have a wear rating e.g. Nexen Tyres.

Please note: if you have bought a second hand car there is no guarantee that the tyres on the vehicle are to the manufacturer’s recommendation therefore, if you are ever in doubt consult your local garage.

See below for an explanation of what the writing on your vehicle‘s tyres means:

205/65 R 95 V

205: This is the width of the tyre tread in millimetres

65:  Is the height of the sidewall as a percentage of the tyre tread, in this instance 65% of 205mm

R: R stands for radial; this is the construction of the tyre

16: The diameter of the tyre’s inner rim in inches

95: Is the load rating of the tyre, this is the weight the tyre is designed to support.

V: This letter refers to the maximum speed the tyre is designed to withstand when the vehicle if fully loaded (see below for the most common speed rating lettering)

S – 112 mph

T – 118 mph

H - 130 mph

V – 149 mph

Z – 150+ mph

W – 168 mph

Y – 186 mph

WHAT TYRES DO YOU REQUIRE?
If you drive a few thousand miles a year, mostly in a rural area, and never drive over 100mph then standard tyres in mid-price range should suffice. However, if you normally travel on motorways or at speed, finding the right tyre with an extended tread life will allow you to avoid changing your tyres as often, saving you money and time in the long run. Consult your local garage for advice.

Another factor to take into consideration, when finding the right type of tyre for your vehicle, is the typical weather for your location. In the UK, rain and wet weather is common, so it is best to find tyres that are well suited to provide good grip in this type of weather and still perform well.

ADVICE: It is good practice to rotate the tyres in the best condition to the front of your vehicle, this is because the majority of vehicles are front wheel drive, therefore the front wheels tend to wear faster as they are do a larger amount of work compared to the rear i.e. steer and do most of the braking.

NEW EU TYRE LABELLING REGULATION (EC 1222/2009) As of 1st November 2012, all tyres manufactured after 1st July 2012 are required to have a rating for 1 - Fuel efficiency, 2 -Wet grip and 3 – External rolling noise.

Fuel Efficiency – this is graded using a scale of A – G. ‘A’ being the most efficient and ‘G’ being the least efficient. [‘D’ is not used in this grading].

Wet Grip, also known as braking performance on a wet road – is graded using a scale of A – G. ‘A’ being shortest braking distance and ‘G’ being longest. [‘D’ & ‘G’ are not used in this grading].

External Rolling Noise – this is measured in decibels (dB) and categorised in 3 classes which are illustrated by 3 waves. 1 wave being a quieter tyre and 3 being louder. 

Spare Tyres Is a spare tyre part of the MOT test? The simple answer is no, however under the Road Traffic Act it is illegal to carry a defective spare tyre.

Space saver tyres are legal to carry as a spare and to use on the vehicle in the short-term, ie until it is convenient to get a replacement tyre fitted, but if the vehicle is presented for an MOT with a space saver tyre fitted then it would fail as a result.

If the spare tyre is suspended in a cage under the vehicle these can be subject to theft and there are some excellent locking devices which can be fitted to eliminate this problem.

The safety features in and on your vehicle vary dependent upon the age, make and model of the vehicle. As technology develops so do the safety features, modern day vehicles have more advanced safety features fitted as standard and may offer better protection in the event of a crash then their older counterpart.

There are two different types of safety features which are as follows:
Primary – these features are designed to help avoid a collision e.g. brake lights as these warn other road users that you are slowing down or stopping.
Secondary – these features are designed to reduce injuries to you and your passengers at the time of an impact e.g. seat belts which restrain you from coming out your seat on impact.

Before you buy a vehicle you should take it for a test drive to trial the various safety components. The following items can be tested just by test driving:

- Check that all lights are working correctly and that you have a clear vision of the road

- The brakes should be firm, not spongy and the vehicle shouldn’t pull to one side when applying the brakes.

- You feel comfortable with the position of the steering wheel – some cars have adjustable steering if necessary

- You can reach any necessary controls you may require

- You have the ability to adjust the seat so that you feel comfortable when driving – including the head restraint (the most ridged part of the head restraint, the middle, should be level with the top of your ear and eyes).

- Have good visibility of all the instruments

- Have a clear vision all the way around the vehicle – the head restraints shouldn’t block your vision

- Do you feel in control of the vehicle when driving?

If you are worried about the safety of your vehicle, take it to your local garage for a complete vehicle inspection to check the vehicle’s operation and mechanical condition. Please note that an MOT pass certificate only indicates the vehicle is roadworthy at the time of testing, and does not indicate a clean bill of health necessarily for the next few months.

SAFETY FEATURES

Seatbelts – one of the most obvious safety devices on the vehicle, this safety feature has been in place for over 30 years and seatbelts are constantly being upgraded to provide better security in case of impact. Seatbelts are fitted with pre-tensioners and grabbers that take up any slack from the seatbelt just at the point of impact in a crash. Lap and diagonal seatbelts are now commonly used for the centre rear seat in the vehicle, replacing just the singular strap across the lap. Seatbelts now also have limiters which prevent the belt pulling too harshly on your chest on impact.

Air bags – These are an additional safety feature commonly used in modern day vehicles – some vehicles even having up to 6 airbags. These airbags can be located in the steering wheel, dashboard or door (or in the edge of the roof above the doors). The airbags inflate on impact which gives extra protection to the passengers wearing seatbelts.

Anti-lock brakes (ABS) – ABS helps you uphold steering control under emergency braking and has been set as a standard safety feature on all new cars since 2004.

Electronic stability control (ESC) – ESC detects when you are about to lose control of the vehicle as it senses the difference between your intended course and the car’s actual course. When you are about to lose control it automatically applies braking to individual wheels to help stabilise the vehicle.

Tyre pressure sensors – These sensors monitor the pressure in the tyres which will give you an early warning of a puncture - low tyre pressure will adversely affect the handling and braking of the vehicle in an emergency.

CRASH TESTS - EUROPEAN NEW CAR ASSESSMENT RATINGS (EURO NCAP)

A crash test is the only consistent way of finding out how well the vehicle structure absorbs the collision impact without crushing the passenger compartment. The test will also indicate how well your safety features (e.g. airbags) can protect the vehicle's passengers. The crash tests are carried out by Euro NCAP which rate the vehicle’s overall protection using a star rating (maximum 5 stars) taking into consideration the protection it provides for an adult occupant, a child occupant and the protection for pedestrians. It is also rated on the driver assistance and active safety technology systems.

Here is a list of the rated French cars that have been crash tested since 2009 (click the models for a further detailed result, pictures & videos). The rating system changed in 2009 click for an explanation of the new and old rating system. Please note, not all vehicles have been tested since the change in the rating system.
***** AWARDED 5 STARS *****
Citroen DS4 tested in 2011
Citroen DS5 tested in 2011
Citroen C4 tested in 2010
Citroen C4 Picasso tested in 2009
Citroen C5 tested in 2009
Citroen DS3 tested in 2009

Peugeot 208 tested in 2012
Peugeot 3008 tested in 2009
Peugeot 308 tested in 2009
Peugeot 308CC tested in 2009
Peugeot 5008 tested in 2009
Peugeot 508 tested in 2011

Renault Grand Scenic tested in 2009

**** AWARDED 4 STARS ****
Citroen C-Zero tested in 2011
Citroen C3 tested in 2009
Citroen C3 Picasso tested in 2009

Peugeot iOn tested in 2011

Renault Fluence ZE tested in 2011

*** AWARDED 3 STARS ***
Citroen Nemo tested in 2010

If you haven’t got a French car or your particular model isn’t displayed above, click here to find out your vehicle’s rating.