What do I need to drive in Europe

From January 1st 2021 the rules regarding driving in the Europe may change. Short trips such as holidays and business trips may not affect your current UK driving licence. If your licence was issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man or if you have a paper licence, you might need an IDP  (International Driving Permit). You do not need an IDP if you are visiting Ireland. IDPs can be purchased at your local Post Office for £5.50

There are different IDPs you might need to get depending on the country you are visiting. There are 3 types:

• 1926
• 1949
• 1968

Remember if you are traveling through more than one country in Europe you might need more the one IDP. Use this table to find out which permit you will need. If you don’t see the permit number then you should contact the Embassy of the country you will be traveling through.

Documents you will need

If you drive in Europe and are traveling in your own vehicle for less than 12 months in Europe you will need to carry a log book (V5C) or a VE103 to show you’re allowed to use your hired or leased vehicle abroad. (Current Information) Use a GB sticker on the back of your vehicle even if you have a GB on your number plate.

Green Card Insurance

A green card proves you have insurance cover on you’re vehicle. You will need to carry a physical copy with you when you drive in Europe. Contact your insurer or ask them where to download it. If your insurer posts it allow up to 6 weeks. You may have to show you’re green card at the border, if you are involved in an accident or stopped by the police. You do need to have a green card and additional insurance if you are towing a caravan or trailer.

If you Break Down Abroad

It is always wise to have breakdown cover whenever you travel, even more so when you drive in Europe. Most of the well established companies in the UK will offer competitive breakdown cover. In some countries in Europe having a reflective jacket and a warning triangle are compulsory pieces of equipment you must carry in you’re vehicle. There are large fines if you don’t and saying I didn’t know is no defence.

If you have lost your driving licence you will need a new one. Also if your licence was damaged or destroyed you will need a new one. If it was stolen you need to inform the police. The DVLA handle all these matters and this is the government department you need to deal with to replace your licence.

To replace your lost driving licence you will need to:

• be a resident of Great Britain, there is a different service for Northern Ireland.
• not be disqualified from driving for any reason
• provide an address where you have lived for the last 3 years
• provide your driving licence number, national insurance number and passport number if you know them
• pay £20 by MasterCard, Visa, Electron or Delta debit or credit card

Your new photo driving licence

The DVLA will use your passport photo if you have a valid UK passport, you will need to provide your passport number, give permission for the DVLA to use your photo and if your driving licence is due to expire in 2 years. If you have all this information the DVLA can use your passport photo. The DVLA will inform you if an electronic photo is not available. They will send you a form so you can send a new one.

Change the photo on your driving licence

For photocard licences, the photo must be renewed every 10 years. It cost £14 to update the photo on your licence, this is because you are renewing your driving licence. You can apply online with the DVLA if you have a valid UK passport and want to use your passport photo. The DVLA will send you a confirmation email once you have applied. Remember you need a valid passport for the DVLA to be able to use the photo and signature from your passport. You will not be able to change your photo online if your passport is out of date.

Renew my passport

It will cost £75.50 to renew or replace an adult passport. It can take up to 3 weeks to receive your new passport. It is always quicker to renew online. To renew you will need a digital photo, a credit card or debit card and your passport. If you are applying for the first time you have to be a British national aged 16 or over and have never had a British passport before. It can take up to 6 weeks to arrive. Passports are valid for 10 years.

Licence check code

You can use this service to check your driving records such as penalty points and vehicles you can drive. Create a licence check code to share your records with other parties such as insurance companies or car hire firms. Your check code is valid for 21 days. You will need a national insurance number a driving licence number first 16 characters and your postcode on your licence to start your check.

Having problems with the licence check code

If you are having problems with getting your check code such as the DVLA not recognising your details you can use a personal check DVLA page. This will probably still come back with we don’t see your details. Click on verify my details you will be then asked to verify your details using a company that meets government privacy and security standards. Pick a company to verify you and follow the instructions. You should be then able to get your licence check code.

How to pass your theory test first time.

How to pass your theory test first time. 

This is the goal of every candidate who takes this test. Nobody wants to have to repeat their theory test and go through all the work again. Since the introduction of the theory test, lots of candidates feel they have been held back from gaining their licence sooner. The DVSA has recently reduced the theory test fees. On the 1st of October 2015 fees dropped from £25 to £21. Repeated tests can soon start to add up. By following some simple guidelines, passing your theory test first time can be achieved. Here at Nolan School of Motoring we will guide you through the process.

Using the correct material

If you are using the highway code book, being overwhelmed by information is a problem. Tracking your progress is difficult. You will probably start to lose interest in the material you are studying. This is why using an App is recommended. Apps for the theory test can track your progress and the information is broken down for ease of reading. I find any of my customers using Apps for the theory test, have the highest first time pass rate. Find the Apps with the best reviews.

How to Study

There are over 1300 questions in the theory test bank. Lots of candidates will study about half of these and then start their mock tests. This is probably the main reason for failing. The best approach is to cover all the questions before starting mock tests. Being over ambitious in your study can lead to poor results. Everyone has their limits of what they can remember. Study only what you can retain. When you feel concentrations levels drop walk away. Set realistic goals like 50 to 100 questions a day. This way your study is more effective.

Check your results

When you do start the mock tests check the analytics after each test. If the App your using is quality, the mock test feedback should generate bar graphs of different categories. Usually a score of 85% or higher in any category is a good indicator your knowledge of this subject is of a high standard. Any categories of less than 85% need more attention. By using this system covering all the questions becomes more effective. Information is retained, so a higher probability of passing your theory test first time is greater.

The Inventor of the Traffic Lights.

The Inventor of the Traffic Lights.

Railway engineer John Peake Knight was the first to promote the use of traffic lights. Born in 1828 in Nottingham, he left school at 12 years of age and joined the Derby railway station. At the age of 20 he was promoted to traffic manager of the London to Brighton line. He improved the quality of rail travel introducing the pullman car and carriages with alarm pulls for ladies.

First Traffic Lights

In 1866 over 1000 people were killed and 1334 injured on the roads in London. John Peake Knight could see the benefits of signals on the railways and how it had improved safety. He decided to approach the borough of Westminster and proposed a signaling system to regulate horse drawn-carriages and reduce the number of fatalities.
The first traffic light system was installed outside the Palace of Westminster in London in 1868. The design combined three semaphore arms with red and green gas lamps for night-time use, on a pillar, operated by a police constable.
The project was greeted enthusiastically and in 1868 the first traffic lights were installed. After only one month the gas powered lights exploded and a policeman was injured. The project was canceled.

Electric Traffic Lights

It would be 40 years before traffic lights would appear again and this would be in America. The worlds first electric traffic lights were installed in Cleveland Ohio in 1924.  Traffic lights would only become a common sight in London in 1929 when electric signals were introduced.

Modern Traffic Lights

Today modern traffic lights systems are a common sight at many junctions and are there to improve road safety. But in the last 10 years their number has increased by 25%. Some studies suggest that traffic planners are using traffic lights to slow down traffic to prioritise buses and pedestrians. Depending when and where you are, traffic lights can ease your journey or be a source of frustration.

Mobile Phone Penalties

Mobile Phone Penalties

Endorsable Fixed Penalty Notices (issued by the police at the time of the offence. You will have to give up your licence at the scene (or within 7 days) for it to be endorsed, as well as pay the fine) have risen from £60 to £100.

Using a hand held phone when driving is illegal. If you are caught it is 3 penalty points and a £100 fine. This is an automatic fine. Using a hand held phone when supervising a learner driver is also illegal.

If the police or driver decide to bring the case to court instead of a fixed penalty notice, the maximum fine is £1000  (£2500 for van, lorry, buses or coach drivers.)
An employer can get prosecuted if they cause or permit an employee to drive while using a mobile phone or if the employee is not in control of the vehicle. If the employer requires the employee to make or receive calls whilst driving.

Hands-free equipment

Hands-free equipment is not prohibited by the new regulation. Pushing buttons when the phone is in the cradle or on the steering wheel is not covered by the new offence, provided you do not hold the phone. However hands-free equipment is distracting and you risk prosecution for failing to have proper control of the vehicle if you are using it or have an accident.

As a new driver you are only allowed 6 points on your driving licence in the first two years. If you get 6 points your licence is revoked by the DVLA. It means you have to re-apply for a provisional licence pass your theory test and pass your driving test. This is also called revocation.

Police

Greater Manchester Police deploys 3 Smartcars across the region to film motorists who are using a hand held mobile phone while driving. The camera technology is very effective, and the quality of evidence is excellent. Between 500-700 offences are recorded every day.

It is very difficult to defend a case when a police officer or PCSO are giving evidence that they saw you using a mobile phone.

Driving Lessons Cheadle Heath, Bramhall and Stockport

Driving Lessons Cheadle Heath, Bramhall and Stockport

Looking for driving lessons in Adswood, Bramhall, Bredbury, Cheadle Heath, Davenport, Heaton Chapel and Stockport areas? 

Nolan School of Motoring have an impressive first time pass rate and provide a wide range of tools to support you throughout the learning process, from revising for the Theory Test to offering a variety of tuition videos to watch on the website or on our YouTube channel.

Rip Up Your L Plates!

Stockport and all areas of Cheshire including Adswood, Bramhall, Bredbury, Cheadle, Cheadle Heath, Davenportand Heaton Chapel

Free Tips on Driving Lessons and Book Theory Course Online

Read our Free Driving lesson plans and study the Hardest Theory Test Questions. Nolan School of Motoring is an established business with a high pass rate, we provide you with the tuition and revision tools with the aim of building your confidence and skills to pass first time.

Phone 0161 429 0297 or Mobile 07828322973

With our knowledge and friendly one to one service you will be more than happy with our service. Check out our prices page for our highly competitive deals and take a look at what some of our past learner drivers have to say about us.

How to respond to emergency vehicles

 

Emergency Vehicles

Loud sirens and flashing blue lights can often send many motorists into a panic. This is usually because they have not been taught to deal with approaching emergency vehicles properly. Here we will explain how to respond to emergency vehicles when driving so you can help to facilitate a safe and quick route for them to take.

The key is to keep calm when you see or hear emergency vehicles approaching so you are in the right frame of mind to make a quick and safe decision.

Don’t panic

If you see or hear an emergency vehicle approaching, it is important to keep calm. If you have music on turn it off, as this will aid your concentration whilst you plan your next move. Working yourself up into a panic could lead you to making the wrong move and delaying the emergency vehicle further.

Look for somewhere you can pull over to safely and indicate that you are going to do so. This will tell the emergency vehicle driver that you are aware of their presence and intend on getting out of there way. Only pull over it is safe to do so. Avoid pulling onto kerbs, pavements and verges as you may put yourself or pedestrians at risk.

Even after the emergency vehicle has passed you, it is important to remain aware. There may be more emergency vehicles heading your way, so listen out for other sirens and keep in mind that you may need to pull over again.

Look for indicators

If you are approaching a junction or roundabout, check your mirrors to see if the emergency vehicle is indicating, so you know which direction they need to go in. This will help you plan your next move. Be aware that the driver behind you may not have the same view of the emergency vehicle as you, so do not brake suddenly.

If there is not a safe place to pull over, do not slow down as this will hinder the progress of the emergency vehicle. Instead keep driving and indicate that you intend to pull over when possible. You should never pull over on the brow of a hill or if you are approaching a bend. Simply keep driving at the speed limit (if it is safe to do so) and then indicate and pull over when you have a better view.

UK Government motorist advice specifically says “In slow-moving traffic motorists should leave enough space to be able to manoeuvre if an emergency vehicle needs to get past.”

Emergency vehicles on the motorway

Never overtake an emergency vehicle on a motorway or dual carriageway. This will prevent you from getting caught up in the accident it is attending. Make sure you give the blue light vehicle plenty of room and that you follow it at a safe distance.
Unless a uniformed police office directs you to do so, never go through a red light to facilitate an emergency vehicle.

Relevant laws

The laws still apply even when emergency vehicles are present. Unless you are directed to do so by a uniformed police offer, you will be breaking the law and could be fined if you move into a bus lane or go through a red light to make way for an emergency vehicle.

If you are travelling on a solid white line road, the emergency vehicle will only be permitted to pass you when you have completely stopped. Keep driving at the speed limit (if it is safe to do so) and only pull over when you are out of the solid white line area. It is likely the emergency vehicle driver will turn the sirens off whilst you are on the solid white line road and back on when you reach the point where they can safely overtake.

Conclusion

Responding to emergency vehicles on the road is not something that you should worry about. As long as you keep your cool and behave in a safe, legal and predictable manner, you will be able to facilitate emergency vehicles in their mission to get to the emergency quickly and safely.

Image credits: kenjonbro & mezzoblue