· The new Safety Road Traffic bill has now been placed on the Statute books.

· The Driving Instructors Association (DIA) has called for dual control cars to be made mandatory for the L-test:

· Official figures show that 42% of learners who take their test in a car fitted with dual controls pass, compared with fewer than 31% in a normal car.

· The explanation, says the DIA, is that candidates in dual controlled cars have been taught by professional driving instructors, whilst those in non-dual-control cars are more likely to have been taught to drive by friends or family members.

· The DIA complains that the current test rate is too high because too many learners are not being taught to the required standard.

· ‘It is ludicrous,’ says DIA general manager Eddie Barnaville, ‘that here in England we have one of the highest failure rates in Europe simply because the government insists that anybody with a driving licence - possibly with bad driving habits developed over many years and a poor understanding of the driving skills required - should have the right to teach little Johnny to drive.’

 

· Tyre pressures:

· British motorists are wasting £790m on fuel, and £230m on new tyres each year because they do not have their tyres inflated to the correct pressure, causing increased fuel consumption and tread wear, says Avon Tyres.

 

· Did you know?:

· Recent statistics have shown that the average learner takes 42 hrs, and 2 practical tests to gain their driving licence.
2) Crash risk is worst at night: Only 25% of all car travel takes place between 7pm & 8am, but 40% of fatal and serious accidents occur during this period, according to AA Motoring Trust report.
3) In the last 5 yrs, the number of women convicted of speeding has increased by 25%, while the figure for men has dropped by 14%
4) Diesel power is coming to the race circuit, Audi is powering its Le Mans 24 hour racer with a 5.5-litre 12 cylinder twin-turbo TDI engine. With its 800 lB ft of torque, it demands considerable less gear shifting than most racing cars.
5) Speed camera operators apologised to a Wiltshire farmer after fining him for doing 86 mph in his tractor. They admitted they had misread the number plate.
6) A single speeding offence could increase your insurance premiums by £476 when the Government’s proposed road safety bill comes into effect. Currently a speeding offence will give 3 points, but the new law will raise this to 6 for doing 45 in a 30 mph zone.

· Finally; in Hong Kong a suicide jumper landed on a car, and is now refusing to pay the  £2,800 repair bill. She says she is not liable, as the car was parked  illegally!.