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Posts tagged ‘essential driver training’

Beware When Booking Your Driving Test

Hi All

 

I have a concern about a number of websites that offers a booking service for the Driver Theory and Practical tests on the island of Ireland.

 

This website has a high “Ad word” ranking on Internet search engines (Google etc.) and can be found at the top in the advertised sites relating to RSA searches.

 

These sites are charging an additional commission of €18 to €25 per test. The driving test fee that you should be paying is set by the Minister for Transport at  €85.

Only book your driving test through the official RSA website links available on the bottom of our home page.

The Official site is shown below.

RSA Booking Page for driving lessons in cork

 

 

The R.S.A. have initiated measures to limit the ability of these sites but ask that you advise you not to use these service providers. The RSA official site is quicker and easier to use and allows test date and time selection in certain test centres.

 

Please spread the Word.

 

Tony

 

Changes to Licencing & Laws 2013

Hi All

This year will see some major changes in the way you acquire your driving licence. Some of you will be affected and some wont. For those who it might not affect may still find this information useful for someone they know entering into the driving arena.

Driving Licence Format Change

From the 19th of January 2013 the Driving Licence will no longer take the form of a green or pink booklet. Instead it will take the form of a Credit Card size Plastic Licence. This is to match the standards they use across Europe.

You can exchange your old licence for a new one or just wait until yours is up for renewal. To do this, just check the date in the column go/to on your licence.

 

Driving lesson licence 2013 Cork

The New Licence for Ireland

Penalty Points for Learner Drivers

As of 2008 ALL learner drivers are to be accompanied by A full licence holder that has held that licence for at least 3 years. Failure was left decided by the Garda and a fine of up to €1000

Under new Rules agreed by the Government and Leo Varadkar in Dec 2012, these are the changes.

  • Learners driving by themselves will receive an €80 fine and 2 Penalty points
  • Learners not Displaying ‘L’ plates will receive an €80 fine and 2 Penalty points
  • If you receive 6 penalty points within a 3 year period, you will be banned from Driving for 6 months.

If you know anyone that this applies to, get them to book a driving test and driving lessons straight away. The only way to avoid these penalty points is to get a Full Driving Licence.  Arrange a Driving Lesson

Garda checking learner drivers in Cork

Licence Changes to Motorcycles

There are new Licence Categories for Motorcycles. Am, A1,A2 and A

You will now not be able to acquire a full bike licence (licence A) until you are 24 or if you have held an A2 licence for 2 years.

You will not be able to acquire an A2 licence until you are 18 or you have held an A1 Licence for 2 years.

An Am Licence must be applied for first in all cases and can do so at the age of 16 although they will be restricted to a speed no more than 45 kp/h

Changes to HGV Vehicles Presenting for a Driving Test

There are Many changes to this area. To Simplify it I have provided you with a link

HGV Driving Test Changes 2013

 

 

Getting Ready for Winter

Hi All.

I just wanted to write a quick post with regards to the Winter.
Autumn/Winter can be a bit of a challenge for new drivers and can even catch out a few experienced ones.
I have compiled a few top tips to keep yourself away from Hazards and NOT ceate any for any other drivers.

As we know already, Cork roads are not the best. They are plagued with poor surface and idiot drivers.
The first defence is to make sure the basic car checks are done.

  1. Check ALL lights, brake lights and indicators – Get someone to help you or use your local TOPAZ. They have a Mirror beside the Tyre inflator to help you check your lights without getting out of the seat. This will allow other drivers to see you and help them make better driving decisions based on your signals. People have lost their lives because other drivers lights were broken.
  2. Check Tyre Condition and Tyre pressures – Check that the grooves in the tyre are deep enough. The minimum legal Tread depth is 1.6mm. On all tyres there are little tyre wear indicator stubbs in the groove to tell you when theyre illegal. If theres no deep groove then the tyre will not displace any water etc and thus NO GRIP. Also check your tyre pressure. Under inflated tyres are like driving on Raw Eggs. Over inflated tyres reduce your grip. If in Doubt, I always inflate to 30 psi. The tyre inflators in most petrol stations are free and most garages will assist you. Its not difficult but essential. People have died from driving on under inflated tyres.
  3. Check your Coolant – Open the Bonnet and look for the resevoir that has a thermometer on it or CAUTION HOT text on the cap. This is your coolant. This keeps your engine cool. The fluid should be RED or GREENISH colour. This is the ANTIFREEZE additive that stops it from freezing. If its clear or transparant, bring it to a mechanic for a mini service. NO ANTIFREEZE = FROZEN ENGINE and LEAKS. Drivers have broken their cars from not checking antifreeze levels. Remember water expands when it freezes !
  4. Top up your Screenwash – Open the Bonnet and look for the resevoir with the windscreen and dashed lines squirting over it. This is the fluid that squirts onto your window when you pull the window wiper stick attached to your steering wheel. For €2 you can get screen wash liguid soap from the petrol station then top it up with ordinary tap water. This is essential if we get frost. Why? Because if we get frost, they send out the grit lorries to grit the roads to prevent them freezing. Grit is basically salt. The vehicle in front of you will spray salt up on your window from its tyres and your windows will go white. It becomes very difficult to see. People have lost their lives from not topping up their screenwash.

This is all basic stuff, but if your not comfortable doing it yourself, then find your nearest ADVANCE PITSTOP in Cork or Local Mechanic and ask them to do a Winter Check.

Secondly – Keep your driving smooth and creamy. What I mean by this (and most of my students will already know this) is to keep the car steady and safe. Dont be erratic with the steering or the pedals. You will only discover loss of grip when its too late and YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RECOVER FROM A SKID without prior training.

Brake earlier and softer on the pedal. This warns drivers behind you sooner and prevents your wheels LOCKING UP.

And Thirdly, Do I need to say it? Really?

SLOW DOWN AND KEEP YOUR DISTANCE TO THE VEHICLES AROUND YOU.

Theres too many idiots on the road.

MY GOLDEN RULES

  1. Keep your self out of danger
  2. Dont create any danger for anyone else (requires forward thinking)

Hope this helps at least one of you stay safe this winter.

Safe Driving

 

Tony

 

 

EDT- Has it Made any Difference?

So has it made any difference?
Depending on who you talk to, the opinions are very mixed.
Here are my thoughts…

Before EDT was introduced, driving instructors found it very hard to keep students with them until all lessons of the road had been learnt. The thought process for most people who I have experienced would have been to learn how to control the car and the rest will come naturally. This meant that there are a lot of people out there who can control a car and turn the wheel but have no idea what a potential hazard looks like, and how to react when they see one. Thus the reason that accidents are happening morning noon and night.

So How has EDT helped?

EDT has now enabled driving instructors to keep their students in for the long term. We can now not only teach them how to control the car, for example, starting the car, moving the car forward, stopping the car safely, steering or turning the car and changing gear, but it now allows us to guarantee a varied range of different driving situations. What I mean is, the most common and the least common causes of an accident can now be given as tuition before they book their driving test. This is making for a much safer driver and further increases your chances of passing FIRST time.

I recently had a student who had taken their driving test 6 times. Each time failing for different elements of driving. They told me they had 2 driving lessons when they were younger and had been driving around on a Learner Permit ever since (just the people who the RSA are targeting).

We agreed on 5 Driving Lessons and set about fixing the errors that had previously failed them. All the time using EDT as a check list. After 3 lessons they had noticed a considerable difference in their awareness and was starting to take note of things going on around them. Needless to say they went on to pass their test and now salutes me when ever we meet on the road. I have peace of mind that they are less of a danger on the road.

In Terms of EDT. This is being done from the start now. So No driving around for long periods on learner permits and getting into trouble. Sometimes learning by your mistakes can come at a price. I don’t really need to tell you all what the highest price is that you could pay on the road.

Summary

For those of you who are currently in the middle of EDT Essential Driver training….keep it up and stick at it.

For those of you still on a learner permit or provisional, and want to get the best of a full licence, then give me or any other approved driving instructor a call and get in some EDT essential driver training today.

You can read more about whats involved in edt here

 

Safe Driving

 

Tony

 

 

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