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Higher education begins as you leave: tips from IAM RoadSmart

This week’s tips give advice to students packing their bags for the big drive or ride to university. For many this trip will be the furthest they have driven, and in an area they are not yet familiar with. 

Back to school: tips from IAM RoadSmart

The summer holidays have come to a close and for some parents not a moment too soon.  Order and normality will resume along with the dreaded school run which starts again for another year. This week’s tips offers advice to drivers and riders on how to survive the term time road rush from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

The swings and roundabouts of life: driving advice from IAM RoadSmart

Roundabouts sometimes send even the most experienced drivers into a panic. But never fear: IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving standards Richard Gladman is here to help you out.

 

Riding in the right gear: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Many riders take to roads without realising they are putting themselves in danger, wearing the incorrect clothing. This week’s tips offers advice on clothing to all riders from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Leave sooner, drive slower and live longer: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Many new drivers will take to the road this summer after successfully passing their driving tests. You may have some hiccups along the way and not know how best to cope. Statistics show that the first six months of solo driving are when you are most at risk. This week’s tips give advice to new drivers from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Leave a positive vision behind: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Over time our eyesight deteriorates and previously strong vision can become poor. If eyesight problems are left unaddressed they can often lead to poor reaction times to unexpected hazards or the behaviour of other road users. This week’s tips give advice on eyesight. When riding and driving from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Buying a used car: tips from IAM RoadSmart

You may be a first time car buyer or just in the need for a new ride. This week’s tips offer advice on buying a used car from IAM RoadSmart’s head of technical policy and advice, Tim Shallcross.

Where kids are number one: tips from IAM RoadSmart

The summer holidays are here and many families will be packing for success as they set off to enjoy and travel. This week’s tips give advice on driving with children from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Keep calm while driving and riding: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Summer is here in all its glory and with its arrival also comes the arrival of pressure cooker driving conditions. Many drivers will be taking to the road stressed by holiday deadlines, long traffic queues, overheated cars and hot tempered drivers. This week’s tips give advice on dealing with road rage for riders and drivers from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Half the wheels, twice the fun: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Summer is here and many of us will be taking to the streets and country roads with our bicycles to make the most of the sunshine. This week’s tips give advice on sharing the road with cyclists from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Is parking the bigger picture? Tips from IAM RoadSmart

Many of us can find parking and looking for the right spot quite challenging but sometimes we also forget about checking our surroundings when we leave the car.  A few simple checks can avoid costly and irritating car park mistakes and make your trip a lot less stressful. This week’s tips give advice on parking from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Drive out and rave on: tips from IAM RoadSmart

It’s that time of the year to bring out your wellies, rain capes and lose yourself in the music because the summer festival season is here. This week’s tips give advice on riding and driving to and from festivals from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

If you don’t ride you don’t know: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Finding the time to take a trip abroad can be a challenge but many of us look forward to it. It can be a huge task for especially for motorcycle users abroad. This week’s tips give advice on riding abroad from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

For the journey - tips from IAM RoadSmart

Going away during the summer is something that many look forward to. Prevention is better than cure and if you are taking your own vehicle abroad it is a great idea to be prepared for the unexpected events that can occur when on the road. This week’s tips give advice on driving abroad from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Hold your horses: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Horses are powerful animals and have extremely heightened senses. They are ‘flight’ animals, so many revert to their natural instincts at any time. The outcome of this can be extremely challenging for the rider and other road users. There have been 2,570 road incidents reported to the British Horse Society in the last six years. Some 38 riders have been killed and 222 horses have died as a result of their injuries. Of these incidents 80% are because vehicle passed too fast or too close to the horse. This week’s tips give advice on riding and driving around horses from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards, Richard Gladman.

Above the influence: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Illegal substances can affect drivers in several ways, making them unfit for the road. But it is not only illegal drugs that we should be wary of. Prescribed or over the counter drugs can have similar negative affect’s on motorists too and driving while impaired by medication could see you banned from using the road. This week’s tips give advice on riding and driving with prescribed medication, from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards Richard Gladman.

You booze, you cruise, you lose: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Drunk motorists cause thousands of accidents on UK roads every year. Some 1,380 people were killed or seriously injured when at least one driver was over the limit. This represents a statistically significant rise from 1,310 in 2014. A lot of people may be surprised to learn that accidents occur the most over the summer period. This week’s tips give advice on drink driving, from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards Richard Gladman.

Using a Sat Nav: tips from IAM RoadSmart

Satellite navigation systems (sat navs) are a must have these days but many road users fail to use this travel companion in the correct or safe manner. In a recent simulator study looking at a variety of distractions, programming a sat nav had the biggest negative impact on driving standards. This week’s tips give advice on riding and driving with a sat navs, from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards Richard Gladman.

Driving with hay fever: tips from IAM RoadSmart

A sneeze or sniffle has a way of creeping up on you, especially when you least expect it.  Hay fever seems to affect many of us. This week’s tips give advice on riding and driving with hay fever, from IAM RoadSmart’s head of driving and riding standards Richard Gladman.

DVLA update for drivers – new ways to access documents

Posted on 04/05/23 |

The DVLA has announced a change to its services with a new update set to simplify the way drivers access their vital documents and carry out some admin tasks.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the governmental body shared the news: "You can now view your driving licence and vehicle information in one place!  Set up your Driver and vehicles account, it’s free, quick and secure:   http://gov.uk/dvla/account".  Ed; you need your ID

By creating a driver and vehicles account on Gov.UK, drivers are given the convenience of having lots of information about their driving licence and vehicle in one place, streamlining processes like renewing their driving licence or dealing with vehicle tax.

The following tasks can be carried out on the new page:

  • ·view your driving record, for example vehicles you can drive
  • check your penalty points or disqualifications
  • add and view details of your vehicles - including when the MOT expires
  • check the tax rates for your vehicles
  • set up vehicle tax reminders by email and SMS - if you pay tax every 6 or 12 months
  • choose to stop getting vehicle tax reminders by post
  • renew your photocard driving licence
  • ·view a photo of your driving licence (you’ll need a valid photocard driving licence)
  • create a licence ‘check code’ to share your driving record with someone, for example a car hire company
  • ·view your Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) and tachograph information, if you have these

Motorists who want to use this service will either need to have a driving licence issued in England, Scotland or Wales. or a vehicle log book (V5C) in their name in order to register.

This development comes ahead of the introduction of digital driving licences in the summer of 2025.  Using the Gov.UK wallet, motorists will have the ability to digitally store essential documents, such as their driving licence, on their smartphones, meaning they can prove their identity and buy age-restricted products, without needing to carry their physical card.

In a joint statement, several government agencies announced: "The GOV.UK Wallet will allow users to securely store government-issued documents on their phone and use them easily when needed."

"The technology will make use of security features that are built into modern smart phones, including facial recognition checks similar to those used when people pay using a digital bank card. It means that digital documents will be more secure, even if a device is lost."

Science Secretary Peter Kyle praised the new system: "For people who choose to use GOV.UK Wallet, they will find it easier to prove they're entitled to benefits or check their age when buying alcohol or DIY equipment, with more security and trust than ever before."

He added: "Crucially, it also opens huge opportunities to make interacting with public services much easier by putting people in control of their own data."

Gov.UK Wallet is set to arrive on iOS and Android platforms later this year.

Ed;  It works, I have just set up my dvla/account – but be prepared for a verification process.

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