Young Drivers

• Motorcycles represent less than 2 percent of licensed vehicles but bikers account for at least 12 percent of road deaths,which means that motorcyclists are 6 times more likely to be killed on our roads.
• Increasing  the number of young passengers increases the likelihood of a crash.One passenger makes it twice as likely,2 or more,5 times as likely.
• Research into hazard perception clearly shows that inexperienced drivers can be up to 2 seconds slower in recognising possible dangers compared with experienced drivers.
• For every mile driven ,a 17 year old male is seven times more likely to be involved in an accident than a middle aged man.
• Young novices state that there driving is adversely affected by the presence of their peers and improves when accompanied by parents or mature adults.
• Risk-taking including fast driving is more common among young drivers.

Try out your driving skills  www.stoppingdistances.org.uk

Risks on the road

Advice on Buying a Vehicle

If you are buying a vehicle privately and it is later identified as having been stolen you may have no right to its ownership. You could lose both the vehicle and the money you paid for it. The following points may you avoid becoming a victim of vehicle crime.

Advertisements and Viewing

·        Beware of mobile phone numbers they are virtually untraceable.

·        Advertisements specifying a time to call, could indicate a phone box- be suspicious ask questions.

·        Arrange to view the vehicle in daylight (how else will you spot dents or scraps, look for cover ups underneath door locks, stickers and look for different colour paint on doors etc- the car may have been involved in an accident!)

·        Arrange to view the vehicle at the Registered Keepers address- check the address your at is the same as what’s on the registration document. Details of this are below.

·        Ensure the owner is familiar with the controls-ask questions.

·        Check every part of the car even checking the radio and cigarette lighter. Remember anything you find wrong with the car could help you to knock the price down!

·        Check tyres are not worn, 4 new tyres on a car are not cheap and you will not pass your next NCT with worn tyres.

·        When you call the number off the advert don’t mention the car’s make- just say “Hi, I’m enquiring about the car you have for sale in the Auto Trader…” If they reply “which car” then you instantly know they have more than one car they are trying to sell and may not be maintaining them all to the highest standard. Remember cars like’s to be driven every day not left on the driveway or in the garage waiting to be sold.

·        Check the   Chasis number on the car (can be found under the bonnet or on the bottom of windows) is the same as what is on the Registration Document. Be suspicious if it looks tampered with i.e. scrapped off.

Documentation

·        Never buy a vehicle without a registration document or certificate even if the seller says it has been sent to the motor tax offices for changes.

What is a Registration Document/Certificate?

A Registration Document/Certificate shows the registered keeper of a vehicle. The registered keeper is the person who keeps the vehicle on a public road and is not necessarily the legal owner. It gives the keeper's name and address, the registration mark and other information about the vehicle. You should make sure that the details on this certificate are accurate . You may have problems selling your vehicle if any of the information is inaccurate.