Blog Post

Covid-19 Risk Assessment Statement

28th September 2020 Chris Richards No comments

UPDATED 16th October

Driving Lessons still going ahead even though Lancashire and Liverpool are in the new Tier 3 – Highest level of Covid Restrictions.

Liverpool and Lancashire are now at the highest level alert for COVID. This DOES NOT affect driving lessons. We cleanse all touchpoints between lessons, provide hand sanitiser and wear masks for your safety. Your safety is our number 1 priority. 🙂

What We Are Doing To Keep You Safe.

driving lessons starting back with masks ppe

We are following all the government, DVSA and DIA guidelines to keep you safe. You will be given the full breakdown and information directly from your instructor, you can find the guidance here and the main pointers to take notice of are:

  • face masks/coverings are to be used by both instructor and learner
  • car to be sanitised between each lesson
  • hand sanitiser to be used on entry and exit of the car
  • briefings/learning points to be done outside the car when possible
  • windows to be open and air con off when possible to allow ventilation.
  • all instructor to carry out health and safety risk assessments
  • Requesting you download and use the NHS COVID 19 Track and trace app.

What You Need to Do to Keep Safe.

  • If you have any COVID symptoms, call your driving instructor immediately and cancel your lesson.  
    • Then follow the governments advise on how long to isolate for and/or get a COVID test.
    • If you have some symptoms then please cancel your lesson and monitor your situation.
  • If you have come in contact with someone who has COVID, then please inform us immediately.
  • If at all indoubt, call your instructor and they will help you as much as possible.

NHS Track and Trace App

Although while you have driving lessons in a car that isn’t a physical location, we dont require you to login in via the QR code. We do request that you download and use the app. This will speed up the tracking of the COVID situation and allow us to quickly stop driving lessons if anyone has a positive test result. 

You can download the app here:

COVID 19 Symptoms

The main symptoms of COVID 19 as described by the government are (but not exclusively) as follows:

  1. ​Having a high temperature. This means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) 
  2. A new, continuous cough. This means coughing a lot, (for more than an hour), or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
  3. A loss of taste or smell. 

Practical Driving Tests and COVID 19

Your driving test will be slightly different currently to help with the protection on the driving examiners. The main differences are:

  • No access to the test centre waiting room. You wait at your car and the examiner comes to you
  • Examiner will wipe down the car and/or wear a mask and gloves.
  • If you have a Serious fault, the examiner will direct you back to the test centre instead of carrying on with the rest of the test.

Further Information Can Be Found

Here are the links to further information about what you can do to keep safe and the official guidance from local authorities etc and useful links:

Chris RichardsCovid-19 Risk Assessment Statement
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Driving Lessons Restarting to all from 4th July COVID-19

27th June 2020 Chris Richards , , , No comments

Driving lessons resuming from 4th July – Be quick to miss the waiting list!

We do have some spaces left so fill out the enquiry form and let’s get you booked in asap!

 

 How to book a driving lesson?

123 Driving School in Southport

123 Driving School

You will need to fill in our contact form below, its a bit larger than normal as we are dealing with a larger demand and trying to fit as many people in as safely possible. Please fill in the form below with as much information as possible so we can get you booked in asap, please note we are following all government guidelines on covid safety for your lessons (see below):

Name

Email address

Best contact number

Whats your availbility for lessons?

Is it Manual or Automatic Driving Lessons?

Please select any options that apply to you then expand in the message area below.

Passed Theory Test?Previous Driving Experience?Test booked already?Previous Driving Lessons?Had lessons with us before?

Please provide any other information that can help us book you in fast!

 What we are doing to keep you safe.

driving lessons starting back with masks ppe

driving lessons starting back following DVSA and government guidelines

We are following all the government, DVSA and DIA guidelines to keep you safe. You will be given the full breakdown and information directly from your instructor, you can find the guidance here and the main pointer to take notice of are:

  • face masks/ coverings are to be used by both instructor and learner
  • car to be sanitised between each lesson
  • hand sanitiser to be used on entry and exit of the car
  • briefings/learning points to be done outside the car when possible
  • windows to be open and air con off when possible
  • all instructor to carry out full health and safety risk assessments
  • all learners to be text prior to the lesson to check they don’t have any COVID symptoms.

Full information will be given to you by your driving instructor. if you have any questions or worries please don’t hesitate to call us.

Chris RichardsDriving Lessons Restarting to all from 4th July COVID-19
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Theory Tests Cancelled until 8th JUNE EDITED – COVID-19

3rd June 2020 Chris Richards , No comments

DVSA has cancelled theory test now until 8th June! – COVID-19 *EDITED*

IF you are a key worker, you can still have a test – UPDATED JUNE 3rd 2020 

If you are a key worker and need to drive you can still have lessons, theory test and driving test…

All theory tests in England from 4 – 7 June rescheduled

All theory tests in England from 4 – 7 June have been rescheduled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

We are preparing test centres for a safe return to testing for all candidates and social distancing measures are being put in place.

We will update you with a start date for theory testing in England as soon as we are able.

What DVSA are doing

We are emailing anyone with a test booked from 4 – 7 June inclusive to let them know it has been rescheduled.

A theory testing service will still be available to those who have a critical need to take a test, such as NHS and front line workers.

Please do not call our customer service centre as they will not be able to help. Stay up to date on the latest information on GOV.UK. 

We will be monitoring the situation and we will let you know if we need to cancel any more tests.

See our blog post on how to book a test and lessons if you are a keyworker

Chris RichardsTheory Tests Cancelled until 8th JUNE EDITED – COVID-19
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Driving Lessons Available to Key Workers – COVID-19

30th March 2020 Chris Richards , No comments

Driving Lessons are Available to KEY WORKERS now! – COVID-19

IF you are a key worker, you can still have driving lessons and a test – UPDATED April 28th 2020 

If you are a key worker and need to drive you can still have lessons and test…

Main Update – 28th April

DVSA have now stated that you need to be ready and available for a short notice test when you book your test. They have also changed how you book your practical driving test. Its no longer via email but online. Have a read of our *UPDATED* post below for full information.

 How to book a driving lesson?

You will need to fill in our contact form and state why you are a key worker. You now don’t need a test booked. We can advise you when to book your test after we have assessed your driving and worked our when you will be ready to book your test. You will also have to apply for a driving test and be on the waiting list or have a test date booked in order to have lessons. Fill in the form below:

 How to book a critial/key worker driving test?

critical / key worker driving lessons

Critical / Key worker driving lessons – Available NOW

You can ask the DVSA for an emergency test if you’re classed as a ‘critical worker’.

To apply for an Emergency test click here but remember you “You must be ready to take your test at short notice when you apply.” 

What you need to apply for a keyworker test

You need your UK driving licence number.

You’ll also need a scanned copy or photo of at least one of the following:

  • your work ID badge
  • an email to your work address from your employer, confirming you work for them
  • a letter (on headed paper) from your employer, confirming you work for them

How to protect yourself and other – COVID-19

You can find out how to protect yourself from COVID-19 or check if you need medical on the NHS website at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Driving lessons and test safety guidance

statement from NASP (National Associations Strategic Partnership) which comprises the ADINJC, DIA and MSA GB 23.3.2020

At an extremely difficult and worrying time for us all, taking into account the Government public health advice regarding social distancing and trying to control and delay the spread of the COVID-19 virus, NASP would urge all instructors to stop delivering driving lessons, if you have not already done so, with the exception of teaching key workers where necessary. This should be until the end of April and then we can then all review the situation again.

Lynne Barrie on behalf of NASP as the current chair

If you do deem it necessary to continue supplying driver or rider training (to key workers etc), please see our guidance below.

Call your pupils ahead of each lesson (even if you have seen them within the last couple of days).

  • Ask them if they have any symptoms.
  • Ask them if anyone they know, or have been in contact with, is showing symptoms.
  • Ask them if they, or if anyone they have been in contact with, has travelled from a high-risk, infectious region.

If a parent or anyone else comes along on the lesson, you will need to go through this with them too (or jointly).

Explain to them that you need to take a few extra precautionary measures during their lesson to keep them, and everyone safe.

Ask them:

  • To wash their hands or use sanitiser gel just prior to getting into the car.
  • To cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing – so a sleeve or tissue, not their hands.

Tell them:

  • You’ll keep a window open for ventilation.

You also have some other housekeeping to do in order to help protect yourself and your client:

Before the client enters the vehicle, ensure that you have wiped over the following contact points:

Door handles (inside and out), window controls, seat adjusters, steering wheel and steering wheel height adjuster, parking brake, gear lever, indicator and wiper stalks and light controls with alcohol-based gel at the beginning and end of each training session. This would be good practise.

If you are unable to get the alcohol gel, then a bottle containing disinfectant, mixed with antibacterial soap and water and wiped over with kitchen paper and then dried with a separate sheet of kitchen paper would do. Ensure to discard the paper in the bin each time.

If your not a critical/key worker

 

We are now taking bookings for when we are back – book/ reserve YOUR space now so you are ahead of the queue!

We are having lots of enquiries, make sure you don’t get stuck waiting after everyone else has booked their places, book now to avoid long waits and disappointment 🙂

We are already taking booking for:

  • Driving Lessons
  • Intensive driving courses
  • refresher driving courses

So fill out the form below and get on the waiting list now 🙂

Use this form to book onto our waiting list, just put waiting list in the message 🙂

If you dont fall into one of the categories above, then you can still book your lessons but we will not be able to teach you until the guidance from the government is changed. We will be offering some great incentives/offers/bonuses to people who book now to have lessons when we are back up and running.

Stay safe everyone and see you on the other side.

Chris RichardsDriving Lessons Available to Key Workers – COVID-19
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Move off Safely to pass your driving test – tip 6

Move off Safely to pass your driving test – tip 6

26th November 2019 Chris Richards , No comments

Top 123 Tips to Pass your Driving test First time

As a trusted driving school we get lots of questions asked about learning to drive etc. So we have decided to create blogs for all the FAQ’s about learning to drive. This blog post is part of our 123 top tips to pass your driving test.

Check its safe to set off to pass your driving test

POM – Prepare, Observe, Move

Is it safe to set off?

 According to the DVSA, the number 5 reason marked for a failure on the test sheets is Moving off safely.

What does the DVSA say about Moving off Safely?

The DVSA every year produce a list of the top 10 fails recorded on the marking sheets. For the Past 13 years, one of the main reasons why people fail is – Move off Safely.  This year its at no5 and fluctute form no 6 to no 4 over the years.  The DVSA DT1 tells examiners to:

The examiner should observe whether the candidate first sees to the front, then to the rear, that the way is clear for pulling out, gives the appropriate signal if necessary, and moves away smoothly and safely. Wherever possible, ability to move off on a reasonably steep uphill gradient should be tested.

A candidate starting on a gradient should be capable of paying attention to other traffic as well as moving their vehicle away without rollback and/ or excessive engine revolutions. If stopping on a hill is not possible an additional designated stop must be conducted. The test must always include moving off at an angle from behind a stationary vehicle.

The examiner is looking for you to take effective observations and ensure its safe to go. We use the acronym POM – Prepare, Observe, Move. This allows you to get ready to go with you bite set, check its safe with effective observations, then set off. Its the method to set off with the least Risk as you are ready to go and then once its safe you set off.

Why do you need to make sure its safe to move off?

You need to always know what’s around you in order to be able to make the correct decisions. If you cant see the risks on the road then you can’t plan or prepare for them. Benjamin Franklin’s quote ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail‘ is a great thing to remember when driving.

REMEMBER POM – Prepare, Observe then Move if its safe.

 

If you have any thoughts or comments on this post, we would love to hear your opinions or views. Just leave us a comment below.

Chris RichardsMove off Safely to pass your driving test – tip 6
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Turn Right safely at Junctions pass your driving test – tip 5

Turn Right safely at Junctions pass your driving test – tip 5

25th November 2019 Chris Richards , No comments

Top 123 Tips to Pass your Driving test First time

As a trusted driving school we get lots of questions asked about learning to drive etc. So we have decided to create blogs for all the FAQ’s about learning to drive. This blog post is part of our 123 top tips to pass your driving test.

Turn right safely at junctions to pass your driving test

MS M-PSG L-LADA!

Is it ok to turn right at junctions?

 According to the DVSA, one of the main reasons people fail a driving test is that they dont turn Right at junctions safely.

What does the DVSA say about Junctions (turning right)?

The DVSA every year produce a list of the top 10 fails recorded on the marking sheets. For the Past 13 years, one of the main reasons why people fail is – Junctions (Turning right).  The DVSA DT1 tells examiners to:

Assess a candidates Junctions, Turning right for: Late or incorrect positioning before turning right, including failing to move forward into the correct position to turn right at traffic lights

The examiner is looking for you use a routine that allows you asses the road ahead safely and perform the correct manouve / positionsing for that manouver. We use the acronym MSM – Mirrors, Signal, Manouver, with MANOUVER splitting into Positions, Speed, Gear, Look and LOOK splitting into LADA – Look, Assess Decide Act. This allows you to get organised and gives you chance to asses what to do in a sytamic way.

Why do you need to know about /do at Junctions (turning right)?

We find that its often incorrect positioning at traffic lights when waiting to rurn right, incorrect use of yellow box junctions or not using filter lanes/ hash markings correctly. You need to know how to apply the highway code to your driving. Most learners havent even read the highway code! Make sure you do to pass and drive safe for life.

You can even read the highway code for free online here. Another top tip is to use a screen reader to read it to you if you dont like reading!

If you have any thoughts or comments on this post, we would love to hear your opinions or views. Just leave us a comment below.

Chris RichardsTurn Right safely at Junctions pass your driving test – tip 5
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Steer your car safely to pass your driving test – tip 4

Steer your car safely to pass your driving test – tip 4

23rd November 2019 Chris Richards , No comments

Top 123 Tips to Pass your Driving test First time

As a trusted driving school we get lots of questions asked about learning to drive etc. So we have decided to create blogs for all the FAQ’s about learning to drive. This blog post is part of our 123 top tips to pass your driving test.

Steer safely to pass your driving test

Control you car and Steer Safely to pass your driving test

Control your car and Steer safely?

 According to the DVSA, one of the top ten reasons marked for a failure on the test sheets is Control (steering).

What does the DVSA say about Control (steering)?

The DVSA every year produce a list of the top 10 fails recorded on the marking sheets. For the Past 13 years, one of the main reasons why people fail is not steering safely.  The DVSA DT1 tells examiners to:

Asess their Steering: erratic steering, overshooting the correct turning point when turning right or left, both hands off steering wheel or hitting the kerb.

Steering:

To ensure uniformity, when conducting car or vocational tests and ADI qualifying examinations, only assess the candidate’s ability to control the vehicle and do not consider it as a fault if, for example, they do not hold the steering wheel at ten to two or quarter to three or if they cross their hands when turning the steering wheel. The assessment should be based on whether the steering is smooth, safe and under control.

The examiner is looking for you to control the car in a smooth, safe and controlled mannor. Its not the technique of steering they are looking for but the accuracy of the steering.

Why do you need to make sure your steering is safe and acurate?

You need to be able to keep your car, its ocupants and other road users safe. One of the basics of this is to be able to control the car, keep in your lane and avoid any loss in control. Often students go wide or are lazy and ahve the excuse “no-one was their”. Dont be lazy be safe and risk free!

If you have any thoughts or comments on this post, we would love to hear your opinions or views. Just leave us a comment below.

Chris RichardsSteer your car safely to pass your driving test – tip 4
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Check before you change direction to pass your driving test – tip 3

Check before you change direction to pass your driving test – tip 3

20th November 2019 Chris Richards , No comments

Top 123 Tips to Pass your Driving test First time

As a trusted driving school we get lots of questions asked about learning to drive etc. So we have decided to create blogs for all the FAQ’s about learning to drive. This blog post is part of our 123 top tips to pass your driving test.

top tips to pass your driving test - move off safely

MSM – Mirrors, Signal then Maneuver!

Is it safe to set off?

 According to the DVSA, one of the top ten reasons marked for a failure on the test sheets is Mirrors – (change direction).

What does the DVSA say about Mirrors?

The DVSA every year produce a list of the top 10 fails recorded on the marking sheets. For the Past 13 years, one of the main reasons why people fail is not Checking the mirrors before changing direction.  The DVSA DT1 tells examiners to:

While in traffic, the candidate must observe (including the use of rear-view mirrors) road markings, signs and react appropriately to potential or actual risks.

When assess Use of mirror(s):

Failure to make effective use of the mirrors well before:

    • signalling
    • changing direction
    • changing speed

.

The examiner is looking for you to take effective observations and ensure its safe to change position. We use the acronym MSM – Mirrors, Signal then Manouver. This allows you to check whats around you, then decide what or if a signal would be of benifit to anyone and them contuniue the manouver you thought about carrying out.

Why do you need to make sure it’s safe to change position?

You need to always know what’s around you in order to be able to make the correct decisions. If you cant see the risks on the road then you can’t plan or prepare for them. Benjamin Franklin’s quote ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail‘ is a great thing to remember when driving.

REMEMBER MSM – Mirrors, Signal, Manouver.

 

If you have any thoughts or comments on this post, we would love to hear your opinions or views. Just leave us a comment below.

Chris RichardsCheck before you change direction to pass your driving test – tip 3
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Mirrors to pass your driving test – tip 2

Mirrors to pass your driving test – tip 2

18th November 2019 Chris Richards , No comments

Top 123 Tips to Pass your Driving test First time

As a trusted driving school we get lots of questions asked about learning to drive etc. So we have decided to create blogs for all the FAQ’s about learning to drive. This blog post is part of our 123 top tips to pass your driving test.

Top tips to help you pass your driving test - mirrors

You need to Check you MIRRORS!

 According to the DVSA, the number 1 reason marked for a failure on the test sheets is Junctions (observation).

What does the DVSA say about checking mirrors and observations at junctions?

The DVSA every year produce a list of the top 10 fails recorded on the marking sheets. For the Past 13 years! the main reason has been – Junctions (observation).  The DVSA DT1 tells examiners to:

The examiner should observe whether the candidate has the vehicle under proper control and in the appropriate gear, takes account of the type of junction, road signs and following traffic, gives any necessary and appropriate signals in good time, and keeps the vehicle correctly positioned throughout. The examiner should also note whether the candidate takes adequate and effective observation before entering the intersection, and that they do so with due regard for other road users.

The route should still include some urban roads which will allow the examiner to observe the candidate’s reaction to crossing intersections during general driving. A driver who is over-cautious at a main road may act differently at a junction of less important roads.

The examiner is looking for you to take effective observations on approach to the junctions, when emerging from a junction and then make more observations when progressing away form the junction. – Thats a lot of observations! One of the reasons why its so commonly marked as a fail on the driving test.

Why do you need to Check your Mirrors on approach to junctions to pass your test?

Quite simply, you need to always know what’s around you in order to be able to make the correct decisions. If you cant see the risks on the road then you can’t plan or prepare for them. Benjamin Franklin’s quote ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail‘ is a grat thing to remmerb when driving. – Always know what is around you especial at or near junctions as Junctions are a big area of risk when driving.

A good drive will always know whats around them at all times.

 

If you have any thoughts or comments on this post, we would love to hear your opinions or views. Just leave us a comment below.

Chris RichardsMirrors to pass your driving test – tip 2
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Be Confident to pass your driving test – tip 1

Be Confident to pass your driving test – tip 1

16th November 2019 Chris Richards , No comments

Top 123 Tips to Pass your Driving test First time

As a trusted driving school we get lots of questions asked about learning to drive etc. So we have decided to create blogs for all the FAQ’s about learning to drive. This blog post is part of our 123 top tips to pass your driving test.

top tips to pass your driving test

Confidence

You need to have CONFIDENCE!

 The main reason people fail a test is due to not being confident.

Why do you need to be confident to pass your test?

We find that you need to be confident to pass your test. The main reason for this is that if you are unsure about anything, it will lead to doubt, worry and hessitancy on a test! When the pressure is on to pass a driving test, you need to know what you are doing is the correct thing for that situation. If you have any doubts, then you will get flustered over think the situationand then end up hesitating and then usually you then rush the next bit. Often, either of the option you were thinking about could have been ok, but as you hesitated then now you can t do any and you are stuck in “no mans land”!

Confident / lack of confidence driving test example.

Emagine you are on a driving test, driving down the road towards a meeting situation, you think about going past parked cars but you hesitate, now your road positon is not showing what you are doing, the car comming from the other direction doest know your intentions and just at the last minute, you pull out past the parked car forcing the car form the opposite direction to change his actions and you caused unessary risk! If you were confident that you could get thought the gap and you had enought time/space for it to be safe and you positioned early and maintained a safe speed, you could have got thought the gap with no risk. Also if you had slowed down early, and positioned in a “holding back” position, you could have timed it to let the car form the opposite way get thought the gap and then preceded to go after him. Either of the above example would have been fine but if you werent confident, you delayed making the approproite action and thefore ended up partly going, partly showing you were stoping and the risk involed made it a major fault on a driving test! Moral of the story is to be prepared, be confident and if you are not confident have an extra lesson or two to get you to be confident and pass your driving test with ease 🙂

If you have any thoughts or comments on this post, we would love to hear your opinions or views. Just leave us a comment below.

Chris RichardsBe Confident to pass your driving test – tip 1
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