Free soft drinks for designated drivers this Christmas

Designated drivers will be rewarded in thousands of pubs across the country as part of the THINK! Christmas drink drive campaign, launched today by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning.

Designated drivers will be rewarded in thousands of pubs across the country as part of the THINK! Christmas drink drive campaign, launched today by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning.

In addition to running radio advertising, posters in pub washrooms and online search activity, THINK! has teamed up with Coca-Cola’s Designated Driver campaign to offer drivers free soft drinks in more than 8,000 participating venues across Britain as part of the Driver Friendly campaign.

Mike Penning said:

"Drivers should be in no doubt that if they get behind the wheel after drinking this Christmas, they risk losing their licence as well as facing a fine and even a prison sentence.

"Christmas should be a time for a celebration not a night in the cells. That is why we have teamed up with Coca-Cola and pub chains this Christmas to reward designated drivers as well as reminding drivers of the consequences of getting a drink drive conviction.

"Last year 380 people were killed in accidents where the driver was over the limit. That is why our message is clear: don't drink and drive."

ACPO lead on roads policing, Chief Constable Mick Giannasi said:

"This year we are using information from the public to target those areas where drink driving is a particular problem and so the chances of getting caught are greater than ever.

"If the police stop a driver, and there is any suspicion that they have been drinking, then they will be asked to provide a breath test and drivers should be in no doubt that if they are found to be over the limit they will be brought before the courts.

"Many drivers don’t realise that alcohol stays in the system for a number of hours, and that they could still be over the limit the next morning when driving to work or dropping the children off at school. That is why we are asking drivers to be safe, not sorry, this Christmas."

Jon Woods, Country Manager, Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland said:

"With Christmas just around the corner, our consumers are gearing up to celebrate. We know how much they enjoy the festive period and we don’t want to dampen their spirits.

"This Christmas we’re proud to be partnering with the Government’s THINK! initiative to help raise awareness of responsible drinking. By rewarding those drivers who choose not to drink with a free Coke or diet Coke, we can encourage people to do the right thing while still enjoying a great night out. It’s a different approach to responsible drinking but our consumers love it."

Designated drivers should ask at the bar about how to take advantage of the buy one soft drink, get one free offer at participating pubs.

The THINK! drink drive radio advertising campaign will run from 1 December 2010 to 1 January 2011 and posters will appear in pub washrooms from 6 December to 2 January.

Driving tests and bad weather

Some driving tests may be affected by winter weather over the next few days.

The Met Office has forecast colder weather with snow showers becoming increasingly likely. Some parts of the country may have significant snowfall. 

Your driving test

If you're due to take your practical test, follow the advice given on your appointment email or letter. You should call your test centre only if there is snow or ice in your local area on the day of your test.

DSA do not conduct tests in bad light or bad weather conditions for the safety of the candidate and the examiner. Another appointment will be arranged automatically at no further cost, but compensation is not payable.

A new appointment date is usually sent within three working days. This may take longer when there’s a period of prolonged bad weather.

If you haven't heard about a new appointment within seven working days, you can check the status of your booking online at direct.gov.uk/drivingtest.

If your test hasn't been rebooked at that time, you should call our customer service centre

Braking exercise change for lorry, coach, bus and trailer tests

People taking tests to be lorry, bus, coach or car-and-trailer drivers will perform the braking exercise on-road rather than off-road from 1 January 2011, the Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

Candidates will be asked to perform the braking exercise immediately before the angle start, where the driver is asked to pull away from behind a parked vehicle.

Mike Penning said:

"This update to the testing process reflects advances in modern braking technology and allows us to strengthen our assessment of the candidate’s ability to brake safely in real traffic conditions.

"I have asked the Driving Standards Agency to keep the test under review to see if it is possible to identify any other improvements."

Currently candidates have to perform reversing, uncoupling (where appropriate) and braking exercises off-road. Only the braking exercise is being moved.

The new method does not mean any change to the actual content of the test. Other categories of test are unaffected.

DSA to stop publishing questions used in theory tests

• Candidates need to understand theory
• End to memorising answers
• Unpublished questions used from 1 January 2012

The Driving Standards Agency is to stop publishing the multiple choice questions and answers used in theory tests, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

This will help to ensure that new drivers learn the principles behind driving theory rather than just learning answers.

The move follows the introduction of independent driving into the driving test and the DSA's decision to stop publishing test routes in October 2010, to make sure the test assesses a learner's ability to drive and not their capacity to memorise routes. 

Mike Penning said:

“The driving theory test should help to prepare drivers for real life on the road - good driving is not just about vehicle-handling skills, but also about having the knowledge and understanding of safe driving theory.

“No longer publishing these questions and answers will mean that successful candidates will have to understand the theory rather than simply memorising answers. 

“I believe that this - along with the other changes we are making to the driving test regime - will lead to better drivers and safer roads.”

In September 2011 DSA will change the format of books and other learning materials available to help people prepare for theory tests. This will take place at the same time as more challenging case studies are introduced to car and motorcycle theory tests.

Then, from 1 January 2012, DSA will create theory tests using questions which will not be published.

Practice questions and answers, not used in theory tests, will still be available to help candidates with revision.

Other companies which publish products containing DSA theory test questions will also no longer have access to the questions used in the tests.

Electronic parking brakes suitable for tests

• Vehicles with electronic parking brakes can be used for tests
• Change from 1 November 2010
• DSA responds to advances in vehicle technology

From 1 November vehicles fitted with an electronic parking brake will be allowed to be used for practical driving tests.

There are usually two ways of releasing an electronic parking brake:

• using the footbrake while releasing the parking brake, then coordinating the accelerator and clutch to move away
• coordinating the accelerator and clutch - when the electronics sense the clutch is at biting point the parking brake releases automatically

The parking brake will not usually release automatically if:

• the accelerator is not used
• the controls are not coordinated correctly

If there is no loss of control either method is acceptable.

If the examiner needs to take action to stop the vehicle, and it’s not fitted with dual controls, they will apply and hold the electronic parking brake - this will bring the vehicle to a controlled stop.

Advances in technology

To begin with, electronic parking brakes were fitted only to top of the range vehicles. DSA decided not to allow manual vehicles fitted with them to be used for driving tests.

Electronic parking brakes are now being fitted to an increasing number of vehicles, so it’s unrealistic to continue this policy.