By Joe Jeffrey

Join us in raising a glass to toast the UK driving test (but not whilst behind the wheel), now in its 80th year

Driving licences – you’ve gotta love ’em. After all, where would we be without that trusty bit of green paper or photo ID? For many of us, the answer would certainly not be putting our feet up in our home from home on wheels and exploring the wonderfully illustrious landscape the good old United Kingdom duly provides.

It’s true to say you have to work to get your driving licence though – and that comes by way of the driving test, which this week celebrates its 80th anniversary. In order to mark this milestone, CaravanTimes has pieced together some interesting facts for you to enjoy.

The beginning

Despite the first driving licences being introduced in the UK in 1903, it took a further 32 years for the UK driving test to become compulsory. 246,000 candidates applied for a driving licence during the first year of compulsory testing, with a pass rate of 63 per cent. Fast-forward to present day and almost 1.5 million people took their test for the 2103/2014 period, with a 47.1 per cent pass rate – that’s a whopping 695,580 new road users in the UK which adds to a grand total of 27 million vehicles on the road today.

Bestseller

As bland as it may be to read, The Highway Code – which sells thousands upon thousands of copies each year – has yet to have left the UK Bestsellers list. Introduced in 1931, The Highway Code has served as a driver’s bible of dos and don’ts, aiding over a million prospective drivers each year and helping them to pass the rather-more less practical theory element of the driving test. The impact following the introduction of The Highway Code was rather palpable though; before it was introduced there were over 7,000 fatalities on the UK’s roads, despite there being just two million road users. Today, owing in part to the Code, that figure has been slashed to half, despite a stark increase in vehicles registered.

Driving School

Sick to your eyeteeth of reality show after reality show? Want to ban Big Brother and shove those celebs back into the jungle? Well, you’ve only got the driving test to blame. 1997’s Driving School was one of the first ‘fly-on-the-wall’ documentaries of its kind, opening the door to many more reality shows which followed. Concentrating on following learner drivers around the road networks of Bristol and Wales, the docusoap was broadcast on BBC1 for the first time in 1997 and proved to be a primetime hit, following learner drivers like the unforgettable Mauren Rees around, who is more known for running over her husband Dave’s foot than passing her test.

Increase in prices

The first driving test cost a measly 7/6d – in today’s money that’s 37.5p. Compared to today’s fee of £62 for the pleasure of sitting the driving test alone, as well as the £25 cost for sitting your theory test, we could be forgiven for thinking something doesn’t quite add up. However, it’s true to say that the theory test has been a welcome addition to many, with the hazard perception test proving beneficial in alerting less experienced drivers to dangers and distractions faced before they sit behind the wheel of a vehicle independently.

“Shaaaaaaaaronnn”

It may have taken just one single attempt to bite the head off of a bat during his infamous concert performance in 1982, but the Prince of Darkness was certainly no match for the driving test examiners that managed to fail him a grand total of 18 times – sometimes even before stepping foot inside the test car. The legendary Black Sabbath hellraiser certainly went to hell and back in his bid to secure a full driving licence, but finally managed to secure his licence to drive at the ripe age of 60.

By Emily Boneham

Leisure vehicle users warned of new licensing restrictions

Make sure you’re up to date on the driving licence changes that come into force on 8 June. That’s the advice given by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to those wishing to rent a leisure vehicle this summer.

Plans to scrap the paper driving licence counterpart following a six month delay in proposals made means driving licence details will now be stored electronically and, from 8 June, if you are planning to hire a leisure vehicle or car you will need to choose one of two options.

In accordance to the new rules set to be implemented from next week onwards, those wishing to hire a vehicle can either visit the DVLA’s Shared Driving Licence service, which went live on 19 May, to access and print details to provide to vehicle hire companies, or alternatively contact the DVLA for a code to be provided to the hire company giving permission for them to access your driving record verbally.

It is always important to read ahead and check what information a hire company might need from you before you arrive in their office.

Sarah Sillars, chief executive officer of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: “We very much hope people will not be caught unawares, especially if they don’t want a nasty surprise when arriving to collect their car at the start of their holiday.”

By Emily Boneham

Consumers to be given clearer guidelines for complaints from October

Caravan buyers are to be given new powers to query faulty product sales thanks to a change in the Consumer Rights Act.

Amongst the changes are a 30-day rejection period in which buyers can claim a full refund for faulty goods. The law changes also include clearer guidelines on making complaints about unacceptable service.

The changes, which were given Royal Assent in Parliament this week, will come into full effect from October.

With four months to go, now is the ideal time to make sure you are fully prepared for the changes which aim to make the law clearer for both the consumer and the salesman.

Back in 2010, CaravanTimes‘ forum began a discussion with its members about faults they had found with their caravans and, rather surprisingly, members reported countless problems with brand new caravans that should be free of the wear and tear compared to what you might expect of a used caravan.

In the meantime, if you’re having caravan problems of your own right now, hop over to the Government’s current advice on consumer rights.

By Joe Jeffrey

Gas champion issues warning on fatal effects of carbon monoxide

New research from CORGI HomePlan has revealed that millions of families are unknowingly taking risks with their lives, exposing themselves to carbon monoxide (CO) gas leaking from gas cookers, BBQs and heaters used inside their tent or caravan.

Findings from a survey conducted with 2,000 holidaymakers by CORGI HomePlan showed a worrying lack of understanding about the risk that campers and caravanners are taking, using appliances that emit the deadly fumes in confined areas. 45 per cent of people cook in their tent or awning, one in five have used a fuel-burning appliance to heat their tent, and a staggering 17 per cent of people have brought a charcoal or gas BBQ inside the tent.

Perhaps more worryingly, statistics showed that more than a quarter of those surveyed (28 per cent) believe carbon monoxide, which is created when fuel doesn’t burn properly, can be detected by its scent, despite being odorless. Furthermore almost one in ten of those questioned believed carbon monoxide can be detected through taste.

Early symptoms of CO poisoning can include headaches, fatigue and nausea before victims become unconscious, leading to long term brain damage and effectively suffocating the victim through oxygen deprivation. However of those surveyed, many couldn’t recognise the symptoms, with some expecting to experience blurred vision (30 per cent), a cough (22 per cent), streaming eyes (9 per cent) or stomach pains (6 per cent).

The roll call of recent tragedies involving carbon monoxide in holiday resorts makes horrific reading – something GORGI HomePlan looks to eradicate through educating the public on the effects of CO poisoning and what can be done to read to ensure safety at all times.

Although more than half of British homeowners now have a carbon monoxide detector in their home, just 13 per cent of Brits are applying the same safety rules when they head on holiday. As a result, CORGI HomePlan is now urging campers to make a carbon monoxide detector an essential component of their safety kit, along with a fire extinguisher, emergency lighting and first aid kit.

Mark Leslie, CEO of CORGI HomePlan, said of the company’s latest intiative: “People leave their worries at home when they go on holiday and are not applying the same safety rules as much as they would in everyday life.

“Our research has shown only 13 per cent of people have ever had their camping and caravanning gas appliances serviced, despite owning these items for more than four years, on average. This compares with 54 per cent of people who have their domestic gas appliances serviced annually. Even this number is low, however, as every gas appliance needs regular servicing to ensure it is operating safely.

Leslie continued: “Cooking appliances should only be used in well ventilated spaces and never taken indoors afterwards, even if they are cold to the touch. By packing a simple CO detector in your luggage and setting it up in your tent or holiday caravan, it leaves you free to enjoy a worry-free holiday.”

Recent research by the Gas Safety Trust also discovered more than a third of people who have been to festivals in the last two years would take a barbecue or gas stove into a tent after use.

CORGI HomePlan has subsequently provided some top tips for CO safety, to ensure you and yours remain safe over the coming months:

Don’t use a barbecue inside a tent, awning, caravan or motorhome. The smouldering coals of a barbecue release poisonous carbon monoxide (CO), which can kill

Never use a barbecue as a heater. Barbecues should be for outside use only

Remember – barbecues give off carbon monoxide during use, and may continue to do so for some while after use. Do not move a barbeque into a confined space until it is extinguished and has cooled down. NEVER use a lit or extinguished (but still warm) barbeque as a source of heating in a tent or awning

Don’t cook inside your tent or awning as there may be inadequate ventilation and there’s also the risk of fire

Always ensure there is adequate ventilation when using the caravan/motorhome cooker

Check there are no obstructions covering ventilators

Never use a gas, petrol or diesel-powered generator inside a caravan, motorhome, tent or awning

Don’t use any other fuel burning appliances inside a tent or awning such as a refrigerator, gas-powered heaters, lamps etc.

Ensure gas appliances are serviced and tested annually