Tag: Safety
Smell petrol in your car? Do not just wind down the window
A petrol smell inside or around a car can be as simple as a spill, but it can also signal a fuel leak. Here is how UK drivers should decide whether to stop, inspect or call for help.
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Those warning lights at start-up are not all bad news. Here is the dashboard check that matters
Why dashboard warning lights often appear at start-up, which ones should go out, and when a UK driver should stop and investigate.
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Still on winter tyres when summer arrives? The sensible UK call
Winter tyres are not automatically illegal once the weather warms up, but keeping them on through a British summer is not always the best value or the safest choice. Here is what to check before deciding whether to swap them.
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What do P, R, N and D mean in an automatic car?
P, R, N and D are the basics, but S, B, L and manual mode buttons vary by car. Here is what each automatic gear letter does, when to use it and the mistakes to avoid.
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Flashing your headlights is not a ‘go ahead’ signal. The Highway Code is clear
Flashing headlights is often treated as a polite signal to pull out or turn. The Highway Code says it means something much narrower, and relying on it can create a dangerous misunderstanding.
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Your windscreen keeps misting up? Clear it properly, then find the cause
A misted windscreen is more than an irritating winter delay. Use the car’s ventilation controls in the right order, do not set off until every key window is clear, and know when persistent condensation points to damp inside the car.
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Roof-box weight limits: the number to check before the family trip
A roof box can create useful luggage space, but its headline capacity is not the only limit. Here is the UK checklist for the car, bars, box, loading and final safety check.
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Middle-lane hogging: when staying put turns from normal traffic flow into bad driving
The UK rule on middle-lane driving is more nuanced than the usual motorway argument. Here is when to keep left, when traffic flow changes the answer, and how to move safely.
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A dealer will not let you test-drive the car? Treat that as a decision point
A UK used-car buyer’s guide to a dealer refusing a test drive: what the law does and does not promise, insurance checks and the moments when walking away is sensible.
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Those zig-zag lines by a crossing are not a quick parking space
Zig-zag markings at a pedestrian crossing are there to protect sight lines, not to create a handy space for a two-minute stop. Here is the UK rule, the difference from school markings and what to do in slow traffic.
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Parking at night: the Highway Code rule about facing traffic that drivers miss
Parking on a road after dark is not simply a matter of finding a legal space. Here is when a car must face the traffic flow, when parking lights are required and why a car park is different.
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Why 33mph in a 30 is still speeding, whatever you have heard about cameras
The much-quoted ‘10% plus 2mph’ figure is not a legal allowance. Here is what UK drivers need to know about speed-camera thresholds, signed limits and staying on the right side of the law.
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