According to Surrey’s Karen Bowman, who founded a distracted-driving prevention organization called Drop It And Drive (DIAD), the two year old ban of B.C on using hand-held electronic devices while driving isn’t working.

Bowman, who founded DIAD in September 2010, said: “I can’t leave my house and not see more people than I can count texting or phoning while driving.”

Earlier that month, she witnessed parents drinking coffee and texting and talking on their cellphones even though the legislation was already in force.

“I felt that as parents we should have a higher standard of behaviour and should look out for our kids and not be doing this,” she said. “I wanted to do something to raise awareness.”

In B.C. there were 279 driving fatalities from Jan. 1, 2011 to Nov. 29. Thirty-five per cent were attributed to distracted driving, she said. “One death’s too many. Last year we had 96,” she said.

Controversy has been garnered by driving schools in Zaragoza after charging female pupils more than their male counterparts.

18 schools charged 665 euros for men and 850 euros for women between the ages of 18 and 22, according to Aragon Consumers Union.

Refuting this allegation, the schools have said that it is a fact that women need more lessons before they are ready to pass their test.

On these same lines, Carlos Bricio, president of the Zaragoza Driving Schools Association, argued that while women need 50 per cent more tuition than men, they are only charging them 30 per cent more.

However, these statements have been refuted by the National Confederation of Driving Schools which described the differential as ‘something straight out of the last century.’

According to AA, in the first nine months of 2011 witnessed slump in the petrol sales and it looks like that the trend may be visible further this year as cash-strapped motorists go on an economy drive.

The estimate comes after the organization found that in Wales, nearly two fifths have been compelled by the gloomy economic atmosphere to cut back on their petrol use.

In the period January-September 2011, sale of petrol at the pumps totalled 13.9 billion litres. This compared with 14.9 billion litres in January-September 2010 and 16.3 billion in the pre-recession period of January to September 2008.

Furthermore, the survey conducted on more than 20,000 AA members across the UK revealed that 38% wanted to drive more economically or less often in 2012.

 “Wales is one of the areas, having a large rural area, [which] has been particularly heavily hit by fuel prices.It will be these rural communities that will be facing the biggest challenges in 2012 if prices at the pumps stay as high as they are at the moment,” said AA spokesman Luke Bosdet.

With severe weather torments the drivers in UK, advice for driving in high winds has been issued by the Institute of Advanced Motorists for safe driving and prevention of accidents. The instructions are as follows:-

1/ Choose a route with less exposure to weather.

2/ Ensure that you hold the steering wheel firmly as strong winds are usually gusty and lack constancy.

3/ Avoid overtaking high sided vehicles and driving past high buildings as it makes the vehicle vulnerable to sudden gusts from the clearing side.

4/ Allow more room to cyclists, motorcyclists and lorries than usual as they are more prone to get blown by side winds.

5/ Trees and bushes on the roadside can become indicators about the magnitude of winds.

According to the revelations of a new study, confusion prevails in the minds of over two thirds of the British Public by basic road signs on a regular basis. 

The research, which was undertaken under Castrol oil revealed that confusion is created in the minds of car owners and car insurance policy holders.

Confusion prevails in one third drivers by virtue of road signs as they choose to simply follow the car driving in front of them instead.

On the other hand, more than half percentage of people who participated in the polls said that they ignored road signs, while another 20 per cent of drivers said they 'never' take notice of road signs. 

More than half of the respondents admitted that they didn’t understand road markings, while one in 20 believed they should wind their window down and listen for approaching vehicles.

In order to motivate the students to excel at the exams, GCSE students at Middleton Technology School have an added incentive after teachers decided to use free driving lessons as a reward.

For the said endeavor, the school has joined forces with local instructor Phil Stevenson.

Three free lessons worth £60 will be offered to students who score at least a C in five of their exams, including English and maths.

Previously, teachers had rewarded students with book tokens but say the road tuition will be a more meaningful incentive.

Among the first to benefit from the scheme are a group of 20 students who sat exams this summer.

Ian Jenkins, the school’s assistant head teacher, said: “Over 20 students have received packs of three lessons for their outstanding results and progress in GCSE Maths and English.

“We hope to continue this incentive this academic year to provide students with fantastic rewards for all their hard work.They are a brilliant incentive, and have helped get the boys achieving at rates way above the national average, in fact amongst the best the country,” he added.

Recently, a glimpse of possible penalty for motoring offences was given to drivers as they drove past a car seized by police.

On Tuesday, in Rothwell Road, Kettering, a car was seized by police officers after catching a man driving alone with only a provisional licence.

Other motorists had to drive around the Ford Ka as it awaited collection, giving them ample time to read a police sticker, saying “seized by police”.

“The officers were there undertaking an operation as part of the force’s drink-drive initiative.As part of the operation they seized a vehicle where the driver was driving with a provisional licence,” said a police spokesman.

“They seized the car and put a sticker on it to say it was seized. The driver was also issued with a summons to appear in court,” the spokesman further added.

As a part of crackdown on main roads in Desborough and Rothwell and Rockingham Road, Rothwell Road and the A43 approach in Kettering, Officers breathalysed 14 people on the second day of the Christmas.

Another motorist was caught using a mobile phone while driving and given three penalty points and a £60 fine. Another was handed a ticket after police caught them jumping traffic lights.

According to reports, reinstatement of a rule that requires the sponsor's approval before a foreigner applies to take driving lessons is being strived by Qatar.

The reports further stated that direction had been given to driving school owners that the application papers should now include the sponsor's approval.

The reinstatement has quashed a decision taken six months ago to do away with the sponsor's no-objection letter, a move that resulted in a rush by expatriates to take up lessons.

According to the previous rule, the candidates had only to submit a copy of their valid ID card and an eye test certificate, along with the application.

But now, expatriates will depend on the will of their sponsors to approve their aspirations while foreigners working in the unorganised sector will not be able to take driving lessons in a school.

In his 31 years driving the busy roads of Coventry, skilled Coventry bus driver Tom Dunne has, amazingly, never had so much a scratch.  

Over the years during which he’s carried thousands of passengers, the National Express driver developed nerves of steel negotiating Coventry’s Ring Road.

As a consequence of his expert driving, national recognition has come for him and he has been named UK bus driver of the year.

Driving seems to be mingled in his blood as for the 55-year-old his grandad Rupert and dad David were both National Express drivers and a similar award was won by his dad.

 On the occasion Tom said: “When I started driving buses it was odd at first. I didn’t think I’d last a month, but then the years began mounting up and I’ve never had an accident, not a scratch, in that time.I think it’s because I’ve always tried to learn from every near-miss so it never happens again.”

“Plus I was told to assume everyone else on the road is an idiot. I find driving a double-decker bus a doddle compared to driving a car,” he added.

In order to cut down the percentage of drunk driving, the government of the United Kingdom is teaming up with Coca-Cola to incentivize people to become designated drivers.

Roads Minister Mike Penning said : "We're going to target boys, men aged 17-29 because we know that this is an area where we really struggle." 

The country's anti-drunk driving campaign called "Think!"  is giving out buy-one-get-one-free soft drink deals in more than 8,000 pubs and college bars. The campaign, which kicking off Dec. 10, the campaign has incurred an expenditure of roughly $1.3 million in radio, print and web advertisements.