Beata, Driving Instructor

29/05/2026

Incorrect use of children’s car seats

While parents, grandparents and other adults have plenty to remember ahead of road trips, many will forget – or choose to ignore for short drives – the simple car seat rules for children that will be travelling with them.

It’s the driver who can get fined up to £500 if children under the age of 14 are not safely secured in a vehicle or are using an unsuitable or incorrectly-fitted car seat. The offence also creates obvious safety risks that are not worth taking.

“ISOFIX has made using car seats a lot easier since it became mandatory in 2013 for all new cars made in the UK,” said our general manager Gerry Bucke.

“But not all cars have them. So it’s just about making sure the seat is used as it should be and every step is taken to protect all passengers, especially the youngest and most vulnerable.”

Rule 100 of the Highway Code states children MUST use a child car seat until they are 12 years old or 1.35m (approximately 4ft 5in) tall, whichever comes first. A host of other laws that need adhering to include babies being in a rear-facing seat, a child not being placed in a seat protected by an active frontal airbag and that all restraints are properly fitted to the manufacturer’s instructions.

28/05/2026

Litter being throw out of a car while driving
In 2018, new legislation introduced by the Government allowed local authorities to increase the maximum fixed penalty for littering from £80 to £150. The rules mean councils can fine the registered keeper of the vehicle if litter is thrown from it, even if they were not the person who threw the rubbish. Reports show councils are currently spending £700 million per year cleaning rubbish from roadsides.

26/05/2026

When it comes to driving you may think you know all of the rules and that you’re the world’s best driver.

However, there are some rules that even the most ardent of drivers didn’t realise could land you a fine or points on your licence.

Driving with headphones in

While there is no specific law that prevents you from using headphones while driving, you could still be issued a hefty fine if they are deemed to be distracting.

Police can charge you with driving without due care and attention or careless driving if you are involved in a collision and they deem you have been distracted by your headphones. The most common penalty for careless driving offences is a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points. But for more serious incidents, including if your case goes to court, the maximum punishment is £5,000 and nine points being added to your licence – or even a potential driving ban.

Breaches of the Highway Code under rules 66 and 148 are not technically punishable offences themselves, but may be taken into consideration when considering whether a motorist has been found guilty of an offence under the Road Traffic Act.

Experts advise using bluetooth to connect your phone to in-car audio systems, aux cables or utilising more traditional listening platforms like radio stations to avoid the safety risk. The latter removes the risk of using a mobile phone while at the wheel to change the music that they’re listening to, one way you could get a £200 fine and six penalty points for using a phone, sat nav, tablet while driving.

If you’re using your headphones in conjunction with your mobile phone, you could face a fine under the latest phone driving laws, which could see you fined £200 and six points added to your licence, according to the Express.

26/05/2026

Well done Colin, first time pass , happy day , safe driving for life ☀️, it was pleasure to work with you 😊

25/05/2026

25/05/2026

If you are looking for driving lessons please call me 07738382075 and pass as Jakub first time

27/04/2026

Well done Jakub , drive safe forever 😊👌

24/04/2026

New students welcome, I have some slots available now

Well done Lily 🌺🌷🌹