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Daily Record
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Drivers risk fine of £2,500 if their car is in a 'dangerous condition'
DVLA urges drivers to perform three essential checks before getting on the road to reduce this risk Drivers should conduct three essential checks on their vehicles before embarking on any trip. Failing to maintain a car in a safe condition may result in fines reaching £2,500, a possible permanent driving ban and three penalty points on the driver's licence. Although it seems straightforward, the latest advice from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) reminds drivers to verify that their windscreens, windows, and mirrors are clean before driving. Additionally, it's crucial to check that the lights and brakes are functioning properly to prevent any hazardous situations. "You're responsible for making sure your vehicle is always safe to drive ('roadworthy')," the DVLA has warned. "It can be unsafe even if you have a current MOT certificate." In addition to these three checks, the DVLA stated that a vehicle's handbook should contain information on the frequency of checking the following attributes: Water level in the radiator or expansion tank Engine oil Windscreen and rear window washer bottles Tyres Car battery Brake fluid level Light vans, cars, and trailers must always maintain a tyre tread depth of at least 1.6mm. In contrast, larger vehicles, motorcycles, and passenger-carrying vehicles should have a minimum tread depth of at least 1mm. However, it is important to acknowledge various other potential driving hazards too. Recent research by the RAC indicates that common behaviours, such as talking with passengers and daydreaming, are the leading causes of driving errors, surpassing more obvious distractions. The study found that over 60% (63%) of participants admitted to making a driving mistake due to distractions, whether internal or external. Over 40% of drivers (43%) confessed that conversing with passengers led to driving mistakes. Additionally, distractions from daydreaming were identified as the second most common cause of errors, with more than a third (37%) of drivers admitting that this type of distraction resulted in mistakes. Amidst this, RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: "Talking to passengers or daydreaming are so common that they aren't perceived by drivers to be big distractions, but our research has revealed they are in fact responsible for most of the errors drivers admit to, whether that's missing a turning, exceeding the speed limit or ending up in the wrong lane. "While dropping an item or applying make-up are clearly extremely distracting and dangerous, they're fortunately far less common than everyday things like talking to another passenger, an interfering thought or spotting something interesting outside the vehicle. Although your eyes are on the road, it's easy for your mind to wander behind the wheel, especially on long journeys. "Distractions can have catastrophic consequences for both drivers themselves and other road users, especially in extreme instances like failing to stop at a junction or at a red light or crossing. "The practice of driving is second nature for many of us, but our research suggests things we do without thinking in the car have far more potential to cause us to make errors than we might realise. "Driving is still a very mentally demanding task, especially as we need to be able to react to what's in front in a split-second, so it's important we do everything we can to stay alert and minimise distractions."
Saudi Gazette
13-06-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Oil prices soar after Israel attacks Iran
LONDON — Global oil prices have jumped after Israel said it had struck Iran, in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The price of the benchmark Brent crude was up by more than 10% shortly after the news emerged, reaching its highest level since January. Traders are concerned that a conflict between Iran and Israel could disrupt supplies coming from the energy-rich region. The cost of crude oil affects everything from how much it costs to fill up your car to the price of food at the supermarket. After the initial jump, oil prices eased a little. But Brent crude was still about 8% higher than Thursday's closing price, trading at about $74.65 a barrel. Despite Friday's moves, oil prices are still more than 10% lower than where they were at the same point last year. They are also well below the peaks seen in early 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, when the price of crude soared well above $100 a prices fell across Asia and Europe on Friday. Japan's Nikkei share index ended the day down 0.9%, while the UK's FTSE 100 index was down 0.3% by "safe haven" assets such as gold and the Swiss franc made gains. Some investors see these assets as more reliable investments in times of gold price hit its highest level for nearly two months, rising 1.2% to $3,423.30 an Israel's attack, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said Iran had launched around 100 drones towards the have told the BBC that energy traders will now be watching how much the conflict worsens in the coming days."It's an explosive situation, albeit one that could be defused quickly as we saw in April and October last year, when Israel and Iran struck each other directly," Vandana Hari of Vanda Insights told the BBC."It could also spiral out into a bigger war that disrupts Mideast oil supply," she at Capital Economics said that if Iran's oil production and export facilities were targeted, the price of Brent crude could jump to around $80-$100 a they added that such a spike in prices would encourage other oil producers to increase output, ultimately limiting the price rise and the knock-on effect on inflation.A spokesman for UK motoring body the RAC, Rod Dennis, said it was "too soon" to say what impact the latest rise in oil would have on petrol prices."There are two key factors at play: whether higher wholesale fuel prices are sustained over the coming days and, crucially, the sort of margin retailers decide to take," he an extreme scenario, Iran could disrupt supplies of millions of barrels of oil a day if it targets infrastructure or shipping in the Strait of strait is one of the world's most important shipping routes, with about a fifth of the world's oil passing through any one time, there are several dozen tankers on their way to the Strait of Hormuz, or leaving it, as major oil and gas producers in the Middle East and their customers transport energy from the to the north by Iran and to the south by Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea."What we see now is very initial risk-on reaction. But over the next day or two, the market will need to factor in where this could escalate to," Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Financial said. — BBC
Wales Online
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Wales Online
Drivers told to fill up their car's fuel tank before hot weather arrives
Drivers told to fill up their car's fuel tank before hot weather arrives The warning comes as 24C temperatures are set to arrive on Wednesday The warning comes as temperatures are predicted to soar in the coming days (Image: Alvaro Gonzalez via Getty Images ) Petrol and diesel vehicle owners are being advised to ensure their fuel tanks are as "full as possible" this Wednesday as warm weather arrives. Temperatures of 24C are forecast in Wales on Wednesday, and warm conditions could arrive again this weekend. Fuel experts at 1dot warn that approximately 1-2% of petrol and diesel could evaporate under extreme heat. Specialists from All on the Wrist Auto and Diesel Repair added: "Excessive heat can lead to increased evaporation of diesel fuel, potentially causing vapor lock and reduced engine efficiency." They further cautioned: "Additionally, engine oil may become less viscous in hot conditions, potentially compromising its protective properties." Hence, motorists are being encouraged to keep their fuel tanks as full as possible. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here However, amidst the rising temperatures across the UK, online reports have been circulating, falsely suggesting that filling up during a heatwave could result in petrol tanks exploding. These erroneous posts, which have been shared on Facebook and Whatsapp for years, wrongly assert that five cars exploded in the past week due to owners filling their tanks to the brim, reports Birmingham Live. Article continues below The RAC has categorically debunked these claims as nothing more than a social media hoax. In response to the rumours, RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis stated: "There is no truth in this." He reassured drivers by saying: "All fuel systems on passenger vehicles are designed to cope with any expansion of fuel, or vapour coming from the fuel. "There is no risk of explosion from filling up a fuel tank fully and drivers should have no concerns in doing so. "We'd recommend people avoid the temptation to share misinformation like this via social media." Mr Dennis advised motorists to fill their tanks to the brim when possible, particularly before embarking on extended trips. Article continues below He also warned that while hot weather can present additional challenges, it's crucial to take measures to prepare for the rising summer temperatures.
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
UK drivers warned to fill tanks 'as full as possible' before Wednesday
Millions of petrol and diesel drivers have been urged to make sure their tank is as "full as possible" on Wednesday - but it's not for the reason you may have heard Motorists have been advised to keep their petrol and diesel tanks as "full as possible" this Wednesday, as temperatures are expected to reach up to 24C from Wednesday to Sunday, peaking at 27C on Friday. According to experts at 1dot, approximately 1-2 per cent of petrol and diesel fuel could evaporate in extreme heat. Specialists from All on the Wrist Auto and Diesel Repair warned: "Excessive heat can lead to increased evaporation of diesel fuel, potentially causing vapor lock and reduced engine efficiency." They added: "Additionally, engine oil may become less viscous in hot conditions, potentially compromising its protective properties." READ MORE: 'I'm a fashion writer and found an unlikely retailer selling glitzy festival-ready outfits' Hence, drivers are being encouraged to keep their fuel tanks as full as possible, reports Birmingham Live. However, amid the rising temperatures across the UK, online reports have falsely claimed that filling up during a heatwave could result in petrol tanks exploding. These fake posts, circulating on Facebook and Whatsapp, wrongly assert that five cars have exploded in the past week due to owners filling their tanks to the limit. The RAC has debunked these claims as nothing more than a social media hoax. In response to the rumours, RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis stated: "There is no truth in this." He reassured motorists by saying: "All fuel systems on passenger vehicles are designed to cope with any expansion of fuel, or vapour coming from the fuel. There is no risk of explosion from filling up a fuel tank fully and drivers should have no concerns in doing so. "We'd recommend people avoid the temptation to share misinformation like this via social media." Mr Dennis advised motorists to fill their tanks to the brim when possible, particularly before embarking on prolonged trips. However, as temperatures soar, he warned that it's crucial to adopt preventative measures against typical summertime issues.
Auto Express
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Conversation killer: half of drivers admit small talk is becoming a big distraction
Almost half of drivers admit that holding a conversation behind the wheel has caused them to make a mistake, with internal distractions such as this having contributed towards as many as 940 road casualties in 2023. In a survey conducted by the RAC, 63 per cent of drivers said that internal and external distractions have caused them to make an error whilst driving, with just under half (43 per cent) stating that even chatting to a passenger has led to a mistake. Advertisement - Article continues below It's no surprise, then, that in-car distractions are listed as a contributory factor in five per cent of collisions. They also led to 940 road casualties (six per cent of the total) in 2023, including 81 deaths. With this in mind, you might be shocked to hear that only 18 per cent of drivers see holding a conversation as a potential distraction behind the wheel. While 48 per cent of respondents pointed to mobile phone usage as a potential distraction, this is only cited as an influential element for two per cent of cases and casualties. Nevertheless, all distractions, whether they be talking to a passenger or over the phone, can be incredibly dangerous. The RAC's safety spokesperson, Rod Dennis, was keen to remind drivers that while 'the practice of driving is second nature for many of us, our research suggests things we do without thinking in the car have far more potential to cause us to make errors than we might realise. 'Driving is still a very mentally demanding task,' he said, 'especially because we need to be able to react to what's in front in a split-second, so it's important we do everything we can to stay alert and minimise distractions.' All of this follows Auto Express's recent investigation into the potentially distracting nature of in-car touchscreens. While only around a third (30 per cent) of the RAC's respondents think adjusting a car's controls could be an issue, this is something that safety experts Euro NCAP believe is a prevalent issue. Beginning next year, NCAP tests will begin to award extra points to manufacturers that provide physical controls for frequently used functions, with touchscreen-focused cockpits likely to suffer lower safety scores. Come and join our WhatsApp channel for the latest car news and reviews...
