We\u2019re only a week or so into a brand new year. All told, it\u2019s a pretty strange time, isn\u2019t it? Caught just between the past and the future. A time of reflecting on the year gone by, and a time for planning what you\u2019re going to do with the next twelve months.<\/p>\n
Well\u2026 if you\u2019re already thinking about your New Year\u2019s Resolutions, and you\u2019re planning on being in the driver\u2019s seat a fair amount this year, then we think we\u2019ve got some New Year\u2019s driving Resolutions that are worth considering. Of course, if you\u2019re not planning on doing a lot of driving, don\u2019t forget you can always get the best prices when you scrap your car<\/a><\/strong> with us! If you\u2019re planning on staying in the driver\u2019s seat though\u2026 shall we get started?<\/p>\n Maintenance problems can not only be hard on your wallet, they can even be downright dangerous. The poor condition of certain cars is a major contributing factor in accidents across the UK. Faulty brakes are one obvious example, but lots of drivers often underestimate how risky bald tyres can be as well.<\/p>\n One of the best ways to ensure that you don\u2019t have to worry about issues like this is to draw up a preventative maintenance plan. It ensures that your car remains in a safe condition, and it can even save you significant amounts of money, as it often helps you to catch minor issues in their early stages, before they develop into anything that\u2019s more serious and costly.<\/p>\n Here are a couple of examples of checks that it\u2019s wise to make on a regular basis:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Tyre pressure Other checks can be made on a more infrequent monthly basis \u2013 but they do still need to be made! This includes things like:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2022 Changing your air filters The world\u2019s highways are evolving all the time, much like the technology (and fundamental nature) of the cars driving on them. Attitudes change over time too. So the Highway Code is always being updated to reflect it all. There have been some pretty major changes that have been made in 2022, the most prominent of which is the new hierarchy of road users. There are also new rules coming in 2023, in particular with regard to pavement parking and the ULEZ.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve not yet had a chance to refresh yourself on the latest changes though, don\u2019t worry \u2013 we\u2019ve penned our very own post on some of the most crucial changes you need to know for the year ahead.<\/p>\n It might sound like the latest TikTok craze, but it\u2019s actually a different kind of move we\u2019ve imported from our European neighbours. In a nutshell, it refers to the practice of opening your car door with your furthest hand, rather than the one nearest it. So that\u2019s your left hand if you\u2019re driving, and your right hand if you\u2019re in the front passenger seat, for example.<\/p>\n What this does is naturally force you to look over your shoulder, so you\u2019ve got a much better chance of seeing any cyclists approaching, making you far less likely to accidentally hit them with the car door. (It might look comical on TV, but people have been killed in real life in these situations.) It\u2019s been around for a few years now, but it\u2019s yet to become standard practice in the UK, so it\u2019s worth making it your New Year\u2019s Resolution!<\/p>\n With the UK still feeling the pinch of the cost-of-living crisis, and the price of fuel still dipping and soaring regularly, the rewards of driving economically are frequently underestimated, and you might find that you\u2019re able to save yourself a surprising amount. A study by the AA<\/a><\/strong> found that drivers could save themselves 10% of weekly fuel bills, and some of the best drivers in the study were able to save themselves an impressive 33%.<\/p>\n So, what does that involve, exactly? Well, there are a variety of useful techniques for driving economically, but some of the most effective include driving as smoothly as possible, with gentle acceleration. It\u2019s also a good idea to avoid unnecessarily sharp braking and accelerating by keeping a good distance from the car in front.<\/p>\n Of course, one of the very best ways to minimise your outgoings on your car is to cut down on driving altogether, wherever you can. Short but frequent journeys like the school run or shopping trips can be useful candidates initially, or visits to see family or friends in nearby locations. Anything that\u2019s within reasonable walking distance or within the range of public transport.<\/p>\n It can save you a lot of costs on fuel, possibly a lot of stress, and even makes things easier on your car, as its condition can deteriorate more slowly when it\u2019s used less intensively. Of course, it\u2019s not viable for everyone, but it\u2019s definitely worth considering!<\/p>\n Alternatively, you might even find that you can do without your car altogether. Or, if you can\u2019t, you might be thinking about getting a new one. Either way, rest assured you can always rely on us to provide you with the very best prices when you scrap your car<\/a><\/strong> with us. Just enter your car reg and postcode to the fields on our site, and we\u2019ll get you the best price in seconds. Go on\u2026 curious to find out how much your car is worth?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019re only a week or so into a brand new year. All told, it\u2019s a pretty strange time, isn\u2019t it? Caught just between the past and the future. A time of reflecting on the year gone by, and a time for planning what you\u2019re going to do with the next twelve months. Well\u2026 if you\u2019re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":6616,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n1. Schedule your car maintenance<\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 Engine oil levels
\n\u2022 Coolant levels
\n\u2022 Screen wash system<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Checking your brake fluids
\n\u2022 Inspecting your tyre treads<\/p>\n2. Get yourself up to speed on the Highway Code<\/h2>\n
3. Do the Dutch Reach<\/h2>\n
4. Drive as economically as you can<\/h2>\n
5. Avoid unnecessary journeys<\/h2>\n