A new ATA (Automotive Technician Accreditation) iPhone app which helps drivers locate a skilled and fully-qualified technician has now been launched.
The free, easy-to-use app can be downloaded immediately to help drivers make sure their car is safe before driving off to visit relatives.
The Institute of the Motor Industry developed the programme, which helps locate a garage with ATA-registered technicians you know you can rely on.
Just search for “ATA Find A Mechanic” at the Apps Store on your iPhone. Or visit OKwithATA.com.
Don’t forget your car needs regular servicing – don’t just rely on a MOT – especially with the recent cold weather. The IMI also recomends getting your tyres and oil checked before embarking on a long journey this Christmas. And while you’re preparing for your Christmas road trip – a few other top tips from the ATA to help you on your way (other than to perfect your fake ‘It’s just what I’ve always wanted!’ smile):
1. Check if the garage employs ATA technicians and/or IMI members, who all possess a membership card to show they are suitably qualified. Alternatively ask if the business is registered with a Trading Standards scheme.
2. Ensure that the garage is familiar with your car’s make and model.
3. Prior to booking your car in, consider how it’s been running. Be honest – inform the service staff of any problems and/or any recent work carried out.
4. Check what is included within the service – ask to see a copy of the service schedule for your vehicle type.
5. Check the breakdown of costs, including all parts, consumables, labour and VAT – you should know exactly what you are paying for.
6. Insist that no additional work is undertaken without your express permission. If recommended, this should be quoted against, not estimated.
7 Ask for any replaced parts to be retained for your inspection upon collection.
8. Ensure that you receive a detailed itemised report with a verbal explanation of the work undertaken and/or recommended. Ask about the garage’s quality control checks and make sure your service book is stamped.
9. Ensure that the name of the technician that works on your car is detailed on your invoice. Ask to speak to him or her specifically, if you have any concerns or require necessary explanations.
10. Ensure that you receive a guarantee. Make sure you know what it covers, check the period of validity and identify the complaints procedure, should a query arise.
New research from a study conducted by the RAC showed that young drivers are most likely to be distracted while driving by gadgets than any other group of drivers.
The study found that drivers in their teens up the age of 24 were the most likely to get distracted while driving by popular high tech gadgets such as satellite navigation devices, CD players, and mobile phones.
Out of those surveyed, an astounding 55% of the teens admitted that they had looked away from the road while driving to fiddle with gadgets narrowly avoiding trouble on the road.
It also showed that the two most distracting devices were often the radio or a CD player. After searching for a song on the radio or a CD player, the largest distraction was trying to use a mobile phone while driving or trying to operate the GPS system. Following close behind was distraction caused by warning lights on the dashboard or playing with the air conditioning/heating settings.
David Bizley, the director of the RAC, stated that those who are unable to safely operate car devices put not only themselves at risk on the road but also other motorists. He continued to warn that placing yourself in this situation can be disastrous if the wrong combination of events occurs.
Additional research also indicated that drivers should be looking at hazards on the road instead of depending on their cars to safely navigate the roads for them due to the advancement of GPS systems.
A new iPhone application is on the way from More Th>N that provides drivers with instant assistance if an accident happens. The new car claim app from More Th>N is the first UK car insurance company app to be introduced.
The tool’s launch is a response to a study commissioned by the car insurance group that showed that approximately 38% of all drivers do not get enough of the third party details after a car accident occurs. In order to make a proper claim this information is vital.
Managing director of More Th>N stated that since a car accident is traumatic by nature many people find themselves too frazzled to remember all of the information that they should from the scene of the accident.
He continued to say that with the current advancements in mobile technology the company is now able to provide instant help to customers at the scene of the accident to help the claim process proceed much more smoothly so that consumers can get back to their lives as quickly as possible.
According to a statement from the firm, the new application takes the driver through a step by step assistance program of safety precautions after an accident, and then prompts the user to record vital information from the scene such as accident information and witness accounts and details.
Users can also add pictures to their file as well as upload the exact location of the accident using GPS, which built into the application.
While some may have noticed that there are more bright lights on the road, the average driver has no idea why it seems as if everyone has their high beams on.
The answer is simple, because there is a slow transition in the car manufacturing world to LED lights instead of incandescent lights.
LED lights use electricity to glow when the current runs through them, instead of waiting for a filament to heat up. As a result, not only do the lights not need to heat up, so they are instantly able to light up, which means much brighter light over all.
The brighter side of this fact is that LED lights do not require as much energy from the car engine to work which means that the car gets a break and so does your wallet since less energy means less fuel consumption.
The other reason your bank balance may get a little less hammering, is due to the fact that LED lights have a longer lifespan than their incandescent counterparts with a lifespan that can last well over 11 years if manufactured correctly.
The downside is that LED lights are more expensive to make which is why you will see them on prestige cars for the time being, although they are slowly trickling down into more of the common brands as well.
This Christmas an innovative company has developed a gadget that will help speeders, er, cautious motorists, avoid a ticket with a gadget called the Novus Piccolo.
The small handheld gadget is barely larger than a set of keys but is able to detect almost all types of fixed cameras including both speed cameras and red light cameras.
The device also warns a motorist about accident black spots and mobile sites to make sure that each trip out on the motorway is the safest possible. It also helps keep motorists on track in badly lit areas where speed limits may not be legible by announcing the proper legal speed limit when a car is approaching a camera site.
In fact, the Novus Piccolo makes it hard to incur a traffic ticket unless you are aiming to get picked up by a speed camera, due to the fact that it countdowns to the speed camera on a large bright LED lit display, gives out timed warnings when approaching cameras, and issues a last minute over speed warning when your vehicle approaches the intersection where a speed camera is fixed.
For those who may be worried about the legalities of using such a device, the Novus Piccolo is a completely legal gadget that has a two year manufacturer’s warranty and automatic updates on a weekly basis so that you never travel unprotected while on the British roadways again.
Ford is producing the motor industry’s first ever inflatable rear seat belts.
The new seatbelts combine the best of both traditional seat belts and air bags as the seat belt is set to deploy only 40ms after a crash, so that the impact of the crash is distributed across the body by more than five times more area.
This in turn reduces the chance of injury from a collision.
Airbags have been able to keep those in the front seat safe for a long time, but now Ford hopes to bring the same type of safety to back seat occupants who tend to be older passengers or children who have a higher chance of injury.
Although the new inflatable seat belts fit differently across the body Ford states that a good majority of their research class stated that the seat belts are as comfortable if not more comfortable than normal seat belts.
The new inflatable belts will premier next year on the Ford Explorer America SUV and will eventually be offered worldwide, although Ford did not offer a date.
Now motorists who want to park in the Central London area can do so by just waving a credit or debit card at the meter. This is an initiative by the Westminster Council to make cashless payment for transportation more prevalent not just in London, but throughout the UK.
By the beginning of next year the West End will be set up with 20 new credit card machines that require users to simply swipe their cards at in order to park. If the experiment works out well the new meter readers will be placed throughout the area of Westminster.
Southampton is also expected to introduce the new technology in the spring, with other councils following suit.
The path for the new meter technology is paved by the introduction of smartcards to the British public, which allow cheaper items such as newspapers, bus fares, and coffee to be paid for with a card instead of cash or normal credit cards.
Instead, the over four million cards do not require an identity check, unless a security check is carried out.
In the future, it is expected that all credit and debit cards will have the same technology built into them, so that they can be used as smartcards throughout the UK for parking and public transportation purposes.
Currently the Department for Transport is looking into using smartcards for more bus journeys, and also on trains. The aim of the new overhaul is to create less hassle and speed up queuing, which can delay many travellers.
Honest John, an independent authority on cars, and contributor to the Telegraph, has released a public application to the iPhone app store. This is the first free app in the UK that will deliver videos and road tests to iPhone users.
Honest John is known well to those who have visited his website as an authoritative source of information who is looking out for buyer’s best interests, while deciding which vehicle they should purchase. Since he is not affiliated with any company he is able to offer an unbiased opinion,
The former motor trader stated that the new app is designed to allow viewers to feel as if he is there in the dealership with them, advising them on their final decision, before choosing a new car.
To date, he has been able to help out over 500,000 drivers on his website, and in print.
The app will be able to provide instant access to the forums of the website, and all of the information it contains, as well as road tests, independent news, an videos from the website so that users can get a clear picture of the car they are considering purchasing.
Honest John stated that the forum users all have an extensive amount of knowledge and experience, which is invaluable to consumers when it comes time to choose a new car, which, in turn, will help buyer’s cut deals while in a dealership, but as fully informed consumers.
The application is now available on the iPhone and is set to soon debut on Blackberry and Nokia smartphones.
New research from a study conducted by the RAC showed that young drivers are most likely to be distracted while driving by gadgets than any other group of drivers.
A new iPhone application is on the way from More Th>N that provides drivers with instant assistance if an accident happens. The new car claim app from 
While some may have noticed that there are more bright lights on the road, the average driver has no idea why it seems as if everyone has their high beams on.
Now motorists who want to park in the Central London area can do so by just waving a credit or debit card at the meter. This is an initiative by the 
Honest John, an independent authority on cars, and contributor to the Telegraph, has released a public application to the iPhone app store. This is the first free app in the UK that will deliver videos and road tests to iPhone users.