Road safety advice

It's illegal to use a mobile phone, sat nav or any similar device whilst driving without a hands-free device. 

Talking on hands-free is still a distraction that can reduce your concentration and ability to detect hazards.

Even careful drivers can be distracted by a call or text and a split-second lapse in concentration could result in a crash.

Find out more about using a phone or a sat nav when driving (GOV.UK).

Find out if you're alert behind the wheel by taking the interactive quiz from OpenLearn.

Always wear a seatbelt. In a crash you're twice as likely to die if you don't.

Not wearing a seatbelt can be a fatal decision even on short, familiar journeys and at low speeds. Wear your seatbelt correctly so it can offer you the best possible protection in a crash.

Seat belts help alongside other safety features, for example air bags.

If you're travelling with a child, make sure you understand the law on using a child car seat or booster seat (GOV.UK).

View this guide for safely transporting children for more information on child car seats including:

• booster seats
• choosing child car seats
• fitting child car seats and common fitting errors
• the law for child car seats

Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see to be clear.

Allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic.

The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased on icy roads. Remember, large vehicles and motorcycles need a greater distance to stop.

Your speed will also effect your vehicle's stopping distance (AA).

View our interactive stopping distance checker to see how your choice of speed affects the stopping distance.

Eyesight can get worse at any time and can not only affect driving skills directly, but also result in tiredness. 

As standard, drivers should be be able to read a car number plate from 20 metres (with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary).

You should have an eyesight test once every 2 years.

View the driving eyesight rules (GOV.UK).

View our webpage for information on Vehicle Activated Signs and how to request an electronic road sign.

There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it’s impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals - it’s different for each person.

If you’re driving, don’t drink any alcohol at all.

View more information on drink driving (GOV.UK) or our drink and drug driving page.

It’s illegal to drive if either:

• you’re unfit to do so because you’re on legal or illegal drugs
• you have certain levels of illegal drugs in your blood (even if they have not affected your driving)

View more information on drug driving (GOV.UK) or our drink and drug driving page.

Car drivers and horse riders both have a right to use the road.

When passing a rider you should:

• slow down to a maximum of 10 mph
• pass slowly and widely, allowing at least 2 metres distance between you and the horse
• be patient

All riders and their horses are encouraged to wear high visibility, contrasting clothing/tabards for maximum visibility.

For more guidance see The British Horse Society's advice for motorists and riding horses on roads.