Control of the Vehicle

The Highway Code

Control of the vehicle (117-126)

Braking

117

In normal circumstances. The safest way to brake is to do so early and lightly. Brake more firmly as you begin to stop. Ease the pressure off just before the vehicle comes to rest to avoid a jerky stop.

118

In an emergency. Brake immediately. Try to avoid braking so harshly that you lock your wheels. Locked wheels can lead to loss of control.

119

Skids. Skidding is usually caused by the driver braking, accelerating or steering too harshly or driving too fast for the road conditions. If skidding occurs, remove the cause by releasing the brake pedal fully or easing off the accelerator. Turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid. For example, if the rear of the vehicle skids to the right, steer immediately to the right to recover.

120

ABS. If your vehicle is fitted with anti-lock brakes, you should follow the advice given in the vehicle handbook. However, in the case of an emergency, apply the footbrake firmly; do not release the pressure until the vehicle has slowed to the desired speed. The ABS should ensure that steering control will be retained, but do not assume that a vehicle with ABS will stop in a shorter distance.

121

Brakes affected by water. If you have driven through deep water your brakes may be less effective. Test them at the first safe opportunity by pushing gently on the brake pedal to make sure that they work. If they are not fully effective, gently apply light pressure while driving slowly. This will help to dry them out.

122

Coasting. This term describes a vehicle travelling in neutral or with the clutch pressed down. It can reduce driver control because

·         engine braking is eliminated

·         vehicle speed downhill will increase quickly

·         increased use of the footbrake can reduce its effectiveness

·         steering response will be affected, particularly on bends and corners

·         it may be more difficult to select the appropriate gear when needed

123

The Driver and the Environment. You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road. Generally, if the vehicle is stationary and is likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should apply the parking brake and switch off the engine to reduce emissions and noise pollution. However it is permissible to leave the engine running if the vehicle is stationary in traffic or for diagnosing faults.

[Law CUR regs 98 & 107]

Speed limits	Built-up areas *	Single carriage-ways	Dual carriage-ways	Motorways
Type of vehicle	mph (km/h)	mph (km/h)	mph (km/h)	mph (km/h)
Cars & motorcycles (including car-derived vans up to 2 tonnes maximum laden weight)	30 (48)	60 (96)	70 (112)	70 (112)
Cars towing caravans or trailers (including car-derived vans and motorcycles)	30 (48)	50 (80)	60 (96)	60 (96)
Buses, coaches and minibuses (not exceeding 12 metres in overall length)	30 (48)	50 (80)	60 (96)	70 (112)
Goods vehicles (not exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight)	30 (48)	50 (80)	60 (96)	70 (112) **
Goods vehicles (exceeding 7.5 tonnes maximum laden weight)	30 (48)	40 (64)	50 (80)	60 (96)

* The 30 mph limit usually applies to all traffic on all roads with street lighting unless signs show otherwise.

** 60 mph (96 km/h) if articulated or towing a trailer.

Speed limits

124

You MUST NOT exceed the maximum speed limits for the road and for your vehicle (see the table above). The presence of street lights generally means that there is a 30 mph (48 km/h) speed limit unless otherwise specified.

[Law RTRA sects 81, 86, 89 & sch 6]

125

The speed limit is the absolute maximum and does not mean it is safe to drive at that speed irrespective of conditions. Driving at speeds too fast for the road and traffic conditions is dangerous. You should always reduce your speed when:

·         the road layout or condition presents hazards, such as bends

·         sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, particularly children, and motorcyclists

·         weather conditions make it safer to do so

·         driving at night as it is more difficult to see other road users

126

Stopping Distances

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

·         leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely if it suddenly slows down or stops. The safe rule is never to get closer than the overall stopping distance (see Typical Stopping Distances PDF below)

·         allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic and in tunnels where visibility is reduced. The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads

·         remember, large vehicles and motorcycles need a greater distance to stop. If driving a large vehicle in a tunnel, you should allow a four-second gap between you and the vehicle in front

If you have to stop in a tunnel, leave at least a 5-metre gap between you and the vehicle in front.

Alarms - Factors to Consider Before Installation

SECURITY - Alarm Systems

ALARM SYSTEMS

Why do I need to consider installing an alarm?

Most businesses can suffer a burglary. An intruder alarm is not a substitute for good physical security, but is one way of reducing your risk. Apart from its deterrent value, it is useful for limiting the amount of time that intruders will feel ‘comfortable' inside your premises.

As the majority of fires at commercial premises may now be started by children or vandals, having an intruder alarm installed may, along with other precautions, help to reduce your chances of suffering a fire.

What aspects do I need to consider?

In order to qualify for police response, the alarm must be installed and maintained by an alarm company who meet the policy requirements of the local police force.

Although there are some differences in force requirements, they are generally based upon the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland (ACPOS) policies. To be acceptable, the alarm company usually has to be approved by a UKAS-accredited inspection body (i.e. NSI or SSAIB). -Details of NSI and SSAIB-approved firms can be found on their web sites.

The alarm needs to be installed in accordance with European Standard EN 50131-1 according to the scheme described in PD 6662:2004.

EN 50131-1 requires the alarm installer to carry out a theft risk assessment before recommending to you one of several grades of system. The security features increase with the grade, so the equipment permitted for, say, a Grade 2 system will not all be the same as for Grade 3 or 4. It is important to have the quoting companies explain the differences and for you to obtain (via your insurance broker) your insurer's agreement to accepting their assessment, prior to signing any contract. Remote signalling is not a feature of all grades.

To get a police response, your intruder alarm will need to be provided with equipment designed to send a signal to an alarm receiving centre (ARC).

There are various signalling systems available for alarm companies to use. Most of these use telephone lines, some in conjunction with radio signals or text messages for added security. The best known is the BT Redcare system which has several variations, e.g. Redcare GSM, which is a constantly monitored dual-path signalling system (strongly recommended). The security afforded by different systems vary: not all have signals that are constantly monitored from your premises to the ARC; some are not monitored at all.

There are now a number of different ways in which you can turn an intruder alarm on and off. It is important to have the quoting alarm companies explain the differences to you. Not all of the options will be acceptable so it is important to have your insurance broker confirm which are before placing an order.

Intruder alarms may be rented or purchased. It may not always be clear from a quotation which is being offered. Establish what the quote is for, and what charges will apply in the event of false alarms and/or equipment faults for which you are not the cause. Also clarify the charges for maintenance of the system.

The police will require you to provide to the ARC (and, for some police forces, to themselves) details of a number of key-holders who can attend the premises quickly (inside a prescribed period of time). Some local authorities may also require this information. Consider carefully who you trust with this responsibility. You will also need to complete a health and safety risk assessment for this contingency, e.g. for the risk of violence to these employees and also lone working. If you decide that you do not wish one of your own employees to be the first key-holder but prefer instead a professional key-holding security company check with your insurance broker that the firm is Security Industry Authority (SIA)-licensed and NSI or SSAIB-approved. Ensure that the alarm system has plenty of capacity to accept additional detection devices later if needed.

Depending upon the type of movement detectors used, items such as hanging signs, banners, Christmas decorations, etc can be the cause of false alarms. The alarm company should advise you on things to avoid, as well as training you on how to use the system.

Police rules usually require the alarm to be a "confirmed" system. There are three types - sequential, audio and visual confirmation. With "sequential", the ARC is only allowed to call police when they receive signals from two different detection devices within a prescribed period of time. Should only one activation occur, they are only permitted to call the nominated key-holders. With an audio confirmation, the alarm system allows (upon activation of the alarm) an ARC operator to listen to areas within your premises where microphones have been fitted. A visually confirmed system uses cameras to allow the ARC operator to see areas within the camera's view. Even if you decide to have an audio or visually confirmed system, ensure that the company will also configure the alarm to operate as a sequentially confirmed type as well.
Most signalling systems are capable of sending other different signals depending upon what is connected to them, e.g. a fire or water leak alarm, cold store over-temperature sensor, etc. The alarm company will be able to tell you what other monitoring they can offer and what they require in order to be able to do this.
What key actions do I need to take?
Obtain a copy of the intruder alarm policy from the police force whose area the premises are located in.

Find details of local intruder alarm companies from the NSI and SSAIB.

Check whether the alarm quotes are for a rental or purchase. Confirm what difference that will make to call-out charges and maintenance costs.
If you may want non-security devices to be monitored, check if the quoting company is able to do this.

Update your health and safety risk assessments.
Check that any key-holding company being considered are Security Industry Authority (SIA)-licensed and NSI or SSAIB-approved.

Before ordering your alarm, provide copies of the system design proposal to your insurance broker so that they can obtain approval from your insurance company.

Further Information:

o    Association of Chief Police Officers www.acpo.police.uk/

o    Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland www.acpos.police.uk/

o    British Security Industry Association www.bsia.co.uk/

o    National Security Inspectorate (NSI) www.nsi.org.uk/