According to a recent study, British drivers think that around a third of motorists on the road could do with upgrading their driving manners.

From lack of indicating to not even getting a simple thank you when you’ve let someone out; it’s the small things that make all the difference when you’re trying to negotiate Britain’s oversubscribed roads.

Yes the roads might be busy, and chaos rules over most rush hour drives, but staying polite could save you from a stressful, congested commute, give your blood pressure a break and see you smiling instead of frowning while on the move.

At CDG, we’ve compiled the top ten irks that the British public feel make for bad driving manners…

Not saying thank you!

It sounds so simple, but a little thank you goes a long way. Not only does it make the person you are thanking smile, but also makes you feel good about yourself. So next time someone lets you out, or waits for you while you negotiate parked cars, give them a little wave and a smile!

Indicator? What’s that?

Not indicating is not only dangerous; it’s also really frustrating for other road users. That blinking orange light is there for a reason; to let other drivers know your intentions. There’s nothing more frustrating than getting stuck at a roundabout as no one is indicating, so don’t be that person, use your indicators!

Speeding through town

As annoying as they might be, especially if you’re running late and have a clear road in front of you; speed limits have been assigned to roads with safety in mind, so suck it up and keep to the limit. Likewise, if you find yourself driving at 40 mph in the fast lane of a motorway, it might be time to reassess things; driving unreasonably slowly can also be dangerous for other road users.

Mobile phone + driving = disaster

Not only is using your phone while behind the wheel illegal (and expensive should you be caught), it’s also ridiculous. Why so many drivers think that their call is so important it’s worth a potential crash escapes us. If you need to make an urgent call, find a safe spot to pull over before dialling those digits, otherwise put the mobile down and wait to make the call.

Not knowing when to back off

According to UK motorists, tailgating is the most annoying habit of other drivers. This is particularly frustrating when you’re in a convoy of traffic on the motorway and no one is going anywhere in a hurry; sitting on the bumper of my car is not going to get the tailgater to their destination any quicker, so back off!

Cruising in the wrong lane

If you look to your left while driving on the motorway and someone is undertaking you, chances are you’re in the wrong lane, so pull over. Middle lane hogging is very bad driving manners and can cause queues of traffic behind you; police now have the power to issue an on the spot fine for this kind of bad lane etiquette, so if you’re not overtaking anything, get into the left hand lane.

Getting irate

There’s nothing like a bit of road rage to set you up for the day; why is it polite and cool-headed people turn into homicidal maniacs when they step behind the wheel of a car? Driving on Britain’s busy roads can bring out the worst in you, but when you feel the red rage rise, try counting to ten or playing some soothing tunes. Getting stressed and angry doesn’t do anyone any favours so don’t let your frustration overrun you!

Not letting anyone in

Everyone is in a hurry, all the time. Our lives are so busy and full of tasks that sometimes simple manners go by the wayside. If you’ve ever tried to change lanes when the roads are busy you’ll know how unflinching people can be in the scrooginess, so next time you’re in a queue that someone needs to join, or crawling along the motorway and a junction comes up; let your fellow driver in.

Dumping and driving

Dropping litter out of your car window is another grievance of UK drivers. The earth is not a bin; keep your litter to yourself until you can stash it safely in the trash.

And finally, never saying sorry!

It takes nothing to say sorry, and people find it very hard to stay angry if you flash a quick apology after making a mistake on the roads.

There’s nothing like packing up the car and heading off for a day of adventure with the family; drives to the coast, weekends in Wales or trips further afield to Europe all offer chances for much needed family fun.

Fun days with the family; it’s probably best that the kids don’t drive though…

Making sure your little ones are safe while travelling is any parents priority, so at CDG we’ve compiled a handy guide to children’s car safety- giving you essential information about car seats along with a couple of other helpful gadgets to keep your kids safe while in the car.

The law requires all children travelling in the front or rear seat of any car, van or goods vehicle must use the correct child car seat until they are either 135 cm in height or 12 years old (which ever they reach first). After this they must use an adult seat belt. There are very few exceptions.

Choosing the right car seat is really important – not only are you required by law to make sure that your child is fully restrained at all times when travelling in a car, but keeping your little one safe is no doubt your highest priority.

Some important points to consider:

-Whatever the look of the car seat, buying a second hand one is always a gamble. It’s impossible to tell just by looking at it if it has been involved in an accident or has integral wear and tear; often second hand seats don’t come with full instructions making them difficult to install correctly.

-Check your car manual and the website of your chosen car sear to make sure the seat is compatible with your car, as not all are.

-Choose one that’s easy to fit, and make sure you get some practise. Most accidents happen on short journeys so if your seat is hard to fit you may end up not bothering for a short hop which could prove disastrous.

-Try before you buy; make sure you get full instructions before you hand over cash, and that you can return the seat should there be any problems. Although it may be tempting to buy online, nothing beats being shown in person how to use a seat, so make sure you know what you are doing before you hit the buy button.

-Never use a car seat when an air bag has been fitted.

-A child can legally travel in the front of the car but it’s always safest for them to travel in the back if possible.

-If anyone else plans to drive your child around, make sure they know how to install the car seat properly.

Check out our handy table for information on car seat sizes and weights:

We’ve rounded up some of the best options for each group:

Group 0+

Maxi Cosi Pebble £165

Group 0+ – 1

Mothercare Madrid Combination Car Seat £79.99

Group 1

Britax King II LS £170.00

Bigger kids

Keeping your child in a group 1 seat for as long as they comfortably fit will offer them greater protection, but once your baby is all grown up and their eye line is above the back of the car seat, they can progress to the next stage; more often than not a booster seat.

Mothercare Commuter Booster Seat £14.99

Once your child hits 12, or 135cm; whichever comes first, they can legally use an adult seat belt. If your child has reached the magic marker of 135cm but the adult seat belt lies on their tummy and neck instead of the hips, chest and shoulder, they will be better off remaining in a booster seat that is designed for their weight, until the seat belt fits properly.

For more advice check out Mothercare’s guide to buying the right car seat

Kid’s car accessories

Sun shade

Keep your precious cargo cool and out of the sun by fixing a sun shade to the window on the side they are travelling.

Britax Sunshade £4.99

Isofix base

Most modern cars (check in your handbook) offer use of the isofix system to install a car seat. This comprises of a fixed base that locks into your car, and you simply click the car seat in to go, and un-click when you want to remove it, taking all the stress out of getting your kids in and out of the car.

Maxi-Cosi EasyFix Car Seat Base £99.99

Child view mirror

When your child is rear facing during their early years, it can be disconcerting not to be able to see them and make sure they are ok. A quick fix for this is a child view mirror which you attach to a rear headrest so you can see the little one at all times!

Easy Rear View Mirror £9.99

Soft toys

Hard toys could cause injury in the event of an accident or some sharp braking, so make sure your kids have something soft to play with if they need a distraction.

Lamaze Captain Calamari £7.00

Unfortunately not every country drives on the left, how nice would that be?

Driving abroad can be fraught with danger; unknown roads, a whole set of strange rules and regulations not to mention navigating with foreign road signs, so learning to drive on the right side can mean added stress.

Left sided countries are in the minority; 74 total territories drive on the left, compared with 167 that cruise on the right. In fact 90% of the total distance of the roads around the world see traffic wearing them down from the right, and most of these right handers are continental landmasses, with islands mainly choosing to stick to the left.

Doing your research before going abroad can save you a big headache, so at CDG we’ve done the hard work and come up with a definitive list of which side of the road countries drive on, to give you a heads up!

Getting a car on finance can be a minefield of jargon and confusing terms; at CDG we’ve taken the stress out of buying a car and compiled a glossary of terms so that you can see the wood for the trees…

Don’t sign on the dotted line until you’ve got the facts…

Confused about something we’ve not listed? Let us know in the comments box and we’ll add it to our list!

Personalised number plates are 25 years old; since 1989 you have been able to make the ultimate driving statement by getting your hands on a personalised registration.

If you’ve always been tempted to make the trade to personalised plates, CDG gives you the licence plate low down; from how and where to buy, to the most expensive plates to be sold at auction; we’ve got all the essential info to guide you through the world of personalised number plates…

Why personalise?

150 auctions and online sales have generated £1.8bn for the Treasury since the first auction held at Christies, way back in 1989. That first auction saw ‘1 A’ go for £160,000, ‘MUS 1C’ make £65,000 and ‘JUL 1E’ fetch £34,000 and personalised registrations took off from there…

Image credit

For many people, the chance to personalise your car registration is an opportunity to make a statement about yourself; long favoured by celebrities and the rich and famous, it is a way of setting yourself apart from the rest of the pack.

But a personalised plate is not just a status symbol, they can also be a serious investment. Plates can fetch huge prices in private auctions and some sought after numbers only increase in value.

The most expensive plates sold through DVLA auctions to date are:

Sold in the United Arab Emirates, the world’s most expensive plate was ‘1’ which went for a staggering £7.25 million back in 2008.

How can I get one?

The DVLA registration site is your first port of call if you’re looking for a personalised plate. You can buy registrations online at any time, and with over 39 million to choose from you can take your time to find the right one for you. Simply enter the initials, date of birth or phrase that you’re looking for and results in all the different formats will be displayed.

The different types available are:

• Current – AB51 ABC (2001 – present)
• Prefix – A123 ABC (1983 – 2001)
• Suffix – ABC 123A (1963 – 1983)
• Dateless – 1234 AB, or 1 AB (Pre-1963)

The most desirable plates tend to be the dateless as they hide a vehicles age. These can be any combination of up to four numbers and three letters, or the other way around and are only sold at auction.

If the plate has an age identifier, like 60 for 2010, or N for 1995, then it can only be used on a car of the same age or newer – you can age your car as much as you like, but you can’t make it appear newer than it is by purchasing a number plate.

For a fee you can transfer a registration to another car, or retain it if you choose to remove it from a car; but once a car is scrapped the registration can’t be ‘brought back to life’!

Auction action

A DVLA auction                                                                                                                                                                                        Image credit

Some particularly desirable plates are held back to be sold at auction. The DVLA holds six auctions a year, and up for grabs at each one are around 1,500 handpicked, sought-after combinations. The registrations will have reserve prices which you can check out ahead of the day by heading here.

The first auction of 2015 is at Nottingham Belfry Hotel on Wednesday 25^th, Thursday 26^th and Friday 27^th of February, you can get a full list of the registrations for sale at this auction by clicking here.

If you’re heading to a DVLA auction then make sure you:

–Set a budget; it’s very easy to get carried away in the frenzy of a bidding war when at auction, but once the gavel sounds, a contract is formed between you and the DVLA making you liable for whatever you have bid; so don’t stray too far over your budget or be swayed to overspend on the day.

–Check out the fees attached; the actual bid price isn’t all that you will have to pay. Head to the DVLA Auction site for full details of costs and fees.

–Keep your options open; setting your heart on one particular set of numbers could see you being sorely disappointed if you are outbid on the day. We recommend  going in with a few options to maximise your chances of coming away with a smile on your face.

Famous faces

Over the years personalised plates have proved popular with many celebrities looking to make a statement, here are some of our favourites:

AMS 1 Lord Alan Sugar

KP11HOT Katie Price

BOX 111G Amir Khan

JU5T WED The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their wedding day

WE11 JEL Essex girl Amy Childs

A 7  Her Majesty the Queen

FAB 1 Chris Evans

D4RT P Phil Taylor

Christmas is about spending time with your beloved family; but unfortunately for some, that means a hefty drive on hazardous roads, at one of the busiest traffic times of the year.

On average, Brits travel over 200 miles during the Christmas period; so if you’re making a pilgrimage to see your family, make sure that you are fully prepared before setting off, with CDG’s guide to all you need to know before driving home for Christmas…

Plan your route

Take a look at your journey before setting off, making note of traffic hot spots and potential grid lock areas; keeping an eye on your route while travelling could also save you from getting stuck in a jam, allowing you to alter your route. Allow for poor weather conditions; make sure you know what the weather plans to do…

Don’t forget to pack a map for when technology fails you

If you can, try not to travel at peak hours; while we don’t recommend driving through the night, setting off a little later or a little earlier could mean the difference between a stressful drive and a hassle free journey.

Take a break

Make sure you stop and rest every few hours; driving on busy roads can be draining, a quick pit stop might be all that is needed to revive tired eyes.

Share the drive

If you’re planning on covering a lot of miles, get yourself a driving buddy. Sharing the load with another driver will make for a safer, less stressful journey, and you will arrive at your destination feeling a lot less tired and a whole lot more festive!

Distraction techniques

Keep little ones happy with an iPad

Travelling with little ones? Pack plenty of treats and entertainment to occupy their minds. Audio books, games and toys are a great way of keeping the kids at bay and saving you from their bored cries of despair!

If you’re lucky enough to own a tablet, load it with DVDs and cartoons and the passengers in the back seat will remain as quiet as a mouse.

Allow yourself time

Roads reach breaking point at this time of year, with all the extra traffic out and about and the weather not playing ball, so remain calm if you do get caught in a jam.

Allowing yourself plenty of extra time for your journey will help keep your stress levels low, as running late on top of a stressful journey is enough to tip even the calmest soul over the edge…

Take charge

Don’t forget to give your phone, tablet and sat nav a good charge before leaving the house, as running out of juice will always happen at the worst possible time. Invest in a car charger for your devices and you will never find yourself stranded without power again!

Pack a bag

AA Breakdown & Emergency Kit, £29.99 from Halfords

Make sure you have plenty of blankets, lots of drinking water and a torch should the worst happen and your car gives up the ghost. Breakdown cover is also a must; breaking down on unknown roads in the pitch black can be a truly terrifying experience without anyone to come and rescue you, AA, RAC and Green Flag all offer comprehensive breakdown cover.

To make sure you’re fully prepared invest in an emergency breakdown kit from Halfords. This handy kit is only £29.99 and features a hazard warning triangle, a tow rope, foot pump and hi-grip gloves, along with a torch complete with batteries.

Mobile working is becoming increasingly common and with technology advancing at quite a pace, working on the move has never been easier.

If you are one of the thousands of Brits whose office is their car, you might find you are in need of a little gadgetry assistance when it comes to keeping things running smoothly.

Stay ahead of meetings on the move with our top gadgets for mobile workers!

Crawley Down Group have compiled a few of the top gadgets for mobile workers, to help make your life easier if you like to work on the run!

Plantronics Blackwire 435 USB Headset

This corded USB headset is perfect for video-conferencing while on the go, thanks to its noise cancelling microphone that minimises background distractions; the audio quality is outstanding. You can opt for stereo sound using either headphones, or convert to mono with just one, and the whole things comes safely stored in a handy and protective travel case.

Price: £57.00

Samsung Ultra Slim Mouse

If you can’t stand the built in touch pad on your laptop but hate lugging around a bulky mouse, the slick Samsung Ultra Slim Mouse might be just what you need. With full click-ability and scrolling action, all from one central button, the unique and sleek design keeps the mouse neat and tidy at only 8mm thick.

Price: £13.79

Slimline In-Car Bluetooth Handsfree Kit

Never miss an important call again with this high-performance Bluetooth kit. Connect to two mobiles at the same time and enjoy crystal clear sound thanks to the advanced noise and echo cancellation technology. The super slim design makes for easy storage, and with features like voice calling with compatible phones, this is a great value option.

Price: £22.99

TaoTronics TT-DS001 Mobile Scanner

You’ll never need an office again with this handy device; powered by batteries and crazily compact, you can quickly and easily convert black & white and colour documents and images into digital files.  Save scanned documents directly to micro SD memory card with 900, 600 or 300 resolution, and even download straight to your laptop using the included USB cable.

Price: £39.99

Logitech K750 Solar Wireless Keyboard

Don’t struggle to type on your tiny laptop keyboard; make catching up on emails, drafting documents and surfing the web a breeze with this slim line wireless keyboard. The best part is that it’s solar powered, so there’s no need to worry about bulky cables or losing power at important moments.

Price: £49.99

Powergen Dual USB Car Charger

Don’t drive anywhere without this dual USB charger; forget about running out of juice on your mobile or tablet, just connect using your existing cable and you’re good to go. Charging will automatically stop once completed, and its sophisticated circuitry design ensures your phone won’t overheat . Charge two devices at once, and thanks to the handy LED light, you’ll know that the charger is properly connected.

Price: £5.79

The North Face Surge II charged backpack

Never lose power no matter where you find yourself with this high spec 32 litre rucksack that comes complete with an integrated lithium charger. Simply charge the bag and then benefit from two full charges while you’re out and about. With built in laptop and tablet pockets, the backpack is water resistant and has a handy LED that lets you know when the power is running low.

Price: £180.00

The leaves are falling, the skies are blackening; there’s no use denying it any longer, winter is well on its way.

Winter; beautiful but hazardous for driving

With the colder weather comes the joy of icy roads, frosty mornings and bucket loads of rain; all of which can play havoc with your cars health, and conditions out on the open road.

Autumn is a great time to take a close look at your car and make sure its winter ready. Have a read of our handy winter car care check list so that you can keep your car in tip-top condition over the long cold winter…

Winter can be tough on cars…

CDG’s top winter car care tips:

Check the oil level

Make sure that the level of oil in the engine is healthy; if the oil runs low it can cause untold damage to your engine so get that dipstick out.

Check the tread on your tyres

Tyre tread is all-important when driving on wintry roads

Low tyre tread means less grip on slippery roads, it’s also illegal, so make sure you have a look at all the tyres on your car, including the spare. Inspect the tread, but also take a look at the condition of them. If you see cracks and tears then a new set of wheels is in order.

…and don’t forget the tyre pressure

To optimise your driving for wintry conditions make sure that the tyres are at the correct pressure, and once again, don’t forget to take a look at your spare

Get the leaves out of your scuttle! 

The scuttle is the recess between your windscreen and bonnet; if leaves clog this up they can rot and filter through to the engine causing lasting damage, so make sure you give this a regular clean and get the leafy offenders out of there.

Give your car a thorough clean

Nothing gets your car gleaming in time for winter like a good scrub, pay close attention to headlights and rear lights as dirt can easily render these ineffective if it builds up. Make sure that you apply a good coat of wax, this will help protect your paintwork from the perils of winter, like salt ridden roads and rotting leaves.

Check your lighting

Take a look at all light inside and outside the car; check your brake lights, side lights and head lights to make sure they are functioning correctly, replacing any bulbs that have gone. Interior lights are also important as the nights draw in so check to make sure these are functioning too.

Fill your windscreen wash

Muddy and dirt ridden roads can leave you squinting through your windscreen; make sure you top up the screen wash to save your sight. Use screen wash with anti-freeze to help you out on those frosty mornings.

Keep de-icer and a scraper to hand

Pop them in the glove box or a side pocket and you will be so thankful when you rock up to your car one frosty morning to find it covered in ice.

Inspect your windscreen wipers for damage

Replace torn or faulty looking blades as these can make driving hazardous if you are caught in a sudden downpour.

Get together an emergency car kit

Being stuck in a snow drift or down an icy road could be hellish if you don’t pack a few essentials. Make sure you have drinking water, jump cables, a high visibility jacket, a torch, a blanket and a well-stocked first aid kit to hand.

For the ultimate in winter ready, why not book your car into Crawley Down Group for a free winter safety check!

We will check your vehicle’s:

• Tread depth
• Tyre pressures
• Tyre wear
• Brake condition
• Heating system
• Anti-freeze level

Click here for more information.