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Every driver hopes never to be involved in an accident , but the chances of avoiding one throughout your motoring life are statistically quite small — even for an advanced driver. All the same, you are very likely sooner or later to arrive at the scene of an accident, and, if you are the first to arrive, it will be your responsibility to help. Read more

Many cars have clutches that work hydraulically. The mechanism that operates them is sturdy and long lasting, requiring only an occasional look in the fluid reservoir (See Checking and removing a clutch master cylinder ) to make sure the level is correct. Read more

Car ownership is a right which can be enjoyed by every adult of sound body and mind, but there must be some degree of control over the use of cars in the interests of safety and traffic flow. The regulations affecting our use speed limits, parking restrictions, vehicle condition requirements - are essential to prevent the bedlam which might otherwise break out with 22 million licensed vehicles on the roads. While owning a car is a right, the licence to drive it is a privilege which must be earned and respected. You must first acquire enough skill and responsibility at the wheel to pass the Government driving test, which is less rigorous than in many other countries, and your subsequent entitlement to a licence depends upon maintaining a minimum standard of safe and law-abiding driving. Should you fall below standard, you can be kept off the road through disqualification. Read more

Although British winters are mild for most of the time, a cold snap always makes roads treacherous and catches many motorists by surprise. It is important that a driver knows how to cope in conditions of sleet, snow and ice, and that his car is in good shape and able to deal with the demands imposed on it. Learn with experience how to drive safely in ice and snow: some people are timid and abandon their cars before they need to, while others do not make proper allowances for the conditions and end up causing accidents . Read more

The forces imposed on the anti-roll bar subject it to constant twisting and flexing, which in turn put its various rubber mounting bushes under great load. The bushes gradually wear and lose their effectiveness. Over a period of years the rubber hardens and tends to crack. Read more

Leaf springs are likely to wear because they have several moving parts. They should be inspected at intervals specified by the car manufacturer, or at major service intervals - usually every 12,000 miles (20,000 km). Read more

Night driving is an essential part of motoring for most people, so if you have just passed your test do not keep putting off the day when you first drive in darkness. Like all other aspects of handling a car safely, night driving presents no undue risks as long as you observe the rules. Indeed, there are positive advantages to driving at night, when traffic begins to thin out: the experience can be less stressful and your journey time can be reduced. Driving in the dark, however, can be dangerous if you do not obey the rules, especially on a long run when you are feeling tired. Always remember the extra dangers of allowing your concentration to lapse, because accident rates per vehicle mile do rise dramatically at night. Read more

When a car manufacturer decides to produce a new model, the styling, or design, of the new car is one of a number of factors that need to be decided. Read more