Driving in the UK

Car Hire & Rental

Visiting a friend somewhere else in Britain and want a car to get around? Or travelling somewhere with a lot of luggage? If you are, then hiring a car may be perfect for you, whether you want it for an hour, a day or a week.

You have a few different options if looking to hire a car depending on how long you need it for.

Pay As You Go Car Hire

With pay as you go cars, you do not need to pay for petrol, MOT or insurance. You also only pay for the hours you use the car. So, if you only need the car for an hour, you only pay for an hour.

The other option is to rent a car. This is perfect for if you need a car longer term- a week for example. It will be cheaper but you generally need to be over 25 years old and have to start worrying about petrol and so on.The best way to make sure you get the best deal is to use a price comparison site like the tool below

Car Rental Search

The other option is to rent a car. This is perfect for if you need a car longer term- a week for example. It will be cheaper, however a young driver fee is usually applied to under 25's (this varies by supplier - see here for more information). The best way to make sure you get the best deal on UK car hire is to use a price comparison site such as Rhinocarhire.com who offer a young driver discount to offset the young driver fee.

UK Road Safety

Every country has its own rules and signs when it comes to driving. It is therefore important if you are planning to drive in the UK than you know a little road safety. Below, we've put together the most important points to help keep you safe:

Drivers in the UK use the left hand side of the road. If you have never driven on the left hand side, it can be a bit tricky the first few times, so make sure you are confident about which way to drive before you get into the car!

Bear in mind that if you did not pass your driving test using a manual car, you will not be allowed to drive a manual car, only an automatic.

It is illegal to drive without wearing a seatbelt. You can only legally have as many people in a car as there are seatbelts.

It is illegal to drive while drunk. The maximum legal blood alcohol content in the UK is 80mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.08%).This can translate into two pints of average strength beer for a man of average weight, although you should not use this as a general rule. It is better to stick to sobriety if you are driving. Some pubs even offer free non-alcoholic drinks to designated drivers. So, drive sober to save more money and more importantly, save more lives!

Speed cameras are in operation throughout the UK. Whenever you see white hashes in front of you on the road, assume there is a speed camera nearby. Make sure you always drive at or below the speed limit. Remember that a speed camera will not let you off, even if you are just one mile over the limit.

Parking in London can be a nightmare! Parking is managed through the local council and private companies. Parking attendants are very efficient at their job and you will probably be fined if you park your vehicle illegally. Before you park, make sure you are allowed to park there.
For those of you who prefer to, or have no other choice but to take your car with you to university, Halfords Autocentre has the perfect deal. As of now, until 14th October, you can get an MOT on Halfords. Simply pop into your local store, purchase an item of your choice and they will put your car through its MOT for absolutely nothing. And, what's even better, is your MOT is valid for the whole year. This deal could save you up to £54.85."