Year 1 playbook

⚙️ Activate Your Digital Glovebox Reminders

Enter your key dates and mileage so we can alert you before MOTs, services, or policy limits hit.

Roadside & Recovery Protection

Compare essential breakdown cover for new drivers to ensure you're never stranded.

RAC

24/7 roadside assistance and recovery across the UK.

Get RAC Cover

The AA

Iconic yellow vans with nationwide rescue and repair support.

Get AA Cover

Green Flag

No call-out charges and award-winning breakdown service.

Get Green Flag

Outbound breakdown cover links may earn us an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Always check the policy details before you buy.

📈 Real-World Valuation Tracker

Indicative market estimate based on vehicle class, age, and mileage.

£3,450Indicative Estimate

small petrol hatchback — market range £3,050 to £3,850 at approx. 81,000 miles.

Trade-In / Part-Ex

£2,700

Private Sale

£3,450

Forecourt Retail

£4,150

Get Guaranteed Live Cash Offer →

Want an exact live valuation? Get competing offers from 8,000+ verified dealers with free home collection.

The 4-Season Driver Survival Checklist

Post-winter recovery check

Exact-match parts for your car

Add your registration above for reg-matched parts.

Headlight & indicator bulbs

Typically H4 / H7 halogen plus 501 sidelights on small UK hatchbacks

Find at Halfords

Wiper blades

Exact-fit front pair plus rear blade where fitted

Find at Halfords

Battery

Usually Type 063 / 075, 12V 45–60Ah for 1.0–1.4L petrol

Find at Halfords

Touch-up paint pen

Matched by manufacturer paint code (door shut or under the bonnet)

Find at Halfords

Always confirm the part against your registration at checkout — trim and facelift variants can differ.

In Case of an Accident

Work down the checklist on scene, then log the other driver's details before you leave.

1. Stop and make the scene safeStop as soon as it's safe, switch the engine off, put hazard lights on and wear a hi-vis if you have one. It's a legal requirement to stop after a collision.
2. Check for injuries — call 999 if neededCall 999 for any injury, if the road is blocked, or if the other driver leaves without giving details. Share your What3Words location so responders find you fast.
3. Get out of dangerOn a motorway or fast road, get everyone behind a barrier — never stand between vehicles or try to push a car alone.
4. Do not admit faultStay calm and polite, but never say sorry or accept blame. Liability is decided by the insurers, not at the roadside.
5. Swap details with the other driverBy law you must give your name, address and vehicle details. Log theirs in the form below before anyone drives away.
6. Photograph everythingWide shots of both vehicles and the road layout, close-ups of damage, both number plates, and any skid marks or debris.
7. Find independent witnessesAsk for a name and phone number from anyone who saw it — it settles disputed claims.
8. Report it to your insurer within 24 hoursTell your insurer even if you're not claiming. Failing to report can invalidate your cover.

Quick-fill on-scene log

Date & time

Location / What3Words

Other driver name

Other driver phone

Their registration

Their vehicle

Their insurer

Their policy number

Witness name & phone

What happened

Add scene photos

Photos stay on your phone in this session only — save them to your camera roll and send them to your insurer.

V5C Logbook Verification Guide

The logbook is the fastest way to spot a cloned, stolen or misrepresented car. Check it before any money changes hands.

✅ Signs it's genuine

Red/pink DVLA V5C with a serial number in the top-right of page 1 — never plain white
Watermark visible when held to the light, plus raised DVLA print you can feel
Registered keeper name and address match the seller's ID and the address you're viewing at
VIN on the V5C matches the plate at the base of the windscreen and the door-shut sticker
Registration, make, model, colour and engine size all match the car in front of you
Number of previous keepers matches what the advert and MOT history suggest

🚩 Walk-away red flags

Serial number starts BG (stolen blank) or BI — walk away and report it
Seller only has a photocopy, a photo, or says it's "in the post from DVLA"
Any alteration, correction fluid, mismatched fonts or a smudged watermark
Seller's name is not the registered keeper and they can't explain why
Being pushed to pay a deposit before you've seen the original document

Read the official DVLA V5C guidance

New Driver 6-Point Licence Rule

For your first 2 years after passing, 6 penalty points revokes your licence automatically. You go back to a provisional and must re-sit both the theory and practical tests.

Using a phone while driving6 points + £200 fine
Driving without insurance6–8 points + unlimited fine
Careless / inconsiderate driving3–9 points
Speeding3–6 points
No MOT or defective tyres3 points per tyre + fine

A single phone-use offence is enough to wipe out a new licence. Points also stay on your record for insurers for at least 4 years, typically pushing first-year premiums up sharply.

Check the official penalty point rules