With the peak pollen season upon us, a study has shown that hay fever can have serious implications on road safety. Over half a million motorists admitted that they have lost control of their vehicle because of sneezing, and 2.6 million have looked away from the road while they searched for a tissue. One million motorists have had to pull over to the roadside until a bout of sneezing has stopped.

A car's air conditioning system can provide a vital defence against pollen. However, to be effective, the system needs to be serviced regularly and have the pollen filter changed at least once a year, or even more frequently if the car is often parked under trees.

A new, more secure V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate will be introduced from 15th August 2010.

The new document is being introduced following the theft of a number of blank certificates in 2006. The aim is to reduce the risks to motorists of buying a stolen or cloned vehicle.

The new certificates will be issued from 15th August 2010 for all newly registered vehicles, or when changes are made to an existing registration, such as a change of keeper or address.

From the middle of next year, the new certificate will be issued to all remaining vehicles when they are re-licensed, or declared to be off the road.

The existing blue V5C will remain valid for vehicles until it is replaced, and the DVLA will not be asking for the old V5C to be returned.

At least 250 people in the UK are injured every year on the hard shoulder after a breakdown, and knowing the best course of action can prevent this.

Here are some tips on how to stay safe:

• Don't use the hard shoulder for making a phone call, reading a map, going to the toilet or any other action which isn't unavoidable - wait until you can pull into a service station. The hard shoulder is for emergencies only, or if the Police require you to pull over.
  
• Pull over as far to the left-hand side as you can, and make sure your wheels are turned to the left too.
• Leave the car from the left-hand passenger side to avoid stepping out next to the carriageway.
• Using the emergency telephone on the hard shoulder is preferable to a mobile. Each one has a number which lets the Police Control Centre operator know where you are. Tell the operator the number of the phone so the breakdown service can reach you quicker.
• Emergency telephones are indicated by blue and white arrow markers which point you in the direction of the nearest one - they are located one mile apart from one another.
• Be sure to face the carriageway when making the call, so that you can see any dangers in advance.
• Avoid sitting in the car whilst waiting for the breakdown service - you're up to seven times more likely to be involved in an accident.
• Warning triangles should not be used on motorways.
• When the breakdown is fixed, rejoin the carriageway as soon as you can, using the hard shoulder to gather speed.
  

1. Get the best deal on petrol prices, as this can vary by as much as 10p a litre in local areas. www.petrolprices.com is a free service which allows people to search for the cheapest fuel in their area. They review 8,000 prices daily to ensure that their information is as up-to-date as possible.
2. Drive in the highest gear possible - driving at high speeds in low gears can result in 45% more fuel being consumed than necessary.
3. Keep your tyres inflated to the correct level, as this can improve fuel economy  by up to 5%. The recommended pressure for your tyres can be found in your vehicle handbook and, in some cases, next to the air device at petrol stations.
4. Don't drive erratically, as constant acceleration and braking consumes more fuel than smooth driving. Look ahead to anticipate potential road blockages which will reduce the need for sudden braking. For peak efficiency don't push the accelerator down further than one-quarter of the total foot travel.
5. Save money on car insurance. Internet comparison sites, such as Confused.com, are an excellent way to find the cheapest quote. Car insurance quotes can vary by hundreds of pounds, so huge savings can be made.
6. Find cheaper parking. Many people now rent out their driveway or garage to commuters on a long-term basis. www.yourparkingspace.co.uk is a site where cheaper long-term parking can often be found.
7. Don't overuse the air conditioning or heater. Overheating the car and then having to open the windows is a waste of energy, and lowers your fuel economy.
8. Avoid short journeys, as driving short distances is significantly less fuel efficient than longer journeys. For example, every time your car engine is turned on it is equivalent to idling your engine for one minute. Instead set time aside to walk short distances.
9. Share a journey. Sharing a lift into work with one other person slashes your fuel bill by half by allowing you to share the cost of driving. www.liftshare.org has over 130,000 members and provides a way of finding someone travelling in your direction.
10. Close your windows, as having them open at high speeds creates significant drag meaning that more fuel is used. Even if closing them means that the air conditioning is required, this is still more fuel efficient.

Different people are susceptible to car sickness in different ways, but the reason for feeling queasy is associated in most cases with motion. A frequent cause of sickness is being unable to associate the feeling of motion with where the vehicle is going, so it often helps if the passenger can see the road ahead - sitting in the front rather than the back can make all the difference.

Stuffy conditions can also be a problem, so ensuring good airflow through the vehicle (by opening a window or turning up the climate control), may make passengers feel better.

Car sickness can also be caused by rough driving. Firm but gentle steering, even application of the brakes, and constant pressure (where possible) on the accelerator pedal will all be appreciated by passengers, even if they don't know why.

A survey published by Ipsos MORI for the RAC Foundation found that 77% of British adults reported potholes and damaged roads as being a big problem in their local area.

The severity of potholes on public roads is continuing to wreak havoc for motorists, warns national tyre expert ATS Euromaster. The company is urging owners of cars and vans which have come into heavy contact with a pothole to get their front wheel alignment checked. "Incorrect alignment effectively means that a vehicle's tyres are pulling in opposite directions which can result in rapid uneven tyre wear, reduced fuel economy and can seriously affect handling and safety". Some garages will do this for no or little charge.

Correct wheel alignment ensures that the tyres are perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other, and that on a level straight road a car or van will travel in a true straight line. Drivers often report that a vehicle with poor wheel alignment feels like it is 'pulling' to one side.

The new coalition Government has promised to end the "war on motorists", as the new Transport Secretary seemed to make good on the promise made to Auto Express columnist Mike Rutherford that Prime Minister David Cameron will be a "friend of the motorist".

New Department for Transport boss Phillip Hammond has confirmed the Government will follow up on Tory pro-motoring election pledges, promising to bring in a fuel price stabiliser, withdraw funding for new speed cameras and tackle dodgy clamping firms. And while tolls may be introduced on new roads, Hammond has ruled out road pricing for existing motorways. "Motoring has to get greener, but the car is not going to go away", the Transport Secretary said.

Motoring groups reacted cautiously to Hammond's pledges. The AA fears Conservative and Liberal Democrat support for costly high-speed rail links could take funds from road maintenance.

An AA spokesman said "Spending cuts could affect the highways budget. The nation voted for cuts, but there's already a backlog of maintenance work. We'll see more potholes and possibly serious safety issues".

Asda has bucked the trend of ever-increasing petrol prices by announcing that it will be reducing the cost of fuel at its pumps. The supermarket chain has revealed plans to lower the cost of petrol by 2p to 115.9p, whilst diesel comes down by 1p to 118.9p.

The news comes as petrol prices sit at a record national average of 121.6p per litre, despite evidence of shrinking wholesale costs. Motorists will be hoping that the announcement sparks a price war amongst supermarket garages, as previous cuts have seen rivals such as Morrisons and Tesco slash prices as well.

Asda commercial director David Miles said "Yet again, Asda is leading UK fuel prices down. Motorists will be relieved commodity prices are coming down and as always we are the first to reflect falling costs in our prices at the pump".

Update: Tesco has now confirmed that it will join the price-dropping party and will be lowering the cost of fuel by 2p a litre at all 450 of its stores around the country.

"We have recently seen an easing of the pressure on world oil prices and as always we want to pass these lower prices back to customers as quickly as possible", said a Tesco spokesman.

A specialist police unit established to tackle car crime has launched an awareness week to publicise the escalating problem of fraud in the motor trade.

The Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service focuses on the impact of organised crime on the car industry, and is using this week to remind the public of the dangers of cloning and fraudulent financing when they come to replace their pride and joy.

In an effort to assist anyone going through the process of buying a used car, the Association of Chief Police Officers has teamed up with industry experts to provide a list of tips on how to avoid the fraudsters:

• When buying a car, new or used, do your research. Know what to expect from the make, model and age of the vehicle - cloners in particular will want to sell the car as quickly as possible; if the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.
• If buying a used car, always get a vehicle history check, and remember some check providers offer a more comprehensive check - such as finance information - than others.
• Establish who the seller of the vehicle is - are they the legal owners of the vehicle, or is it a reputable dealer? Don't be tempted by any offer to meet the buyer in a lay-by, motorway service station or car park. Check the address you visit matches the details on the V5C.
• Check the car thoroughly for damage and make sure the vehicle's documents are in order. Check registration number (VRM), chassis number (VIN), along with the V5C serial number and issue date to check if it has been altered in anyway, or it's one of the ones recorded as stolen. Serial numbers for the stolen V5Cs are: BG8229501-BG9999030 and BI2305501-BI280000.
• Consider in advance how you will pay for the vehicle. Think twice before paying with cash - instead, use a traceable payment method, such as a credit card or bank draft.
• If buying a vehicle on the web, ensure you've done all your checks before transferring any payment.
  

New European legislation will require drivers to have minimum standards of vision from as early as 2011, with compulsory eye tests for licence holders.

This change is due to concerns that the ability to read a registration plate at 20m is not sufficient for modern road conditions.