Winter driving can be a challenge, but there are a few simple tips to help you stay safe on the roads.

Slow Down: When driving in winter conditions, it‘s important to slow down and take your time. Snow and ice can make roads slick and reduce the amount of traction you have. Driving too fast can cause you to lose control of your vehicle, so be sure to slow down and give yourself plenty of time to react.

Increase Following Distance: Following too closely can be dangerous in any condition, but it‘s even more important to increase your following distance in winter. You need more time to slow down and stop in icy and snowy conditions, so make sure you leave plenty of space between you and the car in front of you.

Avoid Excessive Braking: Braking too hard can cause your tires to lose traction, so it‘s important to avoid excessive braking when driving in winter conditions. If you need to slow down, ease off the gas pedal and gently apply the brakes. This will help you maintain control of your vehicle and reduce the chance of skidding.

Use Your Lights: Make sure to use your headlights when driving in winter conditions. This will make it easier for other drivers to see you in dark or snowy conditions, which can help reduce the chance of a collision.

Be Prepared: It‘s also important to be prepared for winter driving. Make sure your car is in good condition by having it serviced regularly. Also, bring along a few winter essentials such as a snow brush, ice scraper, and a blanket in case you get stranded.

These are just a few tips to help you stay safe on the roads during the winter. Remember to always drive with caution and be aware of your surroundings. With a few simple precautions, you can help ensure a safe and smooth ride.

As the weather and the driving conditions become more unpredictable, it’s important to be prepared if an accident does happen. Unfortunately, car accidents can happen to anyone. Follow these steps to make sure the process is as simple and stress-free as possible:

1. Stop Your Car – First and foremost, stop your car. Even if you think the accident was minor, you must stop. Make sure that everyone is safe and that the other drivers involved are aware of the incident.

2. Check for Injuries – Check yourself and anyone else in the car for any injuries. If someone is injured, call 999 as soon as possible. Do not leave the scene. Wait for medical assistance to arrive.

3. Move Your Car – If you can, move your car out of the way of traffic, or to the side of the road. This will reduce the risk of another accident occurring.

4. Notify the Police – If anyone is injured or if there is any significant damage, you should call the police to report the accident. The police will create an accident report and will also help to direct traffic around the accident.

5. Exchange Information – Exchange information with the other driver involved in the accident. Make sure to get the other driver’s name, address, phone number, license plate number, and insurance information.

6. Take Photos – Take pictures of the accident scene. Include photos of the damage to your car, the other car, and any other evidence that can help to prove who was at fault.

7. The More Information the better – The more information you collect, the better. As well as taking photos, it’s also a good idea to write down what happened, to remind yourself later.

8. Contact Your Insurance Company – Contact your insurance company as soon as possible and report the accident. Make sure to provide the insurance company with all of the information you have collected, including photos and the police report.

9. Seek Legal Advice – If you feel you have been wronged or are in any way unsure of the legalities of the situation, seek legal advice. An experienced solicitor will be able to to help.

Following these steps will help to ensure that you are prepared in the event of a car accident.

How to prepare for a car loan and improve the chances of getting your new car

Looking to buy a new car? If you are considering a car loan to finance your new car you may be unsure of what you can do before you apply to improve your chances of getting accepted.

Here are our top tips to help you get the car loan you need to finance your next vehicle. 

Save for a deposit 

Although No Deposit options are available, the bigger deposit you have the less you’ll have to borrow. 

By having a bigger deposit you make by able to decrease the size of the car loans needed to finance your vehicle. It could reduce the monthly payments, or you could borrow the money over a shorter loan term. 

By borrowing less, you will also increase the chance of you getting approved. This is because the more you borrow, the higher the perceived risk you are to the lender.

Keep an eye on your credit report

When applying for a car loan, it’s worth knowing exactly what your credit score is. Your credit score is taken into account when taking out car finance. Therefore it’s vital to know where you stand with yours. That way, you will be able to make an informed decision on what to do next.

Once you know what your credit score is you can take steps to improve

How to improve your credit score

If your credit score is lower than you hoped it would be don’t panic! The good news is once you know what your credit score is you can take steps to improve it. A few small changes to your credit profile can have a dramatic on your score, and in turn, your chances of getting approved for a car loan. 

Steps you can take to enhance your credit score include:

Research which cars that you want and create a car wish list

Once you have a better understanding of your finances you can start to focus on the type of car you would like. 

It’s a good idea to create a list of features that you require and ideally put them in rank order. That way, you’ll have a better idea of which features you won’t compromise on and those you may do. 

Make sure to also think about what your needs will be in a few yours. For example, if you are thinking of starting a family a two-seater sporty convertible may be fun now but impractical in the future. 

If you are still unsure exactly what car you want don’t worry. Our Sales Managers can help you with your car search.

Work out how much your old vehicle is worth

If you have an old car to sell or part-exchange it can help get your finance approved. The value of the old car can be used as a deposit in the new car loan deal and reduce your borrowing amount. Using an online valuation service should give you a good idea of how much your old car is worth. 

Don’t forget an online valuation is only a rough guide and the amount you get could be different due to many factors – including the condition of the vehicle.

Decide on a budget

Deciding on a suitable budget for your car purchase is an important step in your car-buying journey. Knowing how much you can afford to pay without overstretching yourself will ensure you don’t start looking at cars you can’t afford.

It’s worth remembering that car ownership costs aren’t just the cost of the vehicle itself. You also need to factor in the annual MOT, tax, fuel and maintenance. 

Apply for a Car Loan today

Ready to take the next step? Apply today for Car Finance and see how much you can borrow.

Understanding what you can afford is an important step when applying for car finance, especially for those with a bad credit history.

If you have made an application for finance in the last couple of years, it’s likely that you’ve heard of affordability. It’s likely that you were asked a few questions about your affordability status or even went through an affordability check.

Affordability has become a buzzword in the car finance industry over the last few years, and it’s all a part of being a responsible lender. By getting a better understanding of your income and outgoings, lenders are able to get a better picture of what you really can afford to borrow.

How does affordability work?

When taking out car finance, lenders will look at your income and outgoings to see how much disposable income you have. Simply put, the more disposable income you have, the more likely that you’ll be able to afford your car finance payments.

What type of car can I afford?

Taking out a car finance loan to pay for your new car is a big financial commitment that will run for several years. So, the affordability checks done by lenders protect you from taking out finance you cannot afford. You don’t want the car repayments to push you into debt or make it harder for you to pay your bills. This is especially true for those with a bad credit history or who has struggled with their financial commitments in the past.

When considering how much you can afford to spend on a car, it’s important to consider all the extra costs and charges. It’s more than just the car payments. You have to factor in the insurance, fuel costs, road tax and the maintenance and upkeep of your vehicle. Depending on what car you choose, these costs can be higher than the monthly car payments.

At Motorly, we recommend that before deciding which car to buy, you set up a budget of what you can afford. All you need to do is to work out exactly how much your essential bills are per month. By doing so, you can work out what your disposable income is. Ideally, you want to have some flexibility in your budget to cover unexpected bills or a change in your personal circumstances. The more flexibility you have in your budget, the more likely it is that you will be approved.

By doing this before you start shopping for cars, you increase the chance that you will pass the affordability checks.

How Motorly can Help

If you are in the market for a new car, Motorly can assist you every step of the way. Our sales team have a wealth of experience and can help you to avoid any pitfalls and get behind the wheel of a new car.

Even if you have struggled to find the finance you need in the past, Motorly is the Bad Credit Car Finance specialist and can help you find a car finance solution that suits you. By working out your affordability first, you can make sure that you don’t fall in love with a car that is outside your budget.

Check out our handy Car Finance Calculator below to get an idea of what you can afford.

How to check and improve your credit score

What is a credit score?

A credit score, sometimes referred to as a credit rating, is a number given to you to show how good you are at repaying debts and keeping up with your bills. The bigger the score you have, the more confident lenders will be to offer you finance. A higher score can help you get accepted for finance and at better rates. 

Your individual score is calculated using a variety of factors, including your borrowing history, your current borrowing and other information about yourself including your income.

How can I check my Credit Score?

Motorly has partnered with Experian, who can offer you a free credit check today.

By checking your credit report, you can keep on top of your financial position and know where you stand when you apply for credit.

How can I improve my credit score?

Register on the electoral roll: Adding your name to the electoral roll is one of the easiest ways to improve your score.

Make sure you pay your bills on time: Too many missed payments will quickly damage your credit score. By keeping up with your payments, you are showing potential lenders that you are reliable when paying your debts.

Check your credit report for fraudulent activity: If you see something that is wrong, such as a credit application that you didn’t make, you could be the victim of identity fraud. By regularly checking your credit report, you can keep on top of any issues.

Can I still get car finance if I have a bad credit rating?

Motorly has a panel of lenders that cater to those whose credit scores are not perfect. If you have bad credit, and you are looking to buy a new car, or if other lenders have rejected your application, Motorly may still be able to help you

Even though having a poor credit rating may limit the options available to you, the great news is that it’s still possible to get a car finance application accepted with a fair to poor credit rating.

Motorly has a panel of lenders that cater to those whose credit scores are not perfect. If you have bad credit, and you are looking to buy a new car, or if other lenders have rejected your application, Motorly may still be able to help you get a car finance deal that is right for you. Motorly are specialists in helping customers with bad credit rating to get car finance.

To find out more go to the Motorly Bad Credit Car Finance page.

Salary: c£20,000 upwards (depending on experience) plus bonus

Are you an ambitious and highly diligent Administrator looking for your next challenge?

Do you like rolling up your sleeves, and agree with putting the customer at the heart of everything?

We can offer you a fantastic opportunity in a fast-paced, challenging and fun environment.

About Motorly

We believe that the car buying process still kind of stinks, it is not unusual to sit in a dealership completing paperwork for a couple of hours even if you’re a cash buyer, never mind needing finance.

The car finance industry hasn’t really seen a lot of innovation, And let’s face it…there’s nothing sexy about Car Finance, It’s essentially been the same product for 40+ years.

We’ve realised that a person shopping for a car isn’t necessarily shopping for a loan. So, we focus instead on improving the experience around car Finance before a customer ever gets to that stage of the buying process.

Allowing technology to do the heavy lifting with our lenders allows us to offer pre-approved loans, so the customer can really focus on the shopping experience.

We really work to complete the entire process, and the loan only comes at the end, We assume if we do a good job bringing the customer through the process, we’ll get there.

#wearemotorly

 

Supporting the Sales Team, your responsibilities would include ;

 

Send CV to careers@motorly.co.uk

In part one of our series on smart motorways, we explained how smart motorways work and the technology behind now. In part 2, we go into the issues with them and what the UK government is doing about it.

Smart Motorways, the stretches of road that utilises the latest technology to regulate traffic flow, have been built to ease traffic congestion across the UK motorway system. However, these changes have often resulted in a key motorway safety feature – the hard shoulder.

So our smart motorways really as dangerous as what their critics suggest? And what, if anything, should be done about it?

What are the risks of smart motorways?

The removal of a permanent hard shoulder has been linked to deaths on smart motorways in recent years. In 2019 during an interview, the government told BBC Panorama that 38 people had died on smart motorways since they were introduced in 2014.

The government have faced growing criticism on this subject. The removal of the hard shoulder has led to motorists being trapped in a ‘live’ lane by speeding traffic in the event of a breakdown or other emergency.

This has led to a five-year pause in the rollout of further smart motorways whilst the Government reviews the current situation.

A recent YouGov Poll has highlighted the concerns that motorists have with the rollout of Smart Motorways. A shocking 64% of people asked thought that they were less safe than motorways with hard shoulders. That figure rose to an astonishing 82% amongst people over 65.

What is the UK Government doing about it?

The UK government is pausing the smart motorway rollout for five years to allow them to gather more safety data on the existing stretches of smart motorways that have already been built.

Highways England will also be investing close to one billion pounds to improve safety on the stretches of smart motorways that have already been built. Of that, £390 million will be used to add more emergency refuge areas.

This investment should lead to a 50% increase in areas to stop on smart motorways by 2025.

The Government plans on making a decision on smart motorways once all the data has been assessed.

Why were smart motorways originally introduced?

Traffic congestion is a growing problem in the UK that smart motorways aim to tackle.

Widening motorway sections is an expensive undertaking. Smart motorways offer a cheaper solution by using a feature that is already built – the hard shoulder.

What is a smart motorway?

Smart Motorways are a stretch of motorway that uses the latest in traffic flow technology. To control traffic flow with the ultimate aim of easing congestion on the roads of the UK.

By utilizing the latest developments in Tech, Smart motorways can actively manage congestion on the motorway and optimise how the Motorway is used by road users.

Smart Motorways were as developed by Highways England to manage Britain’s congested roads to minimise the environmental impact and cost of building additional lanes.

The methods used include using the hard shoulder as an extra lane for traffic and introducing variable speed limits to control traffic flow on motorways. 

 

How do Smart Motorways work?

With many miles of smart motorways already built in the UK, it’s imperative that motorists understand how they work and how to use them.

The main type of Smart Motorway  in the UK is what is referred to as ‘All Lane running’

This refers to when the hard shoulder is removed and converted into a running lane. In these instances, the left-hand lane, which was the hard shoulder, is only closed to traffic in the event of an accident on the motorway.

If more lanes of the motorway are required to be closed, they will be marked by a red x on an overhead gantry. This signals that you must exit the lane as soon as possible.

Ignoring the ‘red X’ sign is extremely dangerous and is against the law. 

The signage is also used to show the speed limit, which is variable depending on traffic and road conditions. If a speed limit is not displayed, the national speed limit will be in place. 

The speed limits are enforced with speed cameras. If the speed is reduced, there is a slight lag between when the speed limit is updated and when the speed cameras will begin to enforce the new speed limit. A specific time for this to happen isn’t given for each camera, but it can happen in as little as ten seconds.

Smart Motorways rely on CCTV to monitor traffic for any incidents. 

In the event of a breakdown or accident, motorists can use the Emergency Refuge Areas (ERAs), that are situated on the left side of the motorway. The average spacing of these ERAs is 1.5 miles apart. 

What are the benefits of Smart Motorways?

According to Highways England, the stats show that since the first smart motorway opened in 2006 journey reliability has improved by 22% and personal injuries have reduced by more than half.

However, many motorists still feel unsafe on smart motorways.

 

What are the issues with Smart Motorways?

Many UK motorists are concerned that smart motorways are far more dangerous than the traditional motorway setup, because of the lack of a hard shoulder.

Campaign groups have been drumming up support to improve safety on ‘all running smart motorways sections where the hard shoulder is turned into a permanent lane.

To counteract this criticism, Highways England has run UK wide campaigns to educate drivers on how they should use smart motorways. 

 

 

 

Motorly is proud to announce the launch My Motorly, a customer-focused car search platform that will enable the company to assist UK Motorists ever further in the car-buying journey.

Visitors to the platform will find a comprehensive selection of used cars to choose from. Whether you know exactly which make or model you are after or are unsure what you are after, Motorly can help.

As well as the extensive Car Search Platform, My Motorly also offers:

Justin Cottrell, Founder and Director of Motorly stated ‘As the company steps in 2022, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to improve the level of service we offer to our customers ’.

‘My Motorly is the next step in the evolution of Motorly, allowing us grow the digital journey of the car buying process.’

‘The launch of our Car Search Platform will enable us to help UK Motorists find their dream car and get the finance they need’.

For further information on My Motorly, please contact mymotorly@motorly.co.uk