Learner drivers across the UK should make sure their instructor is legitimate.

This is the message from the Driving Standards Agency's Fraud & Integrity Team (DSA FIT), which stated that it is currently investigating over 400 different incidents of fraudulent activity.

It may be that motorists who fall victim to such criminal activity find that their driving skills are underdeveloped - potentially risking an accident in the future.

Furthermore, this could mean that they end up paying more for their car insurance policies, all because they did not check that their teacher was legitimate.

"If illegal instructors are on our roads they have not passed the agency's rigorous three part test to ensure that they are meeting the highest standards of safety. This puts all our lives at risk," said Michelle Moston from DSA FIT.

This comes as the Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph has reported that driving instructors in the region recently protested the closure of a local test centre with a go-slow convoy through the area.

Motorists who speed close to schools in Glasgow are being targeted as part of a crackdown in the city, a local news source has reported.

The Glasgow Evening Times has stated that each of the schools in the East End area of the city is to be monitored by officers, who will be handing out fixed penalty notices to those caught out.

"The drivers should see the officers and anyone who doesn't spot them and slow down as a result deserves to be caught," said sergeant Stevie Kinvig from the region's community safety team.

It could be that motorists who break the law in such a fashion pick up a conviction which compromises their car insurance policies if firms see them as representative of a road risk.

The official added that local people are usually the ones accosted for speeding across the region.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth News has stated that four local drivers were handed fixed penalty notices for parking too close to school gates in the area.

A new website is giving motorists the chance to shop other drivers who have caused a nuisance on the road, it has been reported.

Betterdrivingplease.com allows drivers to post details and descriptions of road users behaving badly, according to the Mirfield Reporter.

While reporting people may not recoup the cost of repairing damage or a van insurance policy no-claims bonus, it could be that drivers feel satisfied in getting their own back.

It is "time for road users, pedestrians and drivers to report abuses", commented website coordinator Andrew McGavin.

"We all see it every day but few report it - time to report it to each other and let's build a transparent database that police can check their records against, making our roads a safer place," said the official.

A recent comScore survey found that more people are using the internet to purchase car insurance in 2008 than this time last year.

A fifth of drivers have admitted they would not own up to accidental damage caused by them to another vehicle.

This is according to a new survey by organisers of the British International Motor Show, which branded these drivers 'prangsters'.

Secret pranging happens most frequently at supermarkets, as well as on street parking and in multi-storey car parks.

Wishing to avoid the perceived hassle of dealing with such damage - which could involve having to deal with car insurance providers - was cited as the main reason why prangsters avoid admitting their guilt.

Other driving behaviour uncovered by the poll could cause concern for responsible car insurance customers who are hoping to keep their no-claims bonus intact.

Absent-mindedness of fellow road users - such as the 37 per cent talking on a mobile or the quarter driving off with something left on the roof of their car - could increase accident risk.

The British International Motor Show takes place at the ExCeL centre in London between July 23rd and August 3rd.

Car insurance customers can take their pick of the new DVLA Personalised Registrations 58 series.

The new range can be viewed on the DVLA Registrations website with the first 58-registrations available to be bought from June 3rd.

It has been suggested that the unique HU58 AND plate may be in high demand among car insurance customers and other drivers with plans to walk down the aisle.

The registration features in an online commercial by the DVLA that shows a bride and her attendants capture a reluctant groom and bundle him into the boot of a vehicle with the plate HU58 AND.

This particular plate will be sold at auction and car insurance customers could register their interest to purchase it via the DVLA website.

A search function on the website allows drivers to make up their own combinations and see the price.

Last month, the CY51 MRU plate sold for £1,500, while the WEL 5H plate fetched £27,200 at auction, according to the DVLA website.

Men who are married often pay less for car insurance, it has been reported.

According to research from Confused.com, males who have walked down the aisle save an average of £106.88 on cover every year against those who have not.

It added that around £82.70 per year was saved between couples over the period, with the group speculating that this might be because women often receive cheaper deals.

Confused.com managing director Debra Williams commented that people should look around for a good deal before committing.

She said: "It is important to remember that car insurance quotes can vary wildly and so shopping around for the best bet is always advised."

Ms Williams earlier this month told homeowners to be careful when performing DIY tasks on their properties.

Indeed, it may be that a botched job could result in a compromised home insurance policy or expensive repairs.

People are choosing to turn to the internet when taking out a car insurance policy more than ever before, new figures have shown.

According to statistics released by comScore as part of its 2008 comScore Online Automobile Insurance Report show that three per cent more people are using the net to pick up cover in 2008 than in 2007.

Vice president of the firm Kevin Levitt stated that consumer habits are shifting, adding that people are preferring to use the world wide web than traditional insurance methods.

"These latest findings show us that the landscape is beginning to change, with more and more consumers turning from traditional, offline channels to the internet," said the official.

Meanwhile, research from Sainsbury's recently found that there are some 1.15 million people in the UK who have taken to the road at some point in the last year without a car insurance policy.

Motorists in Lincolnshire have been warned to watch out for delays and disruption as road maintenance is carried out in the region, it has been reported.

According to the Lincolnshire Echo, areas of the A46 and A57 will be closed to local drivers between Friday June 27th and Friday July 4th.

But it may be that car and van insurance policies are compromised by the work, as it could see them rerouted onto unfamiliar roads.

It added that a Family Fun Day in Thorpe-on-the-Hill, as well as the village's Guides and Scouts summer fete, will leave Main Street and Vicarage Lane in Nettleham closed between Friday June 20th and June 21st.

This comes the Grantham Journal has reported that a training scheme was set up by officials in the region last month in order to cut young driver accidents.

According to the news source, the course is being run by Lincolnshire Police.

Fans of high-class sports cars will be glad to know that a new Ferarri model is to be unveiled via the internet.

Anyone aiming to buy the newest GT offering from the legendary Italian motoring firm will no doubt need to find out the relevant car insurance details but until they get behind the wheel they can find out all about the vehicle through an official website.

The Grand Tourer will be officially made available after the Paris Auto Show in the autumn but revealing photographs and recreations of how the engine will sound are all online to sample for real Ferarri enthusiasts.

Additionally, any new information about the car, which is bound to be a crowd-pleaser when it is showcased in Paris, will be posted on the FerrariCountDown website throughout the summer.

In other car insurance news, Ben Shaw who was blinded by a roadside bomb while fighting in Iraq made his way around the Knockhill Racing Circuit in a Ferrari 360 Modena recently at the Scottish Motor Show in Fife.

The benchmarks used to decide how much a van ought to cost at auction when being resold need to be changed, it has been claimed.

According to chief commercial vehicle editor for Eurotax Glass George Alexander, the standard method for assessing van values should be replaced by a "real-world" alternative.

Panel vans and robust vehicles should not have their value assessed on the basis of the same criteria that is used and generally designed for the purpose of rating commercial vehicles, Mr Alexander maintains.

"The industry yardstick for average mileage falsely favours those less robust products that will survive intact to a modest mileage, but would fare far worse as the 100,000-mile mark approaches," he said.

In other van insurance related news, the RoadSafe organisation has welcomed the plans from the government to bring in new qualifications for people aiming to work behind a wheel.

Occupational road risk management firm RoadSafe has welcomed new government plans to develop specific qualifications for at-work drivers.

Focusing on at-work drivers is seen as an important element of the new plans, with training programs set to be developed with the involvement of employers.

RoadSafe director Adrian Walsh told easier.com: "Many organisations already see the real benefits of investing in the training and career development of those who drive on business. Measures include advanced driving courses."

Mr Walsh added: "Whether driving company cars, vans or their own vehicles on business, employees who drive as part of their job undertake daily one of the most dangerous tasks they will ever be asked to undertake in their working life."

The government is keen to promote driving as a skill that should be worked on and improved throughout life, as opposed to merely a few lessons and a test.

According to the Department for Transport, a fifth of new drivers are involved in some kind of accident in the first six months of qualifying, although injury and death has fallen by a third in the past ten years.

The transport secretary Ruth Kelly has announced plans for harder driving tests, which throws doubt on the future of the Pass Plus testing scheme.

Taken by many new drivers as they pursue lower insurance premiums, statistics from uSwitch.com say that only thirteen per cent of learners opt to take the extra lessons.

Under the new government plans, new courses will be developed by the Driving Standards Agency.

The Department for Transport told timesonline.com: "We want people to go on improving their driving skills throughout their driving careers. This is about creating the right sort of education and incentivising people to do it."

Pass Plus was introduced in late 1995, but although motorists spend over £30 million a year on the package, most new drivers opt not to take it.

The government has met with insurance companies to discuss a twenty-five per cent reduction in premium costs for drivers who undertake the new tests.

More than six million people have decided to change their car insurance cover provider over the last six months, it has been reported.

According to research from MoneyExpert.com, some 14 per cent of motorists have moved companies in pursuit of a better deal in the previous half-year.

It added that £682 is the average annual amount paid for a car insurance deal in the UK, with a ten per cent increase expected in the next 12 months.

MoneyExpert.com founder Sean Gardner commented that in car insurance "loyalty does not pay".

"With over 35,000 people switching car insurance provider every hour it seems that the nation is catching on to the situation and voting with their feet," said the expert.

Meanwhile, recent research from Motorpoint found that 60 per cent of people looking to purchase a new car will be buying a vehicle more environmentally-friendly than their previous model.

Motorists in Suffolk have been caught breaking the speed limit as part of a rogue driving crackdown by police, according to a local news source.

The Suffolk Free Press has stated that more than 1,800 drivers were found to be in breach of road rules during the week-long initiative.

Van drivers who are caught over the limit may receive a fixed penalty notice, which could in turn affect the cost of their van insurance policies if cover firms see them as a risk.

Sergeant Steve Knight from the county's roads policing unit commented that the campaign's aim is to improve safety in the area.

He said: "The campaign was well-publicised and there still seems to be a significant number of drivers who have failed to grasp the concept that speed kills."

This comes as rapper and movie star DMX was this week caught breaking the speed limit and behaving recklessly on an Arizona road.

Police officers in Leeds have motorists parking dangerously in their sights, according to a local news source.

The Yorkshire Evening Post has stated that drivers in the area are continuing to leave their vehicles in an inconvenient manner despite warnings from officials.

It may be that those caught out find that their car insurance policies become compromised, as cover firms could consider a roads conviction indicative of a dangerous motorist.

Leeds North West Inner Neighbourhood Policing Team inspector Ian Croft commented that some drivers have been blocking disabled access to area.

He added: "We will continue our work over the next few weeks and want to warn motorists that this type of offending will be dealt with positively."

This comes after the news source earlier this month revealed that 13 motorists are found by police using a mobile phone behind the wheel every day in the region.