is10050 digital resource guide- driving resources our ...website appeared to be very trustworthy. i...

IS10050 Digital Resource Guide- Driving Resources

Our Project- http://drivingresource.wordpress.com/

http://drivingresource.wordpress.com/

Section One

1. What is the Purpose of this Guide?

2. Who is the Target Audience?

3. What is this Guide about (topic)?

4. What are the Contents of this Guide?

The purpose of this guide is to help driver’s young and old get to know different aspects of driving. We have used many different digital resources to cover all aspects of driving in Ireland. We hoped to educate many drivers in areas of which they are not familiar with.

The target audience of our resource guide is drivers. However, it is a very broad topic as the driving population of Ireland can be from age seventeen to one hundred years old. Therefore we chose a broad range of topics to talk about, for example getting your theory test to driving around roundabouts.

This guide is about the ins and outs of driving in Ireland. We have many different resources giving people tips on many aspects of driving including driving in bad conditions which is very relevant in Ireland especially coming up to Winter.

1. Theory test 2. Driving Test Tips 3. Road Safety Information from ISM 4. Road Safety Information from Garda Road Safety 5. Road Safety Information about Roundabouts 6. Reversing around a corner 7. Good driving practice 8. New rules for Learners and Novice Drivers 9. Road Safety Information about Driver Tiredness 10. Be Winter Ready

5. What do we think our Target Audience needs to know?

6. How is this Guide Organised?

When people take up driving there is so much to take in that we felt this guide would give them an overview of every aspect of driving. We wanted to help people of all ages get to grips with some of the more confusing parts of driving such as the new rules regarding newer drivers.

We organised this guide in a way in which it would start at the beginning of learning to drive, that being your theory test to the end being how to be winter ready. We felt that this would make the guide easier to use and therefore more effective for our target audience.

Section Two – The Resources

1. Resource Details

2. Summary of the Resource

3. How we found the Resource

Theory Test

Author: Dtt (Driving Theory Test)

URL: http://theorytest.ie/

Date Accessed: 16/11/2012

In order to Access this site type The Theory Test into Google. Then click on the first link that appears, this should be teorytest.ie you will then be brought into the homepage of the dtt but to access the area for the dtt area for young drivers click “enter dtt section” you will then be brought into the learner permit categories.

This website gives you a step by step guide into what you have to do to pass the theory test. It provides you with a brief background of Ireland’s theory test along with links to study material allowing you buy the books/cd’s needed to pass the test, test centre locations, the testing experience, test types and certification, ID requirements, How to book the test, RSA approved driving instructors and lastly FAQ’s section.

I remembered the website after I had completed my theory test and found it quite useful. I went to Google and typed in the theory test. Then the Dtt website came up on the first link and I knew that this website was trustworthy so I clicked on that link. On entering the website it had two different links, one for truck and bus drivers and another for normal drivers so I chose to enter the Dtt section. In entering this area it provided me with a lot of useful links that proved helpful.

http://theorytest.ie/

4. Critical Evaluation – Why this Resource is Suitable and Reliable

Second Resource

1. Resource Details



The Dtt website is very reliable as it is state recognised and the main site that is visited regarding the theory test along with being sponsored by the Road Safety Authority. It allows you to book your test and gives you the relevant information regarding the theory test. Although it doesn’t provide you with the material that must be learned in order to take the theory test, it provides you with a direct link where you can buy the books/cd’s that you must study in order to pass the test. It is a good resource for people who are only starting to drive as it gives you a step by step plan that you must follow in order to get your full licence. On the website you locate a test centre, book your theory test and also cancel/postpone your date. The site provides a FAQ’s section which deals with all types of queries the candidate may have from booking the test, to doing the test, to completing the test. The site also provides contact details including an English and Irish telephone number along with a deaf text phone number.

Driving Test Tips

Author: Driving Test Tips.

URL: http://www.drivingtesttips.ie/index.php


In order to access this link I first went into Google. I then typed in “Tips on Learning to Drive” and I clicked on the second link. I was then directed into the Driving Test Tips main homepage. Here I could see links to all the useful information for learner drivers.

The website is a privately set-up website that deals with all aspects that a learner driver must know before taking there test. On the website there are links including video tutorials to show you how to do the manoeuvres properly, a section on understanding road signs and how to respond properly to them, a report form section which shows you the breakdown of how you are marked and where most people fall down, a checklist to go through before your exam, and finally a test yourself section. The website also won the leading light award website 2010 which is a programme that awards companies that have performed well over the year and have appeared to have made a remarkable influence in there sector.

http://www.drivingtesttips.ie/index.php


4. Critical Evaluation – why this Resource is Suitable and Reliable

After doing a lot of researching on Google I stumbled across the website. I felt that the website appeared legit and trustworthy as I was aware of this after the tutorials we had taken. I typed in Tips for learner Drivers into Google and it was the second link. It then directed us into the main homepage which then provided us with a few links to choose from after searching some of these links and doing a bit of research I then decided that it was trustworthy and opted to add this resource to our project.

On first entering this website I wasn’t sure about the reliability of the website but after spending a bit of time looking at the links and the resources they used the website appeared to be very trustworthy. I was also very reassured after I saw that the website had won The Leading Light Award 2010 which isn’t given out very easy. Although it doesn’t give the full name of the author it does provide his first name Brian and a contact number and email address if you want to contact them. As we discussed above the website provides a number of links to show the learner driver the correct way to drive in order to pass the driving test. It has 29 videos showing the different manoeuvers that it is necessary to know before applying for the test. The check list is very handy as it shows you what to check and do before your driving test as some of the information I wouldn’t have thought of checking like the exact digits on your tax and insurance discs as you presume they are correct but sometimes can be incorrect. Although in the test yourself section it does require you to pay a small fee to allow you so many hours of access it is a small price to pay in order to pass the test. It also states that if you feel that you need further lessons after studying the website it has a link providing you with the nearest ADI instructors in your area. The website also has a testimonial area with comments from hundreds of customers that have passed the driving test, praising the standard of teaching on the website.

Third resource

1. Resource Details



Road Safety Information Author: Irish School Of Motoring URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t7x4eFByQbA Date Accessed: 14/11/2012 To access website search ‘Irish School Of Motoring’ into Google. The website will appear on the first page of results and also as the first link. Click into the website, on the top right hand side of the page will be a link to ‘Advice and Guides’. In the third drop down column will be a subheading called ‘Learn to Drive Videos’ under ‘Learn to Drive’. The video is third in the list.

The resource is in video format and is 01:42 seconds long. The resources main objective is to inform learner drivers how to overtake and pass vehicles on the road in a safe and practical manner. The instructor driving the car is a man and advises his audience what way to manoeuvre a vehicle in difficult positions. He speaks clearly and is constantly talking to keep the audience involved in how he is operating the vehicle. The video then shows how to approach passing out other vehicles by visual means of an automated cartoon. The cartoon also shows a car passing out the other vehicles using the wrong method. At the end of the tutorial a list of bullet points of the instructor’s main advice is projected.

Having already evaluated the Road Safety Authority website I wanted to look for pages of similar quality. I typed RSA into Google and at the very right of the website link is an arrow. I clicked on the arrow which brought up a visual of the website and two links ‘Cached’ and ‘Similar’. After clicking on ‘Similar’ I got a total of 180 results. After looking through the first page of results thoroughly I came across The Irish School of Motoring website, which was at ranked number 7 on the first page of results. I browsed the website and came across the video tutorials for learner drivers, which linked exactly to our project topic. The tutorial were located in the ‘Advice and Guides’ section of the website and were under a sub heading ‘Learn to Drive’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t7x4eFByQbA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=t7x4eFByQbA

4. Critical Evaluation – Why this Resource is Suitable and Reliable

Fourth Resource

1. Resource Details

I evaluated this model by using The Internet Detective online. The author of this resource is not credited. It is apparent that the publisher of the video is the Irish School of Motoring as it is a part of their website. The company has been in business over 50 years and exercises this in their section ‘About Us’. It states that their experience is ‘unmatched’ and praises their students pass rate along with many other self-praising factors. This arose the question of whether the source was credible or not due to it being a profit making business. The bottom of the website gives details of an address and various contact information such as a phone number and an e-mail address which are helpful in establishing the website as an honourable and honest source of information. In the ‘Media’ section of the website also contained contact information for a man by the name of Karl Walsh, who is spokesperson and media relations officer for the company. The fact that there is a lot on contact information helps the credibility of the source. There are also links to major social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter which were created up to two years previous to now to promote the website and company. Given all this information about the company, the video itself was not interrupted with apparent adverts about the company, but it did have a pop up with the companies’ number on the right hand side. The video was uploaded on YouTube on the 1 June 2011, making the contents of the video up to date with rules of the road. This video resource, when looked at as a whole, is not biased. It informs the learner driver about a particular of skills to enhance them in the field of operating vehicles and was uploaded in their best interests.

Road Safety Information

Author: Garda Road Safety Unit

URL: http://www.garda.ie/Documents/User/english%20traffic%202.5.12.pdf


To access the resource, go to An Garda Síochána home page and then click on the Traffic tab. Then, click on the Road Safety option on the left, which will bring you to that page. Next choose Road Safety Information- English link from under the title ‘Useful booklets’ on the right. This will bring you to the resource.

http://www.garda.ie/Documents/User/english%20traffic%202.5.12.pdf



This resource is a four page PDF booklet provided on An Garda Síochána’s website with the aim of providing information and advice regarding Road Safety to the general public in Ireland. It is authored by the Garda Road Safety Unit as part of a community initiative. The resource offers advice and information such as speeding limits in Ireland under a series of headings. This information is brief and seeks to give you an overview of Road Safety in Ireland. Points are made in bold, red text to reinforce them. Links are also provided to other website and resources such as the Garda website and the RSA’s guide to penalty points.

I found this resource by searching “road safety Ireland” on Google. This produced a page of results. Having already used an RSA resource, I looked through the list for a resource I could use from another website for the guide. I noticed the second result from last was from An Garda Síochána and thought this might have a useful resource. It also seemed to me a reputable source to use. Once I clicked on it, it brought me to the Road Safety page on the Garda website. I looked through the page and noticed the PDF resources available under the ‘Useful Booklets’ title on the right. I clicked on the Road Safety PDF link which brought me to the resource.


I evaluated this resource using the 21st Century Information Fluency Model.

While no single author is attributed to this resource, it was issued by the Garda Road Safety Unit. The Road Safety Unit was established in 2001 and is made up of Gardaí from the traffic corps who gives talks to groups across the country highlighting the issue of road safety in Ireland. I feel due to their experience in this area, that they can be considered a reliable resource for this project. The PDF is published on An Garda Síochána’s website, which would ensure it is of good standard. Contact information is also provided there for The Garda Road Safety Unit. This all supports the suitability of this resource for this project.

The information is presented as fact and is accurate. No links are provided to verify this though. One typographical error is made in the document when learner is spelt as “leaner” but isn’t a serious issue.

The links to and from the page do not really offer a different perspective on the information and advice given as they are mostly from the Garda. However it does provide an opportunity to find out further information through a link an RSA page regarding penalty points.

Evidence and bias are not issues with this resource as it is coming from an organisation has no interest in making false statements or being biased. The language is neutral and factual.

One of the only problems is that the date is not provided. It is evident from reading the document that it is written after April 2011, however new laws could have been implemented in the time between then and now leaving the information provided out of date.

I think this text is extremely suitable to our driving guide for Ireland as it is an official source which can offer useful information and advice in a brief format to driving in Ireland.

Fifth Resource 1. Resource Details



Road Safety Information - Roundabouts

Author: RSA Website

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rsdaSTOkWk


To access this resource , access it through Google at the URL above or use control + click on the URL to access the site directly. This is a 70 sec clip on how to approach and drive on roundabouts in Ireland.

This resource was uploaded rsairelandvideos on 16 Apr 2011. At the time of access it had received 3,453 hits stating 2 likes and 0 dislikes – for the purposes of the video the comments are disabled. The home page of the web site offers categories of information for Learner Drivers under different tabs to assist with permits and essential training records (which can be accessed on line) for convenience. Other information with reference to licensing, statistics, penalty points and links to follow on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube can also be viewed. This resource on driving on roundabouts has the advantage of displaying in aerial format how to navigate approach and choice of lane for safe and accurate driving.

I found this resource by searching “driving on roundabouts” on Google. From the results page I choose this RSA resource on YouTube. As the RSA is a well-known Irish organisation with the concerns for drivers and all road users, I was happy to access information from such a reliable source. On clicking into the URL and opening the video, it can be viewed for the 70 seconds showing clear and precise instructions. Although there is much information on driving on roundabouts the advantage of this site is that when driving in Ireland, it is important to have information directly relating to Ireland and Irish rules governing road use. This site from RSA was chosen for that reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rsdaSTOkWk

http://www.youtube.com/user/rsairelandvideos


Sixth Resource 1. Resource Details

This resource was evaluated by checking out the following:

On looking behind the scenes of this web site, the site states and it is marked that the site for videos is (unofficial) and in stating this fact the RSA is being responsible to its viewers in letting them know that this and all of the videos on their web site are produced by and subscribed by others. The uploading of the link to this video on the RSA page links it to YouTube and their Terms and Conditions. YouTube offers an overview of a real experience in driving on roundabouts in Ireland and for that it is a powerful aid to the factual written information displayed on the RSA’s own web site. By comparing the text of the RSA official web and the YouTube video the instructions are supportive. However, it is important to note the disclaimer on this web site as quoted below:

Disclaimer: RSA (WARNING: For your overall information only).

Even though great care has been taken in the preparation and publication of the contents of this web site, the Road Safety Authority does not assume legal or other liability for any inaccuracy, mistake, mis-statement or any other error of whatsoever nature contained herein. The Road Safety Authority hereby formally disclaims liability in respect of such aforesaid matters. The information contained within this site is of a condensed and general information nature only and can change from time to time. It should not, by itself, be relied upon in determining legal rights or other decisions.

This resource is relevant to be included in our driving guide. As car drivers or a road user of other vehicles or indeed a pedestrian, knowing the rules for roundabout navigation is essential for all.

Reversing Around a Corner

Author: MrDon3030 – Donal’s Driving Tutorials

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FzNRQFhSSk&NR=1&feature=endscreen


To access this resource go to “How to reverse your car correctly” on Google. Open the first result on the list. Or alternatively click on the link above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FzNRQFhSSk&NR=1&feature=endscreen



This resource is a YouTube video and so is under the governance of their Terms and Conditions, as part of numerous videos this resource comes – along with others – from Donal’s Driving Tutorials. This video has an Irish instructor and is also filmed on a Dublin suburban street. This adds greatly to the effectiveness of the instruction. This video will help to assist in reversing around a corner at a controlled speed. This video will also show when to turn at the right time to achieve a good result and how to check all angles for dangers while turning. At the time of access this tutorial had 236,335 hits with 166 likes and 30 dislikes.

This resource was found using Google search under “How to reverse around a corner correctly” and was the first result on its listing. Other information on the page was that this resource was under a category for cars and vehicles. It gives an extra link on this page to “how to do a turnabout in the road”, and as these manoeuvres contain similar detail, finding these resources close together has an advantage. Because this page is the video page on YouTube the next link was extended to Donal’s own website. Although all the instruction required on reversing around a corner was in this video clip, the link of www.drivingtestroutesandmaps.com forwarded to additional background information.

http://www.drivingtestroutesandmaps.com/


Seventh Resource 1. Resource Detail

This resource was evaluated as follows:

There was only one author credited for this video but it was uploaded onto YouTube with a link to driving test routes and maps. The title of this site reads that this is the master site of the site provider. All the information contained therein could be of a biased nature. This is the personal and business web site of the driving instructor “Donal”. This website should not be dismissed as it is very informative and Donal’s experience in this filed is evident. Although a site like this could be biased in favour of business advancement that is fair comment. However, on locating and reading the text , instructions, advice and links to road and driving issues contained therein this appears not to be the sole motive. What stands out most in this web site is that Donal is a professional instructor he is an ADI (Approved Driving Instructor) for over 8 years. Teaching a person to drive requires a good understanding of the individual’s needs. The web site contains very useful information to gain knowledge and understanding and stands alone. There are no advertisements for lessons in driving, just a contact tab to register an e-mail. This contact is your choice, whereas the information on the web site is given free and for the readers benefit.

This resource is very relevant to our driving guide. The highlight driving instruction on reversing around a corner is expertly given.

Good Driving Practice-Road Safety Authority Audio Guide

Author: Road Safety Authority

URL: http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/audio/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice.mp3


To find this source, search ‘Road Safety Authority audio guides’ on Google. This will give you a list of results from which you should choose the one titled ‘Audio Version - Rules of the Road (Road Safety Authority)’. This will bring you to a page on the ‘rules of the road’ website. There click on the link good driving practice under the title ‘Rules for Driving’ to access the resource.

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/audio/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice.mp3

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/audio/rules-for-driving/good-driving-practice.mp3




This resource is a segment of an audio version of the Irish Rules of the Road at the website http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie. It is approximately 13 minutes long and is titled Good Driving Practice. It is in the ‘Rules for Driving’ section of the audio guides on the audio version page. It is guide narrated by a man who provides advice and general guidance on how to act in everyday driving scenarios. An example of this is the advice and guidance given in the guide regarding approaching a junction. As well as providing this for situations such as this it also gives warnings and brings notice to things you should be on the outlook for.

The resource was found by searching ‘Road Safety Authority audio guides’ on Google. I was looking for a reputable audio resource I could use for this project. Having been unable to find any podcasts that were relevant to the project on iTunes or the internet, I then entered the search previously mentioned. This produced a list of results from which I chose the one titled ‘Audio Version - Rules of the Road (Road Safety Authority)’ as this seemed the most reputable to me. I then chose the Good Driving Practice audio guide as it was the one that appeared to be the one that would be the most use to someone using our audio guide.

This source was evaluated using the 21st Century Evaluation Model. No author is credited for this resource but this does not detract from its reliability as a resource as this is not an issue in this case. The rules of the road are rules issued by the Road Safety Authority in Ireland and are required knowledge to get a driving license. The fact that this resource is published by the Road Safety Authority supports the articles credibility as resource as it verifies this resource is the actual rules of the road. The information is provided as facts and definitive rules and can be regarded as such due to the resource’s publisher. For a more detailed look at the ‘Good Driving Practice’ of the Rules of the Road, it is possible to read through it and accompanying diagrams and images on the other pages of the website. This enhances the suitability of this resource for our project. The links to and from the website do not detract or enhance the reliability of the resource as they are mostly from websites that are part of the RSA. There is no evidence of bias in the resource and the Road Safety Authority has no interest in making false statements or providing false information. A date is not provided for the resource which is problematic as it means that the rules provided could be out of date or give incorrect information due to new laws issued between now and whenever the resource was issued. I think this resource is extremely relevant and useful to this guide as it provides good guidance and information to driving in Ireland in an easy to digest audio format.

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/

Eighth Resource 1. Resource Details



New Rules for Learners and Novice Drivers

Reporter: Samantha Libreri

URL: http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0901/driving.html


In order to access this resource we typed RSA into the Google search engine. We then clicked on the “similar” link on the right hand side of the websites link. This search provided us with 180 results. The RTE resource was located on the 3rd page.

This resource provides us with an outline of the new rules for leaner drivers and those who have recently passed there driving test. The new rules came in from the 4th of April 2011 but many learner drivers are still unsure of what the new regulations are. This is a report from RTE news both in a written document and also in a video report. It states the main guidelines that all new drivers must comply with and provides us with a statement from minister of transport Noel Dempsey.

I found the resource to be quite helpful as there weren’t many sites that clearly explained the new regulations that learner drivers had to comply with. The video gave a quick summary of what the new guidelines were while the report gave a more in-depth look at the new regulations along with a statement from the minister for transport Noel Dempsey.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0901/driving.html


Ninth Resource 1. Resource Details


We know the resource is reliable due to many factors. RTE has been broadcasting since the 1960’s and is one of the oldest broadcasters in the world, which proves that its information is consistent and factual. The report is non-biased as RTE’s obligations lie with the public in issuing them with up to date and relevant information. We can also see from the URL address that the domain is .ie which shows us that the site isn’t commercialised or interested in making profit proving it to be a more trustworthy resource. The information is factual and to the point and is delivered in Basic English which is easily understood. This article also proves suitable as the new changes to the learner drivers must be clearly understood as they are substantially different to the previous rules that were in place and must be followed in order to pass the driving test.

Road Safety Information Author: Road Safety Authority URL: http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Leaflets/Leaf_booklets/Driver_Fatigue_FA.pdf Date Accessed: 16/11/2012 In order to access this link, you must Google RSA.ie. At the bottom of the RSA page will be a headline ‘Road Safety’ underneath this will be a sub heading titled ‘Education’. A drop down menu will appear on the left hand side of the website. Click on the fourth link titled ‘Leaflets & Poster corner’. This will open up many PDF files, the seventh one of which opens up the PDF file about Driver Tiredness.

This PDF resource is seven pages long and is a leaflet about ‘Driver Tiredness’. It consists of information about fatigueness and the dangerous effects it can have for drivers. The leaflet is factual in its information and is quite visual. It uses a diagram and graph to illustrate its information in an accurate manner. The leaflet continues to state who is most likely at risk of feeling tired whilst driving, factors that contribute towards fatigueness and measures to prevent tiredness when driving. The leaflet also includes real life experience. Quotations are used from individuals who have had experience with accidents due to fatigueness, either personally or through the loss of a loved one. The leaflet uses bullet points, making it an easy read.

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Leaflets/Leaf_booklets/Driver_Fatigue_FA.pdf

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road%20Safety/Leaflets/Leaf_booklets/Driver_Fatigue_FA.pdf



I found this source by typing ‘road safety Ireland’ into Google. RSA.ie came up as the first result out of approximately 62,400,000 other results. This seemed quite dependable in providing high quality information. The website contained a lot of links which were difficult to take in all at once. I clicked into the Road Safety heading as it looked promising in regards to information for a learner driver. I then clicked into education which provided a menu to the left hand side titled ‘Leaflets & Poster corner’. Here is where I read through many of the PDF files and came to the decision to include ‘Driver Tiredness’ as it was very informative.

The author of this resource is not mentioned, however the publisher, The Road Safety Authority is. The Road Safety Authority is a very well known, established organization. It is expressed in the information about the organization, which can be allocated under ‘About Us’ on their website, that the Department of Transport is responsible for more than half of its September 2006. This highlights that it is a dependable resource as it is linked to a Government body. The Road Safety Authority also has a page that links them to various websites, including An Garda Síochána. This further enhances the resources dependability due to its connection with an authoritative body.

The publisher’s motive for issuing this leaflet is to inform the public about the dangers of driving in a non-capable state and its connection to accidents and in extreme cases, death. The leaflet is not biased in any extreme sense; it is only there to help the general public.

It is also important to note that the leaflet mentions Professor Jim Horne to back up their information about certain factual evidence. The leaflet also mentions the source ‘Causes of Road Traffic Solutions’ and when it was published. This gave us the ability to research material thoroughly and confirms that all facts were accurate, as the Professor had a profile on the Loughborough University where it stated he attended.

The leaflet was printed in July 2008, making it quite an up to date piece, as it is only 5 years since it has been printed by McBrinn Printers.

Tenth Resource 1. Resource Details



Be Winter-Ready

Author: The Office of Emergency Planning

URL: http://www.winterready.ie/pdfs/BeWinterReady-Web.pdf


To access this resource, Google “winter-ready.ie” and click on the first result. Next choose the English version of the website. This will bring you to the home page from where you can access the PDF resource.

This resource was published as part of the Irish government’s “Be Winter-ready” 2012-2013 Information Campaign. It is a booklet about 20 pages long that gives information on being prepared, providing advice for coping with severe bad weather as well as giving contact details of organisations and agencies that can provide guidance and assistance. It was prepared by the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning. The booklet provides general information on how to deal with various kinds of adverse weather conditions such as flooding and freezing as well as other issues like power outages. A section of the booklet deals with driving in adverse weather conditions.

I found this resource by searching “road safety Ireland” on Google. This produced a page of results. Having already used an RSA resource, I looked through the list for a resource I could use from another website for the guide. I noticed the second result from last was from An Garda Síochána and thought this might have a useful resource. It also seemed to me a reputable source to use. Once I clicked on it, it brought me to the Road Safety page on the Garda website. From there I clicked on the ‘Adverse Weather’ link on the right hand side. This brought me to another page on the Garda Website. There I clicked on the ‘www.winterready.ie’ link. This brought me to this website, where I then chose the English version. This brought me to the websites homepage from where I accessed the resource.

http://www.winterready.ie/pdfs/BeWinterReady-Web.pdf


This resource was evaluated using the 21st Century Fluency.

No single author is credited for this article but it was produced by the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning and issued by the government as part of their ‘Be Winter-ready campaign’ 2012-2013 Information Campaign. This I feel enhances the credibility of this resource. It is an official resource produced and published by the government with the aim of helping Irish citizens deal with bad weather. This encompasses the aim of our project which is to provide a useful guide to driving in Ireland.

The information is presented as fact and can be regarded as such due to the resource‘s publisher. Links to further websites such as the HSE and ‘www.education.ie’ enable us to find out more detailed information and advice and while they don’t directly verify information in the resource, they enhance its value as a resource and support its creditability.

The websites that links to this website are mostly local authorities such Cork county Council. This suggests that these authorities view it as a valuable resource and supports its reliability as a resource.

While the date for the resource is not published on it, the government’s ‘Be Winter-ready campaign’ information campaign only launched on 9th November 2012 which means the information provided in this resource is as up to date as possible.

I think this resource is extremely relevant to our driving guide. While only section focuses it on driving it gives detailed advice and information on driving in dangerous conditions such as flooding and icy conditions.