Safety Tips For New Drivers

One of the first things that those who have just passed their driving test want to do is get out on the road! And rightfully so, after all of the hard work they have put into passing their test, and become safe enough to get out on the open road. 

And while most new drivers will be confident enough to tackle many situations, others aren’t – there is a saying that driving lessons prepare you to pass your test, but driving without an instructor is when you really learn to drive. 

Keeping safe on the road is essential, but there are some tips that you can arm yourself and others with to help them! 

Photo by Bailey Hall on Unsplash

Take it easy 

With no instructor, you might be tempted to put your foot down a little more when it comes to the lights. As soon as the green light hits, if you stamp your foot down, you are much more likely to get into an accident. A lot of car accidents happen at junctions when people try to accelerate too fast, and to that end, another tip is always to have your emergency contacts and the name of a good car accident lawyer available. 

Steering 

Holding your hands at ten and two is often one of the first things that slip when you start driving alone. However, good control of the steering wheel is one of the most important things. Try to keep that habit instead of slipping into holding the wheel with one hand or too loose. 

Braking 

You likely needed to practice your emergency stopping in your lessons, and maybe it was tested on your practical exam too. But regularly slamming your foot on the brake is likely to mean you have been putting your foot on the gas a little too much, or worse – that you weren’t paying attention in the first place. Try to maintain a steady acceleration and braking ratio. 

Gentle pressure is better for the car too. 

Speeding 

The moment you pass your test, you might decide that the speed limits that you have been sticking to are no longer for you. You might be tempted to speed up a little – but ask yourself, should you? Most of the time, there is no need to speed up unless the flow of all of the traffic is faster or there is a reason you need to move out of the way at speed, like emergency vehicles coming up behind you and you need to find somewhere to pull over). 

When it comes to speed, don’t be tempted to go faster than you need to because the speed limit is there for a reason – and this goes double in residential areas where there are likely to be more people and children playing. 

Awareness 

While learning to drive, your instructor would have had the awareness for you and let you practice your own. During the test, you will have kept that high standard. Attention can slip when other people are in the car or when you are in new driving situations – try to maintain a high standard. 

And aside from those things, you should be making sure the car is maintained too, as that will ensure that it is safe to drive. How To Make Your Car Last As Long As Possible – The Intelligent Driver.