Are you a new driver? Do you want to become that awesome driver that you have always admired in your family? Then you are in the right place. We will share some tips and tricks you can use while driving, which will make you seem like a professional. Here we are bringing you 10 important safety tips for new drivers.
1. Check Your Mirrors
Your mirrors are important not only for keeping you and others safe but also for predicting some potential dangers during the ride. We usually use our mirrors for turning, overtaking, parking, etc. With that being said, you need to adjust them properly and make sure you know how to use them. Using all of your mirrors, instead of trying to turn your whole body around in the seat, will make you look more as a professional in the eyes of older drivers. It will also give you a perfect view of what is happening on the road behind you. If you have taken the time to properly adjust all of your mirrors you will have no problems being able to see clearly around you.
2. Check Before Opening Your Doors
This one might sound silly, but trust us – it’s an important one. There has been a large number of accidents recorded in the last few years that have been caused by the lack of attention when getting out of a vehicle. Drivers would get out of the car without checking to see if there were any oncoming vehicles. On many occasions an unwary driver would crash into the person getting out of the car and things would get ugly. People have been seriously injured in these accidents. All of them could have been avoided simply by doing a quick check of the surroundings before opening the door.
- Remove Your Hand From the Stick
If you drive a stickshift, let the shifter go. If your hand is still on the stick during the ride, you are not driving with both hands on the wheel. It is important to keep both hands on the wheel when driving, except when shifting. When the shifting is done, bring that other hand up to the wheel where it is supposed to be. Keeping both hands on the wheel helps to maintain better control over the vehicle, and is crucial if there is a need to suddenly turn.
4. Don’t Ride Your Brakes
If you are one of those people who constantly rides the brake pedal, just stop already. For starters, it causes extra wear on your pads, which ends up being very costly over time. As far as safety is concerned, whenever you touch your brakes, the brake lights engage. The people behind you get confused about your intentions. Are you stopping, are you slowing down, what are you doing? In many cases, people behind you are not paying close attention and could end up rear-ending you. Of course, it is their fault, but it’s your car and body that can get damaged. Learn how to use the weight of your vehicle to slow down when you don’t need to hit your brakes.
5. Remain Educated
It is easy to get into the habit of believing you have nothing to learn. So many people fail because of this attitude. Do yourself a favor and continue to gain knowledge about your vehicle, and how to drive it. Learn about the make and model so that you can order the right parts if you need to. Learn where your spare tire is located. Learn how to change a flat tire with it if you get a flat. Learn how to open your hood, check the oil, check the brakes. Continue to remain educated and sharp when it comes to your state driving laws. Forever continue to learn.
6. Wear Your Seatbelt
Although not wearing a seatbelt probably won’t cause an accident, it could kill you. So, you should always make sure to wear a seat belt, even if it seems uncomfortable. Sometimes it seems like it’s not a big deal but the truth is wearing a seat belt has saved many lives. It could save yours too.
7. Leave Your Phone Aside
This one is our favorite because it has become such a big problem nowadays. With the accelerating growth of the internet and phone usage, this has been a rising problem among young and old people. We can’t stress enough how important it is to stay away from your phone during the ride. Your phone can wait, traffic can’t! It only takes a split second for an accident to happen, so any time you take your eyes off of the road, you put people’s lives in danger.
8. Use Turn Signals
Always let drivers behind you know that you are changing lanes, turning left or right. Whenever your change in direction could affect other drivers, even in a parking lot, use your signals. Try not to signal too late, give others a chance to see what you are going to do so they can react properly. When you make the people around you aware of your intentions you make the roads safer for all.
9. Communicate With Other Drivers
Communicating with the other participants in traffic is as important as following the traffic laws. This is because the traffic and the road do not only depend on you but on other drivers as well. Even when you follow all of the laws, there is a chance that someone will get into your way and cause an accident. Make sure you are following the moves of other drivers and letting them know about your next moves, too.
10. Stay Calm
As in life, it’s important to stay calm on the road as well. There will always be drivers who think your driving is too slow, even though you follow the speed limits. It is best to always remain calm and do not let other drivers get under your skin. Drive at your own pace and follow the rules.
We hope you have enjoyed these 10 essential driver safety tips. Visit our other pages to get more information and learn more stuff.
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