You have just learnt to drive and you are raring to go! Before that you need to keep the following things in mind so that you drive freely without any hassle!
- BECOME FAMILIAR WITH YOUR VEHICLE
Try to know your car inside out starting from the role of the clutch , the changing gears and most importantly when to accelerate and when to decelerate. You don’t need do a PhD but a basic knowledge about tire change, adjusting the light, charging the battery and understanding what each of the dash lights signify will make your journey a lot smoother. You need to be well prepared because you never know when you might get stranded in the middle of the road with a flat tire or even worse a car accident. Be aware of the most insurance you should compare auto insurance policy too.
- SELECT SENSIBLE FRIENDS
Most of you who are novice drivers are around 16-17 and in high school. Its quite expected that at this age you would be under an adrenaline rush and many of you will try to impress your friends with rash driving. Also this age makes you try out new things like drugs and alcohol. Keep in mind that these are death traps. Never drive while you are high or intoxicated because not only these might be the cause of a serious accident, you also have a high chance of being stopped by the cops and given a ticket. Research has shown that a lot of car accidents are caused by unruly teenagers who are either drunk or in the company of friends who encourage them to drive without at break neck speed. So be careful while choosing your fellow driving companion.
- FOLLOW THE RULES
It has been proved that while driving, of you hold the steering wheel in either the 9 o’clock or the 3 o’ clock position, then you would be the most comfortable and have the utmost dominance over the wheel. Also drive in a smooth manner and don’t increase speed unnecessarily. Do not honk and create noise pollution when it’s not needed. Make sure to keep a safe distance from other vehicles and definitely use your car’s indicator to alert other drivers that you are about to make a turn. Some people have a habit of talking over the phone or eating a snack while operating their car. These two things are a strict no-no since they are the major sources of distraction for a driver.
PARKING AND MERGING
Many people are excellent drivers but they lose it while parking. This is because parking is a headache and you have to keep your cool while doing it. Also auto reverse parking is a bit tricky and you need time and patience to master it. Its human nature to procrastinate things which seem quite daunting to do. So while driving gives you joy, parking becomes a headache for you. Now merging while stuck in a traffic is an art in itself and it also takes immense practice. Be patient and practice these initially with your driving guide and don’t stop until you have perfected it.
- ENJOY THE RIDE
Last but not the least, enjoy the ride! You cannot be a good driver if you find driving a chore which needs to be completed as soon as possible. This attitude will create a mental block and become a hindrance in the way of you becoming an expert driver. Use your presence of mind if you get lost. Take the help of your cell phone’s GPS or consult a map. You might tune on the radio or some CD to uplift your mood while driving, but make sure to keep the volume at a moderate range because you don’t want to mishear the honking of other cars behind you!
