Did you know that the most dangerous time for all drivers is the first few months after getting a license?
Although there are always certain unavoidable dangers for drivers of all levels, you want to be extra careful as a new driver. This is when you’re still getting a feel for driving and all of its intricacies. You haven’t earned enough experience to feel completely in control yet.
That’s why we’ve collected some of the most important tips for new drivers down below. Read through them all to ensure that you’re safe every time you get behind the wheel!
1. Feel Comfortable In Your Car
Driving safety begins with feeling comfortable when you’re in your vehicle. If you don’t know all of the details of your car, it’s impossible to know how to keep it under your control. This leads to mistakes created by nervousness and hesitation.
That’s why you should spend a lot of time getting to know your car before you begin driving. No matter what happens on the road, you’ll know what to do without needing to think about it.
Make sure to spend some time pushing all the buttons and pressing all the pedals until it feels like second nature.
Understanding your car inside and out is one of the most important things a driver should know. For even more info, make sure to check out this article on the topic!
2. Avoid All Distractions
One of the biggest safety tips to keep in mind is to put a stop to any possible distractions. This starts by putting your phone on silent and stashing away any other electronic devices that might entice you to take a look.
It also means you need to ask your passengers to keep safety in mind and allow you to concentrate on driving. If you’re transporting a pet somewhere, make sure they’re secure so that they don’t wander into your lap while you’re trying to drive.
It’s impossible to account for all distractions. By taking these preventative measures, you lessen the chance of an accident by a large margin.
3. Always Have Emergency Supplies
This is something many teenage drivers don’t think about until it’s too late. Even if you plan to only go down the street, it’s important that you have all possible emergency supplies inside your vehicle.
You never know what might happen once you set out on the road. Having things like a spare tire, first aid kit, extra maps, and mechanical tools, all ensure that you’re prepared no matter what comes your way. Even if you never need to use any of these items, at least you’ll have them available in case someone else needs them.
Don’t forget to replenish your supplies as needed. Things like pain medications in a first aid kit have an expiration date, so always make sure your emergency supplies are updated every couple of months.
4. Pay Attention to Road Signs
When you’re coasting down the road, it’s easy to forget to keep an eye out for road signs. You’re enjoying the smooth road stretching out before you. You’re not turning off the highway for several more miles so why should you pay attention to the signs?
The problem with this is that you could miss out on important safety information. Not all road signs are about exits. Sometimes they give valuable information that’ll guide you to a safer journey.
It’s even more important to watch the road signs when you’re in a busy town. You don’t want to accidentally drive into a one-way street with no clear way of getting out again. If you pay extra attention to the signs, you’ll avoid getting into these kinds of situations.
5. Check the Vehicle Before Driving
One of the best tips for new drivers that often gets overlooked is to check the status of the car before getting into it. It’s tempting to hop into the car and get going right away, but this isn’t a good way to stay safe.
What if the car had a flat tire and you didn’t notice? What if there’s a leak that causes a breakdown when you’re in the middle of a busy intersection?
It only takes a few seconds to give the car a quick inspection, but it makes a big difference in avoiding dangerous situations!
6. Never Drive While Impaired
We all know that alcohol and driving are a dangerous combination. It’s something every single driver needs to avoid at all costs.
Alcohol gets a lot of attention, but other impairments cause a lot of damage to drivers as well.
Being tired, for example, slows down your reaction times. You’ll want to close your eyes only for a second, but in that instance, anything could happen.
You also don’t want to drive if you’re ever under the influence of certain medications or drugs. It’s not a safe choice and you’d be better off asking for a ride from a friend!
7. Allow Plenty of Space Between Vehicles
Defensive driving is a great tool for drivers of all experience levels. It’s the act of always being on the defensive when it comes to interacting with other vehicles on the road.
You want to always watch to see what they’re doing so you can react in good time. One of the best ways to achieve this is by keeping a lot of space between your vehicle and other drivers.
You don’t want to go overboard, of course, but make sure to keep at least an extra car’s length between the two vehicles. This gives you plenty of space to work in case the car in front of you makes a sudden change in direction or speed.
8. Adjust for Weather Conditions
As a new driver, it’s often best to avoid going out in bad weather conditions. These conditions present challenges that make it difficult to stay safe, even for more experienced drivers.
The problem is that this isn’t always possible. Sometimes we must go out in snow or rain due to our responsibilities or work.
When this happens, you need to adjust your driving method to match the weather conditions. For instance, when driving while facing sharp sunlight, you need to slow down until you have proper vision. If you’re driving in a snowstorm, you want to adjust your speed and how hard you tap the brakes.
9. Look at the Whole Picture
When you’re a new driver, your instinct is often to look at only the things straight ahead of you. If there’s a car in front of you, you’ll focus on that. If you’re stopped at a red traffic light, you’ll look at nothing else until the light turns green.
You must always keep looking at everything going on around you. While the things immediately around you are the most important, you can’t lose sight of everything else.
You might miss the pedestrian about to cross the street or the large pothole you’ll want to avoid. Don’t get zeroed in on the details or else you’ll miss the bigger picture!
10. Keep to the Speed Limit
It’s fun to go fast. It’s also dangerous. On a straight road with little traffic, it’s tempting to go well above the speed limit even though we know it’s a bad idea.
Many drivers believe that going a little over the speed limit is okay, but it’s a dangerous way to drive. Speed limits are a big part of defensive driving. You don’t want to go over the limit even when it feels like it’ll be okay.
There’s always a reason for the specific speed limit of any given road. By following that limit, you’re keeping both yourself and other drivers safe.
11. Ignore Road Rage
Sometimes other vehicles slam on their brakes or cut you off at a stoplight. Even if you practice defensive driving, it’s in our human nature to react in anger or frustration. We want to return the gesture or zoom past the other driver to show them off.
Giving in to the temptation of road rage is a terrible habit that you’ll want to avoid. It only puts you and your passengers in a dangerous situation and doesn’t result in anything good.
Instead of trying to get even with the other driver, take a deep breath, and let it go. It’s not worth a potential accident only because you want to race past another driver to make your anger known.
12. Always Wear a Seat Belt
We’ve all heard this particular bit of advice over and over again. The main problem is that, even though we all know it, many drivers still don’t follow it.
A seat belt is your first defense in case of an accident. If you’re not wearing a seat belt during a dangerous situation, you’re more likely to sustain worse injuries.
Plus, many insurance companies require the use of a seat belt to receive compensation. If you get into an accident without wearing a seat belt, you might be on your own when it comes to repairs.
Putting on a seat belt takes a few seconds and gives many benefits, so don’t neglect this important safety tool.
13. Prevent Breakdowns
The key to vehicle safety is keeping up with maintenance. Without regular maintenance, you’ll end up dealing with a broken-down car more often than you’d want. It’s a situation that all drivers want to avoid as much as possible.
It’s also much more dangerous to drive a car that isn’t functioning at peak performance. Even the most cautious of drivers struggle to control a car that has mechanical problems.
Make a schedule for bringing your car to a mechanic and stick to it to ensure that you avoid preventable problems.
14. Drive During Low Traffic
More traffic increases your chances of getting into an accident. That’s why it’s a good idea for newer drivers to avoid going out during high-traffic hours whenever possible.
This is even more useful when you’re venturing out to places you’ve never been before. It all comes back to feeling comfortable behind the wheel. When you drive on unfamiliar roads, it’s easy to feel anxious as you try to navigate.
By going out on new roads when there are fewer cars to deal with, you’ll have an easier time maintaining control.
15. Continue Studying
Many drivers read about the rules of the road only when they’re studying to get their license. After they’re done with all the tests, it’s not something they think about anymore.
If you want to be a good driver, you need to brush up on your driving knowledge all the time. This makes it easy to recall important driving rules so that you never make a preventable mistake.
It also keeps you updated on any changes in the regulations that happen after you’ve taken your tests.
16. Practice When You Can
A driver’s education is never done, even after you hold your license in your hand. Every single time you get into your car, you’re gaining experience and knowledge.
Learning something isn’t the same as putting it into practice. You’ll only get better by driving a lot, so it’s a good idea to practice as much as possible.
Once you start feeling more comfortable, push yourself to try different things. Go to an unfamiliar part of town and get more experience dealing with new roads. Go out for a short practice drive during a snow storm so that you know how to manage if you’re ever caught in one.
Expanding your experiences quickly makes you a better and safer driver!
Remembering These Tips for New Drivers Keeps You Safe
No matter if you’ve been driving for years or you only got your license yesterday, these tips for new drivers are a great way to ensure your safety on the road. Whenever you feel like you need a reminder, make sure to come back and read through them all again.
With this kind of advice fresh in your mind, it’s much easier to make good decisions when you’re behind the wheel!
Ready to learn more? Check out the rest of our Education section!
