Passing your driving test can be an exciting time, but, did you know that new drivers are more likely to be in an accident?
One in five new drivers have an accident during their first year on the road, and 3,000 of those drivers get banned. To help you out, you’ll find five pieces of advice to follow if you’re new to the roads.
More training
Once you’ve passed your test you may feel like you’re ready to tackle the roads. But, prior to now, you’ve always had an instructor with you, who can also control the car if they need to. Therefore, taking a few additional lessons afterwards, such as the Pass Plus scheme is a great way to further your driving knowledge, as they take you into environments that new drivers may find stressful when driving alone while helping you to feel more confident after passing
Know your car
All cars are different, which means you won’t be able to drive your shiny new car in the same way you drove your instructor’s car. Therefore, you should take the time to sit and learn where all the switches and buttons are and find out what does what. After this, you’ll need to get to grips with driving it. It’s probably best to do this later in the day, rather than the morning, as there will be fewer people on the roads and you’ll be able to get to grips with it easier.
Carry essential tools
If anything ever goes wrong with the car, you’ll need to ensure that you have all the right tools to hand to help you out. Available from places like SGS Engineering, you’ll find tools to help with everything from the oil and water to changing a tyre – which is something you should learn to do too.
Maps and road signs
When you’re driving somewhere you don’t know, you’ll probably rely on a Sat Nav or Google Maps. But, what happens if you get lost in a place with no signal? That’s why you should learn how to read a real map, and always carry one with you, just in case. Oh, and make sure you continue to revise your road signs, so you always know what’s happening.
Motorway left lane
If you’re afraid of the motorway – don’t be. Just stick to the left-hand lane, as this one is for normal driving, while the others are for overtaking. So, if you have to go on to the motorway, but you aren’t ready to tackle overtaking just yet, you don’t have to. Again, additional lessons will help you to feel more confident with this.
And there you have it, a few helpful ways to help you keep safe on the roads while enjoying the freedom your new license provides you.