Driving Tips for New Drivers

Driving Tips for New Drivers

Sep 21, 2016 | Tips

– By ANewDriver

Something as quick and simple as putting on your seat belt or getting your windshield cleaned can mean the difference between life and death. Being aware of yourself and other drivers and practicing good road etiquette is equally important. So here are some tips to keep you mindful and safe:

Important to Keep in Mind

  • Obey the speed limits. Going too fast gives you less time to stop or react. Excess speed is one of the main causes of teenage accidents.
  • Always wear your seat belt – and make sure all passengers buckle up, too. Don’t try to fit more people in the car than you have seat belts for them to use.
  • Adjust your car’s head rest to a height behind your head – not your neck – to minimize whiplash in case you’re in an accident.
  • Make sure your windshield is clean. At sunrise and sunset, light reflecting off your dirty windshield can momentarily blind you from seeing what’s going on.
  • Experts now recommend that you hold the steering wheel at either 3 and 9 o’clock on the wheel, or even lower at 4 and 8 o’clock. If you’re in an accident and the airbags go off, you’ll be safer with your hands not flying into your face from the impact of the airbags.

Think About Other Drivers

  • Don’t drive like you own the road. Drive like you own the car.
  • Don’t make assumptions about what other drivers are going to do. The only thing you can assume about another driver with a turn signal on is that they have a turn signal on. He/she might not be turning at all, and just forgot to turn it off.
  • Watch out for aggressive drivers, and try to stay out of their way. They are the cause of a lot of accidents – especially on freeways.
  • Never pull out in front of anyone or swerve into someone else’s lane.

Full Time Awarenessanimals-on-the-road

  • Make sure your car always has gas in it – don’t ride around with the gauge on empty.
  • If you’re in the country, watch out for animals.  If you see an animal approaching, slow down and flash your lights repeatedly. Dusk and dawn are particularly bad times for running into animals, so be on the lookout for them.
  • When light turns green, make sure intersection clears before you go.

Driving Close to Schools

  • Always stop for school buses with flashing lights. The flashing lights mean that students are either getting on or off the bus, and may be crossing the street. Their safety depends on cars obeying this law.
  • Don’t park in fire lanes around the school. Not only will you probably get a ticket, but you could be blocking the area where a fire truck might need to park.
  • Try to get to school five to ten minutes early, and leave five minutes late to avoid the mad dash into and out of the parking lot. Lots of accidents happen when people are rushing around.
  • Always watch for kids getting on and off school buses.
  • If your school lot has perpendicular spaces (not angled parking), park in a space you can pull straight out of instead of having to back out. Backing out in crowded lots is always tricky.
  • Don’t leave valuables like wallets, shoes, laptops, jackets, phones, or sports equipment in your car where they can be seen easily.

Source: Driving Tips Online

Autumn Driving Hazards

Autumn Driving Hazards

Sep 15, 2016 | New Driver News, Tips

– By ANewDriver

Every season presents its own challenges on the roads, but autumn is one season that often gets overlooked. With weather conditions that are typically not as harsh as those in Winter, Spring, and Summer, it’s easy to take it for granted. While the weather may not be too harsh, it’s more unpredictable than other seasons, so we should be aware of some hazards.

Any morning may be warm, cold, foggy, raining, sleeting, or even snowing. This season also sees the first frost, which can cause roads to be slippery, especially on secondary roads where ice can form and take longer to dissolve. In addition to weather conditions, fallen leaves can also cause slippery conditions: that’s because they contain a large amount of water and are in decomposition process. So the best action to take when spotting a road covered in leaves is to slow down where there are large patches.slippery-leaves

With the school year starting in September, everyone will be sharing the road with school buses during the morning commute. This can be particularly problematic because several morning weather conditions, including cooler temperatures, can make it difficult to see through a windshield. It’s a good idea to make sure the defrost feature is in working order before Fall is in full swing. When school buses are on the road it’s important to keep a safe distance at all times, especially when the stop arm is extended. Everyone needs to stop at that time, unless there is a divider between a car and the school bus. The rule for stopping is similar to the rule for pulling over when an emergency vehicle has its lights flashing.

sun glare when drivingFall conditions also affect evening driving. During the season, the sun rises later and sets earlier, so a person may wind up driving toward the sun in the evening. It’s a good idea to have a pair of sunglasses in the car. A properly positioned visor can also help with the glare of the sun. The best way to position a visor is to push it all the way toward the windshield, and then bring it toward the steering wheel until it’s in the correct spot. Once the sun starts going down, it’s time to turn on the headlights. It’s best to do this during dusk so other drivers can see the car, because a setting sun can still cause glare on a windshield. During dusk it’s also important to use the two-second rule to keep a safe distance between cars. Using these driving tips will be a good step toward a safe season.