Do you just have your driver’s license? Congratulations! You have officially joined around 200 million other people in the US behind the wheel. It’s an exciting step towards independence and adulthood, but it’s also a huge responsibility, and it’s important that you balance this (great) freedom with caution and safe behavior. Remember, what you do in the driver’s seat affects not only you but everyone else on the road.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a few tips so that you can have fun and play it safe on your own.
Driving Tips
1. Obey All Traffic Rules
There’s a reason the driving test includes both a road test and a written test. From traffic signs to the right of way, there are a number of rules that drivers need to understand and obey. Learn and use them.
2. Slow Down!
Over speeding is a major contributor to fatal accidents involving young drivers. Basically, the higher your speed, the less time you have to spend stopping your car and the worse the effects and subsequent injuries.
3. Keep Your Car In Good Running Shape
Taking care of your car can help you avoid breakdowns and other possible accidents. This includes regular oil changes and corrections, checking the tire pressure (don’t forget the spare wheel!), Rotating the tire regularly, checking the brake fluid and coolant levels, and filling the gas tank before it floats too close to “E”.
4. Wear Your Seat Belt
Always. And make sure your passengers wear theirs too. In fatal car accidents, it was found that more than half of teens (56%) were not wearing seat belts. Save a life (maybe your own) and buckle up.
5. Avoid Distractions
Keep an eye on the road. That means no text messages, no phone calls, no eating, no surfing the radio, and no turning around to chat with friends in the back seat. Accidents can happen in a split second. However, if you are careful, you have a better chance of avoiding one.
6. Adjust Your Accessories
No, not your bling. We’re talking about making sure your seat is in a comfortable place and checking all of the mirrors to make sure you have the best view possible.
7. Don’t Tailgate
Too exact following is one of the main causes of rear-end collisions. Just remember the 3-second rule: select an object on the road (e.g. a sign, a tree, or an overpass), and when the vehicle passes the object in front of you, slowly count “one thousand, two thousand, three thousand ”. one thousand. “If you get to the object before you have completed the count, you are following too closely.
8. Be Prepared
In case of an accident, breakdown, or other emergencies, your car should always contain important driving documents and emergency equipment with everything you will need in your vehicle for an extended period of time.
9. Watch The Weather
Rain, wind, and snow can make driving more difficult and dangerous. If it’s wet, make sure your headlights are on, slow down, and then add the following distance. (Braking takes longer when the roads are slippery.) Especially when the conditions are too treacherous, it is better to just stay off the roads.
10. Don’t Drive Under The Influence
Just do not. This includes being under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or lack of sleep. Nobody should have to tell you how serious the consequences can be.