Published by Programme B
Beginning to drive can be incredibly daunting. You’re in a big metal box, cruising past other people in big metal boxes and it can seem terrifying early on. It’s important to understand that driving is only dangerous if you don’t follow basic safety tips and use your head. We’ll help you out and lay out the most basic rules that you should follow in order to have the safest and least stressful driving experience possible. We hope that the following tips will allow you to more easily begin driving and have fewer worries. These should help wherever you are in the world, be it driving in Bulgaria or looking for Driving Lessons in Tri-Cities, BC.
You should always be willing to learn, even when you’ve passed your test. There are plenty of great online resources to utilize when studying, including this motorcycle test.
- Always wear your seatbelt
Not only will you risk being fined by police officers if you don’t wear one, but it will also greatly increase the risk of grievous injury in the case of a crash. Wearing a seatbelt is one of the easiest ways to greatly increase your safety on the road and we can’t stress enough how important their use is.
- Don’t drink and drive
While this may seem obvious to many it’s still important to repeat it consistently. Driving while under the influence is one of the most dangerous actions you can make while on the road. We urge you not to do this and seek other means of transportation when drunk. Either a friend driving you or perhaps using public transport. Stay safe, and don’t drink and drive.
- Use turn signals
Turn signals exist so that you can let other drivers know what actions you will take before you do so. This will prevent confusion on the road and let traffic flow more smoothly which will greatly reduce the risk not only for your vehicle but also for everyone else present on the road. They only take a split second to use but are invaluable to everyone.
- Plan ahead
Planning your route ahead of time is a great way to reduce potential headaches during road trips. It will prevent you from losing time on wrong/missed turns, will reduce the anxiety of having to figure out where you’re going along the way, and will also allow you to potentially arrive there earlier than you would have otherwise, leaving you with more time to dedicate to fun activities that you intended to do. Waste a few minutes at home to save a lot more on the road.
- Don’t use your phone while driving
One of the greatest risks on the road is things distracting you. If you’re focused partially on something else then your reflexes to things on the road will suffer and may put you in danger. Keeping as much focus as possible on the road at all times is paramount to safety and we recommend avoiding using your phone whenever that is possible. Unless you need to phone emergency services try and wait until you’ve stopped your vehicle to make a call/text.
- Leave early
It’s important to remember that road conditions and traffic are highly unpredictable. A path that might take half an hour could take far longer depending on what happens along the way. This is why we always recommend leaving slightly earlier than you think you need to, just to give yourself that extra breathing room in the event that road conditions slow you down. Even leaving 5-10 minutes earlier can be the difference between being on time and being late. This is even more important for events such as job interviews where being on time is incredibly important.
- Go at a safe speed
While “follow the speed limits” may seem obvious, this actually isn’t referring specifically to that. Depending on the state of the road and traffic a safe speed may be far different from the speed limits. Remember to carefully judge your situation and go at a lower speed if you deem it to be the safest option. Generally following the speed of other drivers will be a good way to judge this.
Conclusion
Driving seems scary, but following some basic rules can really help you keep your nerves and life intact. We hope that at least one of these helped you to better integrate into the world of drivers on the road and prevented any unnecessary nervousness. Remember to always keep your eyes on the road and watch out as there is nothing more important than your health and well-being. We wish you all good luck out there.
Photo by Olena Bohovyk – pexels.com