With a newly laminated driver’s licence in hand, you’re excited to get out on the roads and chauffeur yourself around town for once. You’re also a little bit scared. The first few years of driving are always the hardest, and accidents are most likely to happen when you’re still a beginner. To reduce your chances of getting into an accident, here are some tips for new drivers. Whether you’re a teenager behind the wheel for the very first time or a middle-aged professional who let their licence lapse a decade previously, these tips will help you conquer the road safely.
Adjust your driving for the weather
No matter where you drive or what vehicle you own, the weather is the number one factor influencing how you should drive. Rain, wind, and snow impact the way your vehicle handles, brakes, and accelerates. Even perfectly sunny days can affect your vision, so always drive with sunglasses and make use of your visors, too. Adjust your speed according to the road conditions, and give yourself extra room to break in inclement weather.
Drive with the right tires
In places like Mississauga, where snow makes an appearance for more than half of the year, it’s important you outfit your car to handle the climate. Winter tires are an essential addition to your vehicle, even if you don’t see snow or slush on the road. Winter tires are formulated with different treads and compounds so they grip to the road’s surface better when the weather dips below 7°C or 44°F. When it comes to tires Mississauga drivers can trust no matter the weather, they find new and used winter tires from Veerpreet Service Centre. Wherever you live, your local auto repair services should also be a reliable tire shop from where you can find trusted brands for your wheels. Remember to switch back to all season tires once the mercury rises above 7°C or 44°F.
Don’t text and drive
It seems like an obvious one, but drivers (old and new alike) ignore it all too often. According to the National Safety Council, using a phone while driving causes 1.6 million crashes every year. Meanwhile, texting and driving caused one out of every four car accidents in the States.
Doing anything that takes your eyes off the road while you’re driving is needlessly dangerous, so make sure you take away that temptation. Leave your phone somewhere you can’t easily reach, so you won’t check it when you hear a notification ding. If you need to use your phone to make calls, there are accessories out there that will connect your handset to your phone’s audio system. You can also purchase a phone mount if you use your phone as a navigation device.
Hitting the road for the very first time can feel every bit as terrifying as it is exhilarating. You can manage the fear you feel behind the wheel by making sure you drive safely. Armed with these tips, you can start earning experience as a motorist until you feel comfortable and safe on the road.