Congratulations! You’ve finally got your license and now a whole new world of freedom has opened up to you. You can travel the country, drive easily to places instead of begging rides from parents or friends, and plan some epic road trips for the summer. While being a new driver may be exciting and fill you with awesome new ideas, it’s crucial that you have all of the safety essentials down so you can drive with confidence. After all, you don’t want to start your driving career with an avoidable accident. Remember these tips to travel safely.
Have an emergency contact list.
You never know what can happen on the road. Even if you drive cautiously and defensively, you could still find yourself in a difficult situation that’s not of your own making. That’s why it’s extremely important to have an emergency kit in your car ready to be used should you need help in a hurry. You should have the number for windscreen repairs sydney on hand should any damage occur to your windscreen while you’re driving so you can pull over and get help quickly, as well as other emergency numbers you can call for assistance, and your insurance company’s number and policy details to protect you in the event of an accident or breakdown.
Follow the rules.
Once you’ve passed your test, it’s easy to get over-confident and assume you can now drive ‘normally’, rather than driving in a specific cautious way to pass the test. This isn’t true and could land you in serious trouble on the road. Continue to follow all of the rules of the road and keep an eye out for signage at all times so you don’t cause unnecessary accidents or get yourself and other drivers hurt. Those rules are there for a reason, as is the signage, so be vigilant about obeying them.
Eliminate distractions.
Many people, even new drivers, wrongly believe that they can do certain things while driving without becoming distracted. Things like looking at a text message, taking a call, eating a meal on the go, or even changing the music on your phone can all be a major distraction, even if it feels like you’re still focusing on the road. It only takes an instant to glance at your phone and suddenly miss an important warning sign while you drive, so turn your phone on silent and pull over if you have any urgent communication needs.
Maintain a safe following distance.
If you’re irritated by a driver in front of you moving at a slow pace, the worst thing you can do is to show your annoyance by following as closely as possible behind them. If they were to brake suddenly, you would be at major risk for a fender bender. Maintain a safe following distance with a good gap between your car and the one in front of you at all times, and increase that distance if you’re driving in wet weather or unstable conditions.
Insist on seat belts.
Once of the leading causes of fatalities in road accidents among young people is traveling without a seat belt on. Put yours on as soon as you’re ready to drive, and insist on everyone in the car wearing one, too. This good habit could save your life.
