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Guidelines to being a better driver for beginners

Jonckie

Driving is a stressful exercise for beginners. And even for experienced drivers. Naturally, if you’re an anxious person, it’s easy to make mistakes that could put you in a dangerous position. But the more you drive, and the more you make an effort to improve your skills, the more confident you will be behind the wheel.

From the time you learn how to drive and you pass your driving exam, you’ll probably develop bad driving habits. The older you get, the worse those habits will become if you do not take the time to improve them.

The size of your vehicle can significantly influence your confidence, so if you are interested in looking at certified pre-owned which are more appropriate in size that can make you feel more comfortable on the road, do so. Here are a few things you can do to improve and develop smart driving skills:

To be able to legally drive in South Africa, you need to pass the standard K53 driving test. While it teaches you the laws of driving and the correct driving etiquette, defensive driving courses can teach you how to handle challenging conditions, as well as how to act in hazardous conditions.

It would be valuable to take this course in addition to the standard K53 to help you become a better driver. The reality is that you probably might never have to use the skills you learn in a defensive driving course, but should something ever happen, you will be able to handle the situation with ease and respond accordingly. At the end of the day, you are responsible for your safety and the safety of others on the roads, so take the time to learn, improve and handle stressful situations better.

Whether you like it or not, there are going to be times where you need to parallel park. Of course, you need to pass it when you do your driver’s test, but most people tend to “forget” how to do it and will rather park far away or drive around for hours looking for a parking bay which requires less effort.

By practising your parking, you will learn how to park better. If you’re reverse parking or parallel parking, you will learn to become more comfortable with using your mirrors which is always helpful on the roads. You can’t always control how people park around you, but if you simply parked better, you would experience fewer door scratches because people will easily be able to move next to your vehicle.

It’s critical to make a pact with yourself or whoever you’re driving with that if you are tired, you are not allowed to get behind the wheel. This is not only for your own safety but also for the safety of those around you. As much as you think the danger of drinking and driving is worse, a lack of sleep can impair you and cause a serious accident. Be it through alcohol consumption, lack of sleep or medication, you could lose focus on the roads.

Whether you’re trying to merge onto a straight stretch of road or you’re simply looking to turn into a road where you need to cross the oncoming traffic to do so, you need to have the correct approach. These situations can become extremely frustrating as other drivers tend to ignore you. In these moments, you need to try and stay calm and collected, slow down and make it known that you’re trying to move. Do not show aggressive hand signs or hoot as this is only going to make it worse.

When driving, you need to keep your eyes on the road. Anything can happen, and usually, accidents happen in the moment you’ve decided to look down on your phone or change the song on your car radio. If possible, try to avoid any distractions while you’re driving no matter how much you need to check a text message or change the song. Remember, it’s illegal to use your phone while driving. If it is absolutely necessary, you should pull over onto the side or make your way into an open parking lot where you can come to a complete stop before you address the distractions. You also need to have an idea of where you’re going. If you’re not using a GPS, you can cause major distraction on the roads by changing lanes and turning at the wrong times. Before you start your commute, look at where you need to be, message whoever you need to and put a set playlist of music on. This way, all your focus will be on the roads and you will be able to arrive safely and stress-free.

Much like anything in life, the more you practice, the more confident you will become. Keep practising and make a conscious effort to drive often. If you are sceptical of driving in unfamiliar areas because of the safety of your car or are uncomfortable with the size of your car, take the time to sit down and consider looking at pre-owned vehicles from certified car dealerships near you. It’s important to be able to drive around independently and not feel endangered because of the condition of your car.

 

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