Teen drivers are known for putting all other drivers, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians at risk out on the road. According to a recent article, the number of accidents caused by teens is at an all-time high. Whether attributed to poor instruction in driver’s ed or just simply a lack of experience, teen drivers need to be equipped with solid safety driving skills from day one. Below we’ve provided the five most important things to keep in mind while driving, especially for new drivers. Make these tips a regular habit and you will own the road.
Don’t Text and Drive
While this may seem obvious, it is a recurring problem in our digital society. Avoid texting while driving at all costs. The most obvious reason is because it can kill you and anyone around you. When you are operating a 2,000+ pound vehicle the last thing you want to do is take your eyes off the road, no matter what the situation. The moment you take your eyes off the road and read something on your phone is the moment your vehicle turns from a mode of transportation into a weapon that can harm many people, including yourself.
Along with texting, there are a number of other activities that result in distracted driving, such as changing the music, eating and talking on the phone. Distracted driving increases the chances of a motor vehicle crash. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 people are killed every day from motor vehicle accidents that involved distracted driving in the U.S. alone.
Always Use Your Blinker
Something as simple as using your blinker when changing lanes or turning is a simple safety habit that is often times overlooked. When you’re slowing down to make a turn or merge, it’s really important that you let other drivers know what you’re doing. This gives other driver’s time to react to this change in a safe manner. You’ve probably been on the receiving end of this at least once, so you likely know how frustrating this can be. Use your turn signal routinely and make the roads safer for everyone. Even during parallel parking, always use your blinker. Check out those parallel parking tips!
Drive in the Right Lane, Pass in the Left Lane
On a two-lane highway, it is imperative that you follow the familiar rule, drive in the right lane, pass in the left. Many drivers today are using the right lane to pass slower vehicles that should be driving in the right lane anyway. If you are driving the speed limit or below make sure you are always in the right lane. If you need to make a pass, use the left lane. It’s as simple as that.
Drive the Speed Limit
This tip is simple, obvious, and can prevent many accidents. The speed limit exists for a number of reasons. It exists to account for the way the road is built and the physics associated with the limits that road can facilitate, for your safety as a driver, and because of the law.
Never Drive Under the Influence
This is the most obvious tip in this article. Although at the time you may think otherwise, no one is a good driver when intoxicated. While under the influence, a car can turn into a killing machine in an instant. In the U.S. alone, on average 27 people die daily from drunk driving. Don’t make yourself or someone else a part of that statistic.
Ensure you follow these tips to make your driving experience, and everyone else’s, a much safer one. Before getting out on the road enroll yourself in a driver’s ed course from a trusted school taught by experienced professionals.
Do you live in the Littleton area? Check out our Littleton Driver’s Ed school.
Click here for more tips about parallel parking.
