Driving is not just about getting from one place to the next. It’s a skill that can be used throughout your entire life. Driving manual and automatic vehicles requires concentration and a good sense of direction. There are some fundamental skills that you should know before you can start your driving journey. Here are the top important things beginner drivers should remember before they start driving.
Wear Your Seat Belt
Properly worn, a seatbelt stops you from being thrown around in a crash vehicle or worse, through the windshield. Statistics show that nearly half of all accidents that resulted in death were not caused by seatbelts. Driving lessons Perth can teach you the necessary skills and education to improve your driving abilities and become a competent driver.
Don’t drive drunk
Even on straight roads, a sleepy driver will drift off the highway. You are more likely to be in an accident if you sleep for longer periods of time if there are trees, ravines and utility poles nearby. Even worse is the danger of falling asleep at highway speed.
Get enough sleep to rejuvenate your body and mind. Follow a sleep schedule or aim for six to eight hours of sleep each night. Don’t attempt to combat grogginess if you are driving and feel a little tired. Have a friend drive you home, or let someone else take your place while you go to sleep.
Avoid distractions
Driving with a mobile phone while driving in most countries is illegal. It decreases the driver’s reaction speed by 20 percent. A 20-year old driver who uses a cell phone behind the wheel to communicate with his mobile phone has a reaction time that is comparable or worse than a 70-old driver.
A driver can be distracted by other distractions, such as eating, fiddling around with GPS, making makeup, and interacting with passengers.
Don’t Speed
Your risk of hitting your vehicle with a car or other object increases when you travel at higher speeds. Research shows that your chances of being in an accident with your car increase by about 4-5 percent depending on how fast you drive
Driving at 10 mph for short trips around town will save you some time, but it can increase the chance of your car colliding with something. Longer trips have a higher chance of you colliding. It’s better to leave five to ten minute earlier than you think.
Don’t Drive Drunk
However, alcohol can cause impairments that can result in crashes. But what harm could a few beers do?
Low blood-alcohol levels can reduce reaction time, coordination and inhibitions, which can make it easy for the best drivers to make poor decisions. Higher levels can cause coordination to be nearly zero. You won’t walk straight if you have blurred vision or doubled your consciousness.
Even if only one bottle of beer is consumed, driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 (or higher) can result in you being sent to jail. Call a cab, or have someone designated to drive you sober.
Always have an emergency kit
In case of an emergency, keep a first-aid kit on hand. You should also keep a flashlight, jumper cables and drinking water in your vehicle.
Be calm
Avoid getting into an argument or fighting with the other driver. Exchange contact and insurance information. If possible, obtain the phone numbers and names of witnesses.
All documents must be carried
It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an experienced driver. According to Indian Motor Vehicle law you need 4 documents before you can drive a four-wheeler. These are: Driving license for the driver, Vehicle registration certificate, Pollution under control document and the vehicle’s insurance policy.
You should not ride the clutch
The engine spins the wheels to accelerate your vehicle. You can change the speed at the wheels by engaging the transmission, but not cutting the engine. The clutch is your friend. The primary task of the clutch is to reduce engine flow to the wheels so you can engage your desired gear.
