Driving a new car for the first time may be very difficult, but also can be a very thrilling and exciting experience at the same time. However, the safety of the driver must also be ensured, and for that matter, we have compiled a list of driving tips for beginners.
Car Driving tips and tricks you must know about –
These car driving tips and tricks are not only for beginners but also can be read by experienced drivers, as learning has no age bar. The following car learning tips provide an insight to the safety measures to keep in mind while driving. They would also lay the basis of passing your first drivers test.
TIP #1 – Adjust mirrors and steering before you drive
The most simple yet crucial thing novice drivers should do before they start driving the car.
There are three mirrors in every car – first is the rearview mirror above the dashboard clutch pedal, the steering should also be in reach in a comfortable position. Thus before driving, adjusting the seat is important.
TIP #2 – Press the clutch all the way down
Pressing a clutch is practically effortless, but a new driver must ensure that the clutchmust be pressed all the way down till its last point.
The last point till it reaches, is the point where the clutch is fully engaged.
If by mistake the clutch is not engaged properly while switching gears, the clutch plate might even break. And clutch plates don’t come cheap, in fact, you could buy an almost new, used Alto.
TIP #3 – Tap the Brake, not floor it down completely
It’s as easy as it sounds, just don’t press the floor brake. Brakes are the most sensitive and responsive to your command among the three pedals. Even a small gentle tap on the brake is sufficient for the vehicle to slow down considerably. However, each car has different braking abilities.
Thus, it is advised that one must get to know the car brakes and experience them at an empty stretch, in order to get a rough idea of how powerful the car’s brakes are. The power of brakes depends upon factors like the type of brake [disc or drum], type of car body [hatchback, sedan or SUV], and the weight of the car.
TIP #4 – Follow the two-second rule
This is a very important thing that most drivers, regardless of the fact that they are skilled or novice, don’t follow. The two-second rule states that you and the vehicle in front of you must have a safe gap that can be covered in two seconds.
Now, estimating this requires practice and experience, but for first time drivers, this could be a challenge. Keeping one vehicle length is sufficient enough, as it is an approximate measure of the time taken to stop the vehicle in two seconds.
TIP #5 – Avoid being distracted
Car driving requires high concentration, and for that one must ensure to avoid distractions at all costs. Distractions can be present outside the car, i.e on the road, or maybe inside the car, like a disturbing passenger. In both cases, you should try to ignore it.
Common examples of distractions are cows, flashy ad boards, looking at accidents on the road etc…
Amongst these things, flashy ad boards are the most common cause of accidents on roads, and beginner drivers tend to look at these boards.
Apart from this, some car enthusiast drivers from the corner of their eyes tend to spot exotic cars on the road, which is another hazard. So if you are a car enthusiast, try not to look at rare cars, at least when you are driving.
Frequently Asked Question
Is driving a car easy?
Ans. Yes, car driving can be learnt easily. And for automatic cars, even easier. In a nutshell, driving comprises of two main parts – launching the car by estimating the timing of clutch and accelerator.
Second point is estimating the turn radius and feedback of the steering wheel.Yes, that is pretty much it.
The rest of the things, such as to drive a car in traffic [bumper to bumper], changing lanes on highways, etc… are learnt on the go by tackling them for the first time. Of course, this must be done with an experienced driver sitting by your side, guiding you.
Is 14 a good age to start learning to drive?
Ans. Long story short – a strict no. 14 years of age is too early to even think about going on the drivers seat, let alone driving it. Teenage is a period of life where curiousness and levels of energy are at their peak.
So there are a high amount of chances that they might end up ramming their vehicle into an obstacle on the road [owing to their immaturity and lack of undertaking safety measures while driving].
How can I get better at driving fast?
Ans. Driving is no joke and should be taken very seriously. Most of the accidents that take place are due to overspeeding. And the reason for overspeeding is mostly due to the following reasons –
- Drivers are overconfident and think they can get away with driving fast.
- They are in a rush because they are late for the destination.
- They Overspeed to impress friends or other fellows.
- Last but certainly not least; for the sake of fun.
- For the last point – go to a racecourse to test your cars max limit.
Is driving barefoot illegal?
Ans. This is an extremely frequently asked question by people who are want to remove their footwear on long road trips while driving. The short answer to this is, no its not illegal, and it is perfectly okay to drive without shoes.
But sometimes while driving for a long time with shoes on, it the feet acquire a temporary muscle memory to press the accelerator with shoes on. So if all of a sudden shoes are removed, there are chances that feet might subconsciously press the accelerator, clutch or brake more, or less than required. Thus, keeping this in mind becomes crucial.
So these were five car driving tips and tricks for beginners.
We at Carorbis hope that this article helps you to learn about these tricks to improve your driving instantly and overcome bad driving habits. If you found this blog post informative, make sure to check out other interesting reads on the Carorbis Blog.
