Helpful Advice For New Motorists

Have you recently passed your driving test?

23:02 03 March 2020

This is a huge life accomplishment and one which will provide you with an incredible amount of freedom and independence. There is no feeling in the world quite like passing your test and taking to the roads for the first time without anyone in the passenger seat, but this can also be a daunting time and many motorists struggle shortly after passing their test. With this in mind, there are a few helpful tips which should help you to get your driving career off to a smooth start, and help you to quickly build confidence.

Practise

You will, of course, have the necessary skills and knowledge to drive on the roads, but it is still a good idea to practise as much as possible, as driving is different when you are not a learner. This will help to build on your skills and help you to develop your confidence, especially when you start driving in unfamiliar places and at different times of the day.

Continue Learning

Following this, you can also continue to learn with further driving courses, which can be a great way to develop your skills and lower the risk of an accident (this can also reduce your insurance premium). There are many different types of further driving courses to consider, such as highway driving lessons and defensive driving courses.

Avoid Distractions

During the early days of your driving career, it is a good idea to keep distractions to a minimum so that you can build your confidence. This might mean turning the stereo down, switching off your phone and avoiding transporting a large group of people, which can add to your stress and anxiety levels.

Shop In The Used-Car Market

If you are looking to buy your first car, then it is always a good idea to shop in the used-car market and from somewhere that checks the prices of used cars. This will help you to find a high-quality, safe and reliable vehicle for a reasonable price, helping you to keep costs down but still drive a good-quality vehicle. You could then look to upgrade once you become a more experienced and confident motorist.

Get To Know Your Car

Automobiles are highly complex machines, particularly nowadays when there are many different types of technology to get to grips with. This is why it is helpful to get to know your car, including how it works, what the different features are and how you can maintain it. This will help you to feel more confident behind the wheel, as well as helping you to keep the car in good condition at all times.

Use Sat Nav

One of the biggest anxieties that people have when they start driving without anyone in the passenger seat is getting lost. This means that having and using a satellite navigation system is smart, because it will stop you from getting lost and provide you with clear, easy-to-follow directions, so that you can focus on the road ahead at all times.

Buy A Dash Cam

A dash cam is helpful for all types of motorists, but especially for inexperienced drivers. In addition to being helpful for having a record of what happened if you are involved in any kind of accident, a dash cam is also helpful because it can help you to analyse your driving performance, and to identify any weaknesses that you might have.

Keep Your Insurance Down

Car insurance is always a major expense, but this particularly the case for new and/or young drivers who are deemed to be higher risk. The good news is that there are a few ways in which you can keep your car insurance premiums down, which can save you a lot of money in the long run, such as:

• Choosing the right vehicle
  
  
• Reducing your mileage
  
  
• Adding safety features
  
  
• Parking in a safe place
  
  
• Increasing your excess payment
  
  
• Adding a named driver
  
  

Pay Attention To What Other Drivers Are Doing

You should always be aware of the other cars around you, but this is also helpful for learning the unwritten rules of the road and helping you to determine how to handle upcoming road situations. Before long, you will start to feel more confident behind the wheel and you will know how to handle various situations.

Passing your test is an incredible feeling but it can also be intimidating to start driving without an instructor. Hopefully, these tips will help to reduce your anxiety, and help you to get your driving career off to a smooth start, so that you can immediately enjoy the level of freedom and independence that driving can bring.