Now you have your shiny pink driving license and a sense of pride after passing your driving test, and it makes absolutely perfect sense that you are ready to get out there on the road and discover the freedom and independence that come with owning and driving a car.
Whether you elected to take additional courses, such as a qualification in motorway driving, or else feel confident to drive locally or even to another city straight away, there are many important things to know as a newly qualified driver; here are four of them.
1. Spend Time Driving Alone
Firstly, even though the temptation to show your new car off to your friends and family as a new driver, it makes much more practical sense to get to know the vehicle by driving alone, even if you only drive around your local town.
This way, you will be able to work out how best to deal with a variety of different situations, such as braking on a hill, finding the right balance, parking, and keeping the engine revs down in a traffic jam without peer pressure or distraction.
2. Leave the Music Off to Start With
When watching any kind of Hollywood movie set in the modern day, when the protagonist and their friends are driving through the city or countryside, they are always listening to music suitable for a road trip.
With the tunes blasting and the wind in their hair, it looks as if driving like this is the easiest thing in the entire world, whereas, in reality, it takes practice to drive so effortlessly. This is why, at least for the first week or so, especially on your first foray onto the motorway, it is best to listen to the engine rather than your favourite band.
3. Keep Everything Organised!
As exciting as it is to pick up a couple of friends and head to the seaside within the first week of passing your test, it is also important to keep all paper documentation, especially the details pertaining to your car, in a safe and accessible place.
Furthermore, to keep your car insurance to as low a price as possible, ensure you also keep your no-claims information safe. In the future, should you want to upgrade your car yet keep your number plate, find out all about how to transfer a registration, too.
4. Always Adhere to the Two-Second Rule
The fourth and final tip is applicable in nearly all situations, save for when you are in a traffic jam in the inner city and sitting in a traffic queue with the handbrake on, and that is to adhere to the two-second rule.
Essentially, this means that you should always look to keep enough space, around two seconds of time, between yourself and your own car and the vehicle in front, which will provide you with much more time to react should there be an issue or the car in front of you brakes suddenly.
