So, you’ve passed your driving test and you’re ready to start shipping your friends back and forth from the movies. Congrats! But don’t forget, with great power comes great responsibility – so here are some top tips for staying safe on the road.
Make sure your car is well-maintained
It’s easy to be a little cavalier about regular car check-ups when everything seems to be working fine, but often a problem can get worse so gradually that you actually don’t notice it – but a mechanic would. Regular checkups on your car will stop problems developing before they become a big issue, and what’s more, they’ll save you money in the long run because you won’t have to fork out for new parts when the ones you have are kept in good working order. You should try to get your car checked about once every six months, especially if it’s an old car.
Plan ahead
Leave yourself plenty of time to get where you’re going, so there’s no reason for you to be tempted to go over the speed limit or take any unnecessary shortcuts. Even if you’re a great driver, it takes years to gain enough experience to make good judgement calls about when it’s okay to rush a little bit or make an unexpected turn – so just don’t put yourself in a situation where you might be tempted to do so.
A truck’s no-zone
You’ve probably heard about avoiding a truck’s no-zone – but what is a no-zone? Basically, a no-zone is the blind-spot a truck has, which means areas where it wouldn’t be able to see if there was another vehicle present. The no-zones for a truck are directly in front of the cab, directly behind the vehicle, and two wings to either side. If you’re travelling inside any of these zones, then you’re much more likely to end up in a collision. If you’re ahead of or behind a truck in a traffic jam, make sure to leave a good 30 feet between you and them, and if you do ever need to overtake a truck make sure to give them a very wide berth and honk your horn so they know you’re there.
Obviously, you’re occasionally going to find yourself on a stretch of empty, straight road and go a tiny bit fast – and some days you will be late leaving somewhere, it happens. But to give yourself the best chance of staying safe and well follow these three tips, never drink and drive, and above all, follow the rules of the road.
