From the moment you take your first few driving lessons, you know it’s something you will want to do for the entirety of your life. It’s an exciting time in the life of everyone who gains their learners license. But what happens once you’ve finished your driving lessons and said goodbye to your driving instructor? What’s next? Perhaps a big surprise if you don’t sit down and read our top 10 mistakes new drivers often make!
First on our list is texting while driving! New laws have come into effect that now make this illegal and it’s no wonder they made this law! There was an upsurge in traffic accidents as the use of mobile phones increased during the early the mid 2000′s. Do yourself a favour and pull over to the side of the road if you must send a message or wait until you’re home to read your SMS.
Drink driving is a mistake anyone of any age can make but it’s often one young people make without realising. The term “drink driving” doesn’t necessarily mean you must feel the effects the alcohol is having on your system. There is often alcohol in medications such as cough syrup which is more than enough to put you over the limit. Imagine the shock and horror of losing your licence because you had cough medicine for a sore throat. Check the alcohol content of anything you eat and drink if you plan to drink and are still on your learners or provisional licence.
Do you remember a commercial advertisement on TV that ran often and repeated itself constantly? It went like this. “Wear a seat belt, wear a seat belt, wear a seat belt, wear a seat belt”. Get the point? Great! Wear your seat belt whenever you’re behind the wheel. It doesn’t matter if you’re only going down the shops for a few items. Besides saving your life, it’ll save you money if you are pulled over by the police. 2 things for the price of none! Bonus!
Did you have yourself a HUGE weekend and are feeling the effects of those parties come Monday morning? Fatigue is a big killer on our roads and it’s a huge factor in many car accidents of which many are fatal. A micro sleep can be the end of you within seconds. It’s important to be attentive and fresh when you’re a new driver because you lack much experience that only comes with time.
When someone cuts you off in traffic, it can be REALLY frustrating. In fact, it can be so frustrating that people flip out and go into a state of road rage. What’s sadder is you don’t have to be the one in a bad mood to feel the effects of road rage. The best thing to do when confronted with someone who is experiencing road rage is to lock your car doors, avoid eye contact and don’t say or do anything to further agitate them. Quietly drive away and don’t panic!
Be sure to check back with the driving school directory in the next few days to read our remaining advice for new drivers.