Passing your driving test is a huge milestone in your life that you’ll never forget. The moment you are handed your licence feels like the ultimate ticket of freedom. Whether you just passed your driving test recently or you know someone who has, there are a few things you need to know before you hit the roads in a hurry. You need to know what to do if you experience an accident on the road; you also need to be warned about the dangers of drink driving. Although these pieces of advice seem obvious, it is so important to remind new drivers of these things as soon as they pass.
1.Don’t Drive Alone for the First Time After Your Test
Wanting to hop straight into your car as soon as you’ve passed your test is tempting, however you are going to feel a little scared. This is completely normal, but it also means you should definitely take someone along with you for your first ride. Driving alone for the first time without an instructor is surreal, so make sure you ease yourself into it.
2. Deal With Accidents Calmly and Rationally
At some point in your life you may be involved in an accident on the road. It doesn’t matter how minor the incident is, you will need to deal with it calmly and rationally. Take a look at the crash report, contact your insurance provider, take the details of the other parties involved and try to obtain witnesses if you can. Your first accident will inevitably knock you back a little bit so it’s important to stay rational throughout the entire process.
3. Stick to the Speed Limit
Speed limits are there for a reason, so make sure you adhere to the rules. Driving quickly and overtaking in dangerous spots is not big or clever. You could be putting many innocent people at risk if you make irrational decisions behind the wheel.
4. Don’t Ever Drink and Drive
When you’ve been at the pub with a couple of friends it may seem harmless to hop into your car and take yourself home. If you have had even one alcoholic drink, your reaction times are going to be significantly lower. If you know you have to drive home steer clear from alcohol altogether; if you want to enjoy a beer, call a taxi to get you home safely.
5. Turn off Your Mobile Phone
You probably know how important it is to keep your phone tucked away safely when you’re driving. Turning it off completely is the only way to remove temptation already. Looking down at your phone for a split second can endanger lives so don’t do it.
Hopefully, this advice resonates with you and is useful to other people who have passed their driving test recently. All in all, you need to make sure that you follow the rules of the road carefully. Being a good driver is all about taking others into consideration more so than yourself. As soon as you have had experience on the road, all of these things should become second nature to you.
