Helpful Tips for Young Drivers

Getting your driver’s license is a big step for young person, but it’s not something to be taken lightly. Driving is a huge responsibility that puts you in control of your own safety and the safety of others. After all, your actions on the road affect you, your passengers and anyone else on the road.

So, here are some helpful tips for young drivers that might find useful when they’re still finding their feet.

Get to know your car
During your lessons, you’ll have gotten comfortable driving your instructor’s car, and it’s what you’re used to driving with. So, when you get your own car, make sure you take some time to adjust to driving your own car.

While the main controls will largely be the same, other buttons and controls may differ, so you’ll need to get used to the layout and controls. Knowing these little details and being familiar with your car is what’s going to help prevent a panic or crash on the road.

Get some experience driving in bad weather
Here in the UK especially, you never know when you could be in for a spell of bad weather. Wind, rain, snow and ice are just some of the bad conditions you’ll have to drive in at some point, and the sooner you get some experience of this, the better. Driving in bad weather is unavoidable, but if you’re nervous, then it could also be a recipe for disaster. Better to get it out of the way and get comfortable with it as soon as you can.

Have a named driver on your insurance
Having a named driver on your policy is always a good idea, as you never know when you might need someone else to drive for you. Having someone who is a more experienced and confident driver named on your policy is a good safety net and won’t negatively affect your policy at all. It just means that if for whatever reason, you need someone else to drive your car, you have someone who can.

Get some experience driving on motorways
Many drivers, even experienced ones, are scared of driving on the motorway. However, being able to confidently drive on the motorway is a skill that it’s important you learn. If you plan to commute or use your car for long journeys, then you’ll no doubt have to use the motorway at some point. Accidents can happen very easily on the motorway, so getting experience early and allowing yourself to get comfortable with it, is vital.

Don’t get distracted
When you’re a new driver, we know it can be fun and exciting. You want to have your music up and windows down, enjoying the freedom your new car gives you. You’ll also probably want to take your friends or family out and about and show off your new wheels. However, make sure you aren’t getting distracted when you’re driving. Distractions lead to crashes which is the last thing you need at any point, but especially when you’re a new driver, as this can push your insurance premium up very high.

Being a new driver can be intimidating at the best of times, so we hope these tips can help you feel a bit more confident in your abilities. Be a responsible driver, don’t get distracted and be mindful of other drivers.