Know your surroundings
So, you’ve learned the basics of how to drive. You’ve driven around a huge, empty car park and you’ve covered every back street in your suburb. You’re an expert on every little button in the car.
That’s great. All those fundamentals – how to give way, how to merge, how intersections work – are really important. But like anything new and complicated, doing it in the real world is different to doing it in a learning environment.
Once you’ve passed your Practical Driving Assessment and got your P’s, you’re going to be exposed to more complex driving situations than you were when you were learning.
That’s why it’s a good idea to get as much experience as possible.
Before you start to tackle some more complicated scenarios, here are some tips.
Know your surroundings
One of the trickiest situations – and most dangerous – is wet weather. When it’s raining, choose a familiar route and practice. Another way to get practice is to go back to driving around a big, empty car park in wet weather.
When you’re ready to start driving in peak hour traffic, stick to familiar routes so you’re not overwhelmed by an unfamiliar space as well as the heavier traffic.
Increased traffic doesn’t just mean more cars – it can mean bicycles and pedestrians as well. Cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians are far more vulnerable to injury than people in cars, so try and be as aware as possible of where you are on the road. When you’re driving on local and suburban roads, watch for children who may be on or near the road. Practice spotting these less obvious road users and drive more cautiously when you see them.
Being aware of your surroundings doesn’t just mean just what’s in front of you – it also means understanding how the road quality can affect your driving. Uneven surfaces or gravel roads can feel very different to drive on than smooth roads, and they also provide different tyre grip. Always be aware of the surface you’re driving on. If you need to take it slow, take it slow.
Driving in complex situations can be stressful. That means as a learner driver, you’ll probably get more tired than an experienced driver. Fatigue can be dangerous, so don’t bite off more than you can chew.
The easiest thing to remember is that to be aware and avoid potential hazards is that more space and less speed are always a good bet. By driving slower, you’ll have more time to react to any difficult situations and be more likely to make the right choice. Each year, 39% of fatalities involved speeding.
Finally, the most important thing to remember is that all those other cars have drivers in them. They may be more experienced drivers, but they’re still human like you. When driving, be predictable. Don’t rush for that green light. Don’t cut off that other driver. Everyone else on the road is looking to avoid hazards, so try and not become one yourself.