It takes time and diligence to perfect a skill, whether it’s a hobby, a sport, or something more serious like safely operating a vehicle. Teens and first-time drivers must prioritize the need to practice safe driving techniques without distraction. Here’s a helpful checklist to follow once you get your license.

Study a Proper Driver’s Education Course to Learn the Essentials

Of course, a new driver will need to pass the required exams to earn the right to drive - including the learners permit test! But cramming for a test and really absorbing the information are not equivalent. Data has shown that new drivers are eight times more likely to crash or have a near miss during their first three months as a licensed driver than during the first three months of driving with a learner’s permit.

Downloading actually makes it fun to build on your driving knowledge since it’s formatted like a game, but also clearly illustrates the consequences of unsafe driving. A new driver who spends time with the app each day will not only be better informed, but also more confident about getting on the road.

Don’t Overestimate Your Ability To Drive

A driving refresher app like Zutobi can help you learn and remember safe driving techniques, and that knowledge is certainly indispensable before you get behind the wheel. But you can’t know everything about driving until you spend a considerable amount of time on the road. Acknowledge that you have a lot to learn about navigating your vehicle among the other cars and trucks - skills that you’ll acquire only through many hours of practice. As a new driver, you’ll need to humbly accept that you will not be a skilled one immediately after acquiring your license.

Stand Strong Against Friend and Peer Group Pressure

Learning to drive and earning a license is a rite of passage, and sometimes teen drivers will try to impress their friends by showing off and mocking safety rules. It’s often during the first few months on the road that a number of teens will shirk off safety rules when members of their peer group are passengers.

A couple of studies indicated that teen drivers engage in more risky behavior when they invite multiple passengers from their peer group. The first study noted that thrill-seeking teens often invited members of their peer group to accompany them as passengers, increasing the likelihood of an accident. The second study found that teens who were involved in serious car crashes were likely distracted by their passengers prior to the crash.  The numbers are much more pronounced for male teen drivers, who were nearly six times more likely to try to impress their friends and two times as likely to drive aggressively prior to an accident.

Parents should keep these statistics in mind and discourage their teens from driving with multiple passengers.

Focus on Driving

As the previous tip explained, distracted driving can very easily lead to a crash. It’s one of the critical errors that teens make that are associated with serious car accidents. In fact, seventy-five percent of teens’ serious crashes are due to critical errors.

Two other critical errors are speeding and not scanning the road for potential hazards. While speeding will always be characterized as an unsafe practice, it’s especially dangerous for novice drivers to engage in this kind of behavior. New drivers haven’t acquired enough knowledge about how long it takes for a vehicle to stop when decelerating from a high speed. Failure to scan the road ahead of you and your periphery can also hamper your ability to react in time to avoid an accident. New drivers can be safe drivers when they know what are the biggest critical errors and how to avoid them.

Don’t Use a Mobile Phone While Driving - Not Even Hands-Free

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that texting while driving increases the risk of an accident by 23 times. It’s certainly not a good idea of anybody to text while driving - let alone a new driver.

But what about hands-free devices? The concept of a hands-free mobile phone can make some people think it’s safe to use while driving. Perhaps more experienced drivers can successfully multitask driving and interacting with their phones (although that’s a big presumption). However, as stated above, new drivers should focus only on driving. 

Even though hands-free mobile use allows you to keep your hands on the wheel, it does force you to direct your attention to something other than driving. You’re not likely to need your phone while driving when you’re first starting out, so have it accessible for when your car is stopped, but silence it while your vehicle is in motion. 

Drive at a Speed That’s Safe for Current Conditions

Unfortunately, too many people view the number posted on the sign as an average rather than the maximum speed you’re permitted to drive. Sure, there is a danger in driving too slowly, but it’s much more hazardous to attempt to keep up with the rest of traffic when road conditions warrant slowing down. 

It’s especially critical to drive according to road conditions when you’re a beginning driver. You may not be experienced enough to know how much time you’ll need to come to a stop when the pavement is wet or icy, so don’t take risks with your speed.

Get Used to Driving Before Going on Long Trips

A long car trip can be exhausting and stressful if you’re not an experienced driver. It’s advised that new drivers practice their skills by taking shorter journeys before they attempt to spend many hours on the road. Because fatigue - and possibly nausea - can occur on a long driving trip, it’s best if you feel secure as a driver prior to taking on an extended driving challenge.

When you do make that first long road trip, make sure you’re prepared for a potential emergency and know who to get in touch with if you get stranded. Pack your car with water, non-perishable food, blankets, flares, and a first-aid kit. If you don’t have the tools or knowledge to repair your vehicle, make sure you know who you'll call for help. And don’t drive for extended stretches without taking breaks.  For every two hours you’re on the road, stop and rest for at least fifteen minutes. Safe driving demands that you stay alert and focused, so it’s essential to rest when you become tired.

About The Author

Tim Waldenback is the co-founder of Zutobi Drivers Ed, a gamified e-learning platform focused on online drivers education to help teens get their license. Tim founded Zutobi to make world-class driver's education fun, affordable, and easily accessible for all.