The main trouble with writing articles about driving skills is that the best way to learn about driving is to do despite reading various articles. However, it is always better to be armed with theoretical information before starting to learn something practically. Hopefully, this article will provide you main information of car controlling.
It is necessary to remember that every year in the USA thousands of people are injured on roads, either passengers or pedestrians. These accidents could be prevented if both, new and experienced, drivers kept basic driving skills they had to be taught. We offer you a new approach to safe driving which combines the right attitude with defensive driving skills. It will help all of us to be safer on the road.
Pay Attention to Your Attitude
The first basic skill you have to acquire as a driver is a positive attitude to other drivers. For every driver it is very important to remember that he drives a potentially lethal weapon. Always try to be in a good mood at wheel and don’t become irritated at other drivers’ bad road behavior. Staying patient on the road is necessary key for any basic driving skill. Besides, if you are cool, you can easily concentrate on any potential danger ahead. You must learn to read the road and this will help you to drive carefully and safe.
Setting Up
To drive and control a car properly it is good to be in the right position. Have you ever observed the driver’s position in old films? Those old-style virtuosos drove their vehicles in the seat-way-back position when the straight arms were employed. That is not the best possible variant as very little leverage is available. Best is to have the seat adjusted so that your arms are slightly bent at the elbows when you’re holding the wheel at the ten-to-two or quarter-to-three position. Also, be sure that you hold the wheel tightly enough for your palms not to slip off.
Mirrors and Blind Spot
Mirrors are very important aspects of driving. Drivers should check their interior and exterior mirrors at least every 6-8 seconds. The inside mirror gives you a picture of what is happening behind you. The wing mirrors provide you with the wider view. Being aware of what’s going on behind you is often considered not so important, while it is just necessary to know whether the cars behind you are too close, too fast or trying to overtake. However, mirrors, though very useful, are unable to provide us with all-round vision. So, the blind spot check is one of the most crucial checks conducted in driving. Always look over your right shoulder before moving off, as the blind spot is a huge area that is otherwise not visible.
There are two variants of correct fixing of your car’s mirrors. You can either have the mirrors adjusted so that you can see the door-handles, or, alternatively, you can have them angled out to cover the blind-spots better.
To set the mirrors up for blind-spotting, park the car and then have someone walk around in both the left and right-hand blind spots. Adjust the mirrors so that the person is in view, and then check which areas around the car remain invisible. Set the mirrors very carefully as the sloghtes changes in their position can alter the vision. Mind also the changes caused by bumps and vibration.
Controlling the Car
If you drive a car you should be familiarized with every button in the car. This will add you some more confidence. The most necessary car maintenance areas to learn are:
1. where the oil, brake fluid, engine coolant and window washer reservoirs are;
2. how to fill them.
Also it will be useful to know more about car tires to be able to change a flat in case of emergency.
Road Signs, Signals and Marking
Perfect knowledge of Highway Code is the most important component of basic driving skills. You can’t sit at wheel without knowing what each road sign means. Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the road markings you see around, as sometimes they can be quite confusing at the first sight. If it is difficult for you to understand the meaning of some road signs and markings by yourself, don’t be upset. There is a great deal of helpful guides helping you not to be confused about road markings.
Be Ready For the Unexpected
Anticipation and planning are the most important features of experienced drivers. If you are a beginner you should learn to anticipate what is happening ahead as soon as possible to be prepared for it.
* Remember that green light changes rather quickly;
* Learn to recognize hazards, such as overtaking parked vehicles;
* Check mirrors when approaching pedestrian crossing to stop if necessary;
* Watch all other road users, especially cyclists and pedestrians
Hit the Road
The last, but not the least point before you hit the road is to make sure that all the devices for communication with other road users work. We don’t mean the mobile phone but horn, brake-lights, indicators and headlight flasher. You should check their operation from time to time.
The list of tips mentioned above is not completed. There is a great deal of road rules and all of them are of greater importance. But if you can learn some of the basic driving skills you’ll be able to work out your own experience on the road, and others who travel with you, will be far more enjoyable. You’ll also contribute to making the US roads a safer place, which is of benefit to us all.