It’s about the time of year that we start seeing more students on the road. Driving by yourself will be a little different than when you have your parents in the car. There are lots of good-to-know concepts ideas or laws that are good to keep in mind when you’re new to driving. A key concept of being on the road isn’t always how you drive, but how you feel. If you’re upset or angry, it is common to drive more offensively rather than a defensive driving style.

Defensive driving is typically going to be the safest choice. 

Students finding new cars can be a complicated process, Though more knowledge and caution can allow you to have the best chances of getting the best deal on the best car in your budget. Knowing what car you want exactly helps when doing research. Whether or not you want a particular brand/manufacturer or vehicle type narrowing down your options and doing lots of research will help you the most. Trucks are becoming an excellent option for a new vehicle, because of their current efficiency and versatility, though they might not best fit your needs.

The speed limit is a very self-explanatory law that sometimes can be frustrating. Maybe it’s somebody going too fast, maybe slower than the speed limit. It’s best overall for your gas mileage and engine life to go the recommended speed, and/or the flow of traffic. Some new drivers will also struggle with consistency, whether or not it’s staying in one place in the lane, or keeping a consistent speed. Most vehicles these days have optional cruise control to help keep a consistent speed, though there is a risk with using it. Some drivers fall asleep at the wheel when using cruise control. Some drivers get in accidents because they expect to slow down when coasting. Though you will find that it has a time and place to be used and experimented with.

Other drivers may cause a distraction or create hazards on the roadways. For example, somebody swerving in and out of traffic or passing multiple cars at once. This can be very scary for new drivers. It’s important to remain calm, and focus on your lane position and speed. Many drivers you see on the roadways are illegally driving, whether or not it’s a non-valid license or if they’re under the influence, so it is always a good idea to assume that the cars on the road aren’t always going to drive in a safe manner or make the right split-second decisions. Always be watching for potential hazards, like a driver waiting their turn to get onto a highway. They always could try to pull out in front of you so be prepared with your foot hovering over the brake.

Driving is the most dangerous concept that we do on a day-to-day basis, because it’s such a common activity it’s very important that we are making sure that we know how to be as safe as possible on the roadways. Accidents are almost guaranteed to ruin your day and can leave permanent damage to your body. Stay Safe out there and good luck Seahawks!