Driving is a vital life skill that everyone (or at least most people) needs to obtain. Even if you don’t own a car, it makes it easier to get around, whether you rent one on vacation or share it with your partner or family. However, driving can also be intimidating and even scary. This feeling mostly applies to new drivers, but some people still struggle to feel confident behind the wheel regardless of their age.
These feelings could be due to a bad experience or having to drive in a new country that has different traffic laws. Whatever your reasons for feeling nervous driving, you could put yourself and others at risk. To overcome this, here are ten tips to boost your confidence behind the wheel.
Get Coverage
Although coverage can’t help you while driving, it can still make you feel more confident while behind the wheel. Sufficient car insurance for growing families can provide that crucial peace of mind you need when you or your kids need to nip to the store or take a quick weekend trip. The coverage should tick all the necessary boxes, including accidental collisions and weather issues, so you can pull out of the driveway at any time and feel safe while also avoiding potential legal problems.
Take Your Time
Too many people are in a rush to get somewhere. This often comes down to poor planning and time management even if traffic is rarely your friend. However, speeding does not make a difference, and if you’ve ever lost a loved one due to a car accident, you know it does much more harm than good. Going faster than you should means you are not focused on all your surroundings. It is also more difficult to take turns safely and stop, which puts you and many others at risk.
Learn the Route
Many people lack confidence while driving because they are worried about making a mistake along the route. They worry about taking a wrong turn and holding up traffic by being in the wrong lane. Learning the route can alleviate these worries, and using a sat nav or smartphone to guide you can give you the confidence you need. However, it’s also worth planning the route, especially if you identify any uncertain turns, slip roads, or intersections that could cause you problems.
Practice More Often
They say that practice makes perfect, so why not get behind the wheel more often to build your confidence? If you have time throughout the day, go for short test drives to make you feel more comfortable driving. It may be better to do this when traffic is light as this can reduce any feelings of anxiety that could affect your driving.
Learn More About Your Vehicle
Every car includes a detailed manual that teaches you everything you need to know about the different features and functions. However, not enough people take the time to read through this manual. This means they don’t know what to do in an unfamiliar situation, such as heavy fog or icy roads. Learning everything about your vehicle helps you overcome these hazards with more confidence.
Try Driving Alone
You won’t need to drive with an instructor or passengers forever. Most of the time, you have to drive alone, such as when going to work or grocery shopping. This is a superb chance to boost your confidence as you only need to worry about yourself, and you can focus solely on driving.
Face Your Fears
There are plenty of scary things you could face while driving. Bad drivers, terrible conditions, and driving on the highway can all cause stress and anxiety, which is no good for staying safe on the road. However, the more you avoid these fears, the worse they will become. You’ll need to face your fears to find out it’s not so bad, but make sure you don’t get too cocky.
Overcome Feeling Pressured
Some drivers can also feel pressure behind the wheel, especially when someone is close to their bumper or when they are trying to park in a busy lot. This pressure can force you to rush, which increases the chance of mistakes and accidents. Instead, ignore the audience, remember your lessons, and take your time. If you focus on what you need to do rather than those around you, you’ll find it easier to complete the maneuver or get to your destination safely. If other drivers give you grief, that’s their problem.
Take Extra Lessons
Even though you’ve passed your driving test, you may have taken a few years off, or your lessons did not cover all the bases. You might have the fundamentals down to get from A to B, but this may not be enough, especially if you’re learning to drive for specific reasons. Extra lessons are a fantastic way for you to boost your confidence as it introduces you to more driving experiences. Your instructor can direct you to the highway or try driving in unusual conditions to boost your confidence or provide a refresher to help you overcome anxiety.
Remove Distractions
Driving distractions cause an array of accidents, and it only takes a second of taking your eyes off the road to rear-end someone or go up the curb. If you aren’t a confident driver, these distractions can make things much worse. Put your phone out of sight, turn the radio down, and ask any passengers to please be quiet when driving down busy streets. This is easier said than done, of course (especially with kids), but as you’re the driver, they should follow your instructions and behave themselves.
Feeling Good
Confidence grows as you become more familiar while driving, but if that hasn’t happened yet, these tips should make it easier for you to drive with purpose. While you shouldn’t whip your car around like a racing driver, you can still feel more assured in every decision you make. Soon enough, you’ll realize this driving lark is easy, so what were you so worried about?
Add Your Comment