Driving is a great life skill that is not all about being particularly skilled to run a vehicle. Rather, it’s more about your confidence to take road trips.
You can’t drive like an expert just after passing a driving test. It will take enough time and practice to learn how to drive and to do it self-confident.
Just have patience and try to build up your confidence. Yet, there isn’t any magic to build up your confidence in driving overnight.
There are some steps you can take to improve your confidence while driving.
Here are seven tips to help you become a more confident driver. Hopefully, these tips will assist you to reduce driving anxiety, calm your nerves and give you confidence while driving.
7 Easy Tips to Gain Confidence in Driving
-
Know Your Vehicle
Initially, you have to know about the basics of your vehicle. This is the simplest tip to improve your confidence in driving as a new driver. Knowing the basics can ensure that you stay confident while driving.
In addition, it is necessary to know your car inside and outside well to feel comfortable. Familiarise yourself with all the buttons and switches, what each of them do.
For example, you have to know exactly where the headlight switch and indicator button are located. Similarly, know where your hazard lights are and when you should use the windscreen washer. Where is the horn, the radio, the button to open the fuel flap?
Moreover, you have to walk around your vehicle to know its size and dimensions. So that you can measure the space better while parking at busy parking places. Check your seat, seatbelt and then pay attention to rest other things.
Once you know well you’re a four-wheel vehicle, you’ll gain more confidence in driving. You won’t feel any stress driving your vehicle when you’re familiar with it.
-
Practice Makes Perfect
The best practical way to gain confidence in anything is continually practising it. To rule it, you can increase your confidence in driving.
You’ll know new techniques about driving when you continue to drive daily. Remember that, the more you drive, the more confidence you will get on the road. Just simply start with your streets, learn every turn on driving. Primarily, select a time when the roads are less busy. Then, make a habit to drive anywhere only for 10-15 minutes. Later, drive out on the highway when it’s not too busy. Once comfortable with the condition, then try to take out in the time of busy hours.
Probably, driving after the sunset is one of the most challenging situations since it’s dark. Hence, you should practice driving at night into your nearby roads. This will teach you to drive into the dark along with the car light.
Moreover, you have to do different practices to teach yourself with all types of conditions. For example, you can take your car for a drive during heavy rains. Furthermore, always try to park your car at several parking spots at the time of practice. It will improve your confidence to park anytime your car is anywhere.
Remember, confidence can’t come on overnight, practice is the key to become a confident driver. So, practice as much as possible is the best method to gain confidence in driving.
-
Know Your Route
Probably, you’re not paying much attention on the route until you start yourself driving. Even in your driving lessons, you’re more focusing on the driving than the route. One of the sudden realisations comes is that you realize you have no idea about the routes.
Knowing where you are going is the part of the step to getting there. So, know your route before driving and get yourself there with confidence. You can use your car navigation to increase your confidence. For example, search the route via Google Maps, then go on there. You can also take some help from the road signs and key landmarks.
Man makes mistakes, so never expect to not make any mistakes during this journey. Once you get off the wrong street it’s ok, take a break and stay cool. Intelligent people must take any lesson from every single mistake.
Pay attention to your surroundings and you’ll find your way back. Once you have enough time, you can take an experimental drive to know your new route. This will give you a real experience on the route where you want to go.
-
Take Necessary Brakes
The brakes are one of the most vital parts of your vehicle. Brakes work to slow down and stop your car on the road. You are not able to stop your car without working it timely. This can occur at any risk of small to major accidents. Hence, learning to take brakes instantly is very important for safe driving.
Never be afraid of using the brakes, because brakes earlier are safer than taking brakes later. Simply start slow down to stop sooner once you are on the drive. It will help you to learn how much time you need to stop. This will also really help you to feel confident behind the wheel.
When you feel a bit bored, there is a need to brakes your vehicle and get some break. Once you feel stressed at any step, stop and pull over for a short rest. You can refresh your body and mind by taking a short time break. You can also drink some water to hydrate yourself. It’s really necessary for your body and helps you to focus on restarting.
-
Take Advanced Technology
Today’s is the time of modern technology with unique equipment. Modern vehicles are equipped with the latest features for safe driving. They’re a great opportunity to take advantage from these driving aids.
All of the modern vehicles come with a lot of safety features and driver’s aids kit. One thing is thinkable here, driving aids come with your car. But, you have to learn how to use it when you want to take any advantage.
Blind Spot Monitor or Emergency Collision Autonomous Engine Braking such features need an ability to use them. Smart use of safety features remarkably reduces the risks of accidents.
Additionally, you can buy hands-free some items once your car isn’t suited to such technology. As an example, hands-free kit, parking sensor with reversing camera make your driving more safer. Take advantage of technology also makes it easier for a new driver to learn driving skills rapidly. When you know that your car can assist to make your journey safer, you gain confidence driving.
-
Destruct All of Distractions
Distractions are your biggest enemy since you aren’t an expert driver. On that account don’t involve yourself in many distractions. Even once you’re expert enough, there are some law prohibited activities. One common example is using your mobile phone during driving. It’s illegal, no matter how expert you are in driving. So, keep your mobile phone in the glove box or any other compartment.
Sometimes, you can also switch off your mobile phone if it’s possible. Another option is, you can connect the mobile phone with your vehicle’s audio system. There you can answer your call with hands-free modem. But, it can make you distracted as you are a new driver.
Playing music can also be considered as a distraction, especially when you are listening to it loud. Keep the volume as you can enjoy but as you can hear what’s going around the road. You can’t hear the nearby vehicle horns until you keep the volume low. Anything you may need, do it either earlier or wait until you reach your destination. Take everything you need so that you are not distracted from driving. Destructing the distraction will gain your confidence when you are behind the wheel.
-
Stay Relaxed and Cool
Finally, keep the environment as relaxed as possible to feel confident. Firstly, you have to find out your ideal driving position. You can try different available options and thus settle for the most suitable one. A comfortable position can give you the confidence that’s important for driving.
Keep your sight on the mirror after settling on a proper position. Side-view mirror (wing mirror) helps you to see behind the areas of your vehicle. This will allow you to see all closing cars from behind.
Moreover, always make sure your car is free from all unwanted junk. For this reason, declutter your car and make neat and clean it. You can’t focus properly when anything falls over the car while driving.
Further, always try to avoid wearing bulky jackets at the time of driving. These can increase your body temperature as a result, you get nervous. Furthermore, restrict your movement and make it difficult to drive your car efficiently. All-around impacts are making you more uncomfortable for your driving.
Conclusion
Driving can be scary whether you’re a new driver on behind the wheel. You feel nervous and some lack confidence about driving.
However, you can take all of the confidence tips to gain confidence driving. Take tips at your trip and improve your confidence behind the wheel over time.
You can boost yourself as a self-sufficient new driver by proper practising. Remember, confidence can’t come on overnight, practice is the key to become a confident driver. The more you drive, the more confidence you can earn on the road.
In the end, you’ll become a confident driver for a comfortable drive.
Happy Driving!
“Journey of a thousand miles begins from a single step.”