There’s nothing more exhilarating than hitting the open road and cruising down the highway. That feeling is even sweeter if you’re a new driver.
But driving a car requires a lot of focus and attention, especially when you’re not sure what to do next. That’s why many automakers are introducing driver-assistance features in their cars today.
Stopping
Stopping is one of the most important driving skills to master. It helps you avoid getting into accidents or being involved in a collision.
There are many factors that affect how fast you can stop your car, including road conditions, tyre tread depth and your driving style. However, the most important factor is your own reaction time.
Your reaction time is the amount of time it takes for you to realise that you are in danger and to take action to stop your car. Studies show that it takes an average driver from half a second to three-quarters of a second to perceive a need to brake, and another three-quarters of a second to move your foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal.
This is why it’s crucial to try to keep as much distance between you and the car in front of you as possible. The distance between you and the vehicle in front is known as your ‘stopping distance’.
Leaving an extra gap is important regardless of the weather, road condition or your reaction time, but it’s even more vital when it’s wet or snowy. The braking distance is twice as long in wet conditions and ten times as long on snow or ice.
In dry weather you can get away with leaving a gap of two seconds, but it’s best to leave an extra four or five. This is because it will be less difficult to spot the problem that you need to brake for.
Turning
When it comes to driving, turning is a very important skill to have. Turning correctly can make your journey more enjoyable and safer.
It is also one of the most challenging tasks you will face on the road, as it requires a great deal of concentration. It is a known fact that improper or careless turning can lead to crashes. In fact, in 2017, 459 crashes involving drivers age 17 in Pennsylvania were caused by improper or careless turning.
There are many factors that go into making a good turn, including the speed of your car and how you steer it. The best way to make a good turn is to slow down to an appropriate speed and then slowly begin the turn. You should also maintain a steady pace during the entire turn.
A good turning maneuver involves using both of your hands to control the wheel, which is why it is called the push and pull method. The most important thing to remember is to never take your hands off the wheel while you are making a turn.
A good turn also involves braking in the right place at the right time to avoid accidents. This is especially important if you are turning on or off a ramp. The best way to do this is to carefully scrub off most of the unwanted speed on the straight and only lightly apply your brake or accelerator while on the turn.
Acceleration
Whether you’re driving in a tight corner, passing someone in a highway lane or changing lanes on an expressway, acceleration is necessary to get your car going. This is where the gas pedal comes in handy, and a lot of systems and components work together to make sure your engine is getting all the power it needs.
The speed of your vehicle increases when you push the gas pedal, but the amount of pressure you apply to it depends on the situation. Accelerating smoothly will give you the best fuel economy. It also releases the least amount of fuel, and allows your engine to burn only as much as it needs to keep you moving.
Faster accelerations require more force than smooth, so they are only used when necessary, like when you need to merge onto an expressway or pass a lane of traffic at high speed. But slamming your foot down on the accelerator pedal too suddenly can cause a wheel spin, and could cause an accident or skid.
For this reason, it is important to understand how your vehicle’s acceleration affects your performance on the road. You can improve your acceleration sense by knowing what factors cause the most strain on your system and how to regulate that pressure to maximize safety, comfort and fuel economy.
Lane Changes
When you are driving a car, you need to take a lot of care. One of the most important things you can do to ensure that your vehicle is safe is to change lanes correctly.
This can be difficult at times and there are many different factors to consider. For instance, there may be cars in the other lane that are minding their own business and are unaware of your move.
If this is the case, it is always best to wait until they give you permission to change before making your move. You don’t want to find yourself in a collision with someone who was simply trying to get out of the way.
To avoid this, you can make sure that the lane you wish to change into is clear by checking your mirrors and blind spots. Once you have checked them, you can then turn on your indicator and slowly steer into the lane.
Changing lanes is often done quickly and unconsciously, so it is important to be aware of the potential hazards that you could face if you are not careful. This is especially true if you are driving a busy road or if there are large trucks or other vehicles in the area.
The lane change process is affected by the distance between the rear of the vehicle and your front, so it is important to use a large relative distance when changing lanes. As a rule of thumb, you should have about a half or two full car lengths behind the vehicle that you want to change into depending on the speed of your drive.
Blind Spots
When driving a car, you must always be aware of the areas around your vehicle that you cannot see. These are called blind spots and they affect your driving performance significantly.
Most vehicles have rear-view mirrors that can cover most of the area surrounding your vehicle. But not all vehicles have these mirrors, and the size of a vehicle may also impact the size of its blind spot.
Small passenger cars, for example, may have smaller blind spots than larger trucks and vans. However, these vehicles will still have trouble locating a motorcyclist, bicycle, or pedestrian that pulls into their blind spot and hovers in it for an extended period of time.
Large trucks, on the other hand, have significant blind spots that can easily trap a driver who’s trying to pass them. This is a dangerous situation, and you should avoid it whenever possible.
Moreover, you must be careful when changing lanes or turning off a road. You must check your blind spots before making any changes so that you don’t end up in an accident. This means looking over your shoulder in the direction you need to turn, and then taking a quick glance at your side mirror before moving forward.
The 3-Second Rule
The 3-second rule is a common safe driving practice that can help prevent car accidents. It’s an easy-to-follow rule that helps drivers maintain a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of them.
Drivers often rear-end other vehicles because they follow too closely to the vehicle in front of them. The reason is that without sufficient space between cars, drivers can’t react quickly enough to stop if the vehicle in front of them suddenly brakes or slows down.
One way to determine how far you need to be following another vehicle is to select a fixed object on the road, such as a speed limit sign or mile marker. As the other vehicle passes this object, count the seconds it takes for your car to reach the same landmark.
When the car in front of you reaches the landmark before your vehicle is able to reach it, you’re following too close. This can be especially dangerous for passenger vehicles, which have slower reaction times than larger vehicles.
Although the 3-second rule is a good general guideline for establishing a safe following distance, it’s important to adjust it based on your speed and weather conditions. For example, drivers should increase their following distance when they are driving at night, during heavy traffic or during adverse weather conditions like rain and fog.