As a new driver, you might need tips to conquer your fears about driving and gain confidence because there is always a feeling of uncertainty that comes with being a new inexperienced driver. You have passed the driving tests and gone through the training, but you might still feel less confident when you hold the steering wheel. It’s perfectly normal to feel some type of way when you get to hold the wheels yourself without anyone telling you what to do next. These are a few tips you should know that will help you feel at ease while driving alone for the first time.

PRACTICE

Yes, keep practicing to keep getting better. And don’t just practice driving in empty parking lots. You need to learn to merge onto a busy highway, change lanes in traffic, drive in a city, and handle a car in various weather conditions. If there’s something you don’t like, practice it even more, until you’ve conquered your fears enough to drive safely and with confidence.

GET TO KNOW YOUR CAR

Get familiar with your vehicle; some vehicles have distinct features for control and different buttons too. You need to understand what each button does and what the different lights indicate. This is to avoid confusion, a blinking light could mean something is off or wrong with the car, and ignoring might lead to a crash.

Read: Driving Tips for Professional Drivers

STAY OFF YOUR PHONE WHILE DRIVING

Give no space for distraction! Put your phone away and focus. Also putting your handset on speakerphone and holding it just in front of your mouth as you drive isn’t fooling anyone. Even hands-free car kits aren’t as safe as you think. The mental workload required to have a conversation and process additional thoughts can slow your reaction times, causing you to miss things in front of you or prevent you from being proactive in times of danger.

CHECK YOUR BLIND SPOT, EVERY TIME!

Another mistake new drivers make is that they always forget their blind spots. Your mirrors show you what’s behind you, but they can’t show you what’s just outside of your peripheral vision. Your blind spot, as it’s known, is a pretty large area – big enough for bikes and cars to lurk undetected until the moment you turn right and then bang; either someone’s dead or your car’s all mangled. Do yourself and everyone else a favour – check your blind spot every time you change lane or turn right.

DON’T DRIVE IN SOMEONE ELSE’S BLIND SPOT

As you worry about your blind spot, also be mindful of people in your blind spot. Just because you’re smart enough to check your blind spot doesn’t mean everyone else will. The number of people who change lanes without looking properly is quite staggering, so it is left to you to stay out of other people’s blind spot if you notice you’re cruising along to the right of and slightly behind another car, there’s a good chance they can’t see you. Either accelerate to pull alongside or in front of them, or drop back until you’re sure you can be seen in their mirrors.

SLOW DOWN!

Speeding is one of the leading factors in fatal crashes involving young drivers. Basically, the higher your speed, the less time you have to stop your car, and the worse any impact—and subsequent injuries—will likely be.

Also Read: Dangers of Excessive Speeding While Driving

DON’T TAILGATE.

Following too closely is one of the leading causes of rear-end accidents. Just remember the 3-second rule: Pick an object on the road ahead (like a sign, tree, or overpass), and when the vehicle in front of you passes the object slowly counts “one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand.” If you reach the object before completing the count, you’re following too closely.

And In case of accidents, breakdowns, or other emergencies, your car should always contain important driving documents and an emergency kit with everything you’d need for an extended time in your vehicle. Always be prepared!