These bad habits persist long after you take your driver’s test.
Driving teachers meet us when we are most panicked and anxious behind the wheel.
Heres what they shared:
1.
They dont pay attention in traffic.
New drivers do not scan their environment enough for hazards.
Driving a car physically is not that difficult.
Its all thinking, planning, anticipating.
Instead, right before you enter the intersection, you are supposed to glance in all directions.
This lack of focus is one of the most hazardous mistakes all drivers need to unlearn.
Even seasoned drivers can make the mistake of zoning out or looking down at their phones.
Their mind is inHawaii, and you cant do that when you drive.
They dont look over their shoulder before changing lanes.
They roll through stop signs.
And one of those mistakes is rolling through stop signs.
Speeding is the reason for nearly a third of all fatalities on the road,according to the NHTSA.
Tailgating is a bad habit that drivers of all experience levels make.
Some people are just chronic tailgaters.
Theyre just aggressive and rude and mean, Thomas said.
But I think everyone at some point has either done it or has also been a victim of it.
They signal too late or too early.
Frank said another common mistake new drivers make is improper signaling.
That said, improper signaling happens with drivers of all experiences.
Take parallel parking as one common example.
They dont know where to look.
Too often, new drivers only look over the cars hood instead of looking out for whats next.
And that gives you a better view than looking at thelicense plateor the ground.
Its just you, the wheel, and where you want to be, Pupo said.
Even after you pass your drivers test, the work is not over.
Each time you drive, you oughta stay alert.
He also said that parents teaching their kids how to drive should say, Brake.
Talk about how you drive while youre doing it.
Can you feel that?
So that the student starts realizing, Oh, this is where theyre starting to brake.
If youre looking for a good driving instructor…
Use references.
Ask questions about how they learn and teach.
Is the lesson 100% private?
You also want to ask about what vehicles the instructors drive and what kind of insurance they have.
Look for schools with higher insurance limits in case of an accident.
Frank said you should ask how instructors are trained, with questions like, Is the driver state-certified?
