5th February 2018
It is easy to pick up bad habits when it comes to driving and sometimes we might not even realise that we are guilty of some of them! As careful driving improves your safety on the road and can help to prolong the life of your vehicle, why not make your New Year resolution to improve your driving skills?
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect – so why not spend a small amount of your spare time perfecting any parking manoeuvres you struggle with or driving in an area outside of your comfort zone. This may come in helpful in the future if you are forced to drive in an urban area in rush hour or squeeze in to the only parking space left! Choose a time where the roads will be quiet or a large empty car park and spend some time practising to help improve your driving performance in the long run!
You should get yourself in to the habit of regularly checking your tyres as this can help you to stay safe and legal on the road! Tyres with tread lower than 1.6mm can be dangerous (as they have less tread to provide grip) and are also illegal – they can cost you points on your licence and a £2,500 fine so it is important that you are aware how to check your tread depth. You should also learn how to spot tyre damage as this can give you an opportunity to prevent accidents like tyre blowouts on the road. It may also make you aware of other problems your vehicle may be having with its wheel alignment or suspension.
It is all too easy to change the radio or grab a bite when you are in the car, but this is a bad habit which can cause you to become distracted from the road! Taking your attention away from the road, even momentarily, can be dangerous so you should always pull over safely before undertaking non-driving related tasks. It is illegal to use your mobile phone when driving as well as highly dangerous, if the temptation gets too much for you, switch it off before you start driving!
Road rage is very common among drivers and you may often find yourself getting angry about things that wouldn’t bother you outside of the car. Whilst being tailgated or cut up by another driver, try to remain calm instead of reacting. Assume that they are late for a valid reason and let it go, it could cause you more problems if you let it bother you.
Reducing your fuel consumption can help you to save money and reduce your carbon footprint. To help you cut down on your trips to the petrol station you should lighten the load of your vehicle by removing unnecessary items from your car as a heavier load makes your car work harder and use more fuel. You can also regularly check your tyre pressure and inflate them if necessary. Under-inflated tyres require more energy to fuel their momentum and this can increase the amount of fuel you consume.