New Drivers Pay Attention!

You just got your license. Now what? Aside from rejoicing in the feeling of having passed your driver ed test and knowing that you can now drive on your own, it’s also best that you stay grounded and take this information to heart: The leading cause for teen deaths is car crashes. Scary, right? The good news is that becoming part of that statistic is easily avoidable.

First and foremost, you should always obey all traffic rules. And as a new driver, make extra effort to follow these tips so you can safely enjoy your newfound freedom on the road:

 

Get to know your car.

Don’t just get in and drive. Know your car and what it can do so you too will know what to do while you’re in it. Find out what those switches and buttons are for. Find out what those dashboard warning lights mean. Don’t take anything for granted. Sometimes, not knowing how to turn something on or off can mean the difference between life and death.

Wear your seatbelt.

It can’t be emphasized enough. Seatbelts save lives. So never ever drive off without putting your seatbelt on first. And if you happen to have passengers, make sure they have their seatbelts on too.

Stay in your lane.

Being in a hurry is not an excuse to switch from one lane to another. Even if your intention isn’t to cut someone else off, changing lanes unnecessarily might cause an accident, especially if you happen to cut off a driver who isn’t paying attention or is going too fast.

Be extra mindful about blind spots.

We’re not just referring to your own blind spot. Make it a point to be aware of other drivers’ blind spots too. And stay out of those blind spots. Even if you are cautious enough to always check your blind spot when turning, it’s unrealistic to think that other drivers do so too all the time. So if you notice that you’re in someone else’s blind spot, speed up to pull ahead, or slow down. Either way, you’ll be able to get out of the other driver’s blind spot, and be visible again through the mirrors or his or her direct line of sight.

Don’t tailgate.

Majority of collisions happen because of drivers who just can’t stop were following too closely behind. If only everyone will have the good sense to keep at least 2 car lengths between themselves and the driver ahead, there won’t be as many rear-ending incidents and accidents. So as a new driver, try to put this into practice early on so that it will eventually become a habit.

Don’t be a showoff.

There’s a certain sense of pride that comes with driving your own car. And when you’re a teenager, the temptation to impress might get too hard to resist, more so when friends are riding in the car with you. If you have the tendency to become bold and daring when you have an audience, do yourself a favor and refrain from bringing your friends as passengers. Speeding up and blatantly disobeying traffic laws to pass off as a daredevil driver is never a good idea.

Put your phone down.

Distracted driving is dangerous. And the biggest distraction when driving happens to be cellphones. Especially when it comes to teenagers. Majority of the states actually have a law that bans novice drivers from using any kind of cellphone. That means no handheld or handsfree phone when driving. And definitely no texting. If you have to take a call or send a text, don’t do so until you find a safe spot to pull over and make a complete stop.

Lastly…

Keep your eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your mind on driving.

It’s the best advice for any driver.

 

Big Sky Collision Center Repairs Cars

But we would rather have no cars to repair than see some of the devastating wrecks new drivers (and experience ones too!) have been involved in. Pay close attention so that you avoid becoming a statistic.

Remember, if you are involved in a wreck, call us at 406-259-6328 to schedule a time at the best auto body repair shop in Billings.