beginner – thedriversedlady

If you are going to change lanes, pull out from the curb, or make any other lateral, (sideways,) move, you are going to need to look over your shoulder. This is called a Head Check. Mirrors are great, and they will help a good bit, but there is this pesky thing called a blind spot where a whole car can hide. Even if you adjust all of your mirrors properly, there is still a spot right off the rear quarter panel that you cannot see. It’s about where your gas cap is.

If you are the blue car, the dark red triangle behind you indicates what you can see in your rear-view mirror. The light red shows what you can see in your side mirrors. The red car to your right in not in either of those areas, which means you cannot see it in any of your mirrors. The only way to see this red car to your side is to actually turn around and look.

Keep both hands on the wheel. Sometimes it helps to pull down on the wheel with both hands a little bit. Even weight in both hands will help you keep from turning the steering wheel while you turn around. Pick up your shoulders off the seat by leaning forward a bit. Whichever direction you are going to go, look over that shoulder. For example if you are changing lanes to the left, you will begin by turning your chin to your left shoulder. You will be looking between the head rest and the pillar that holds up your seat belt, where your door closes. You need to look all the way over that shoulder, just a glance to your left will not work. If you are looking to the right, you will be looking over that right shoulder between the seats, through the back window.

Make sure you give yourself long enough to really see what is back there, and be thinking about what you are looking for. Include motorcycles, pedestrians, and other vehicles. Then look back to what is in front of the car. I know we do not like the idea of looking behind us while we are driving forward, but it is critical. The whole thing should only have your eyes off of the road for a total of about one second, so as long as you have ample room in front of you before you begin this maneuver, you will be fine. It will take some practice to keep your speed and lane position consistent while doing your head check. Practice while you are at a stop light or in your driveway to get the feel for where you want to look and how to move your head without moving the rest of your body. Beginners often swerve with the whole car as they look over their shoulder. We tend to drive wherever we are looking, so be sure to stay calm and only move your head, keeping your arms still.

A little practice will have you doing head checks like a pro. This is not something you are just doing as a beginner, or something you will outgrow. Every driver should do this every time they move over. Convex mirrors will also help with the blind spot. The are rounded out so they help you see further out next to your car. They are a useful after-market tool. They are not expensive, and easy to apply to a side mirror. But, I still believe that even with a convex mirror, the safest way to make a lateral move is to actually look over your shoulder.

Easy Fixes for the Top 3 Beginner Driver Mistakes

10 and 2

Yeah, we don’t do that anymore. With the advent of airbags, having your hands in front of the steering wheel becomes very dangerous. In the event of an accident involving the airbag, you would punch yourself in the face breaking your nose and wrist. The hand-over-hand steering parents learned is a thing of the past. Now, we use the pull-push method. Hands should be at the 9 and 3 positions if the wheel were a clock. Hands will never go above that position or be in the top half of the imaginary clock at all. Instead of using one hand to push the wheel up and over the top of the wheel, the opposite hand will pull down to the imaginary 6 o’clock position, to be met with the other hand which will pull the rest of the way back up to the original 9 or 3, and the first hand also returns to it’s original position. Repeat as necessary to navigate the turn. This is a much smaller, more controlled motion. With practice you can do this just as quickly and smoothly as the old way parents learned. Be open minded to it, and don’t over-think. Video link. (The video would have you position your hands higher than recommended, but the motion is correct.)

Difficulty making smooth starts and stops

Video games and golf cart driving have convinced teenagers that they should really step hard on the pedal to make a car move. Instead, they should first try just taking a foot off the pedal to see how much it will move without the gas at all, and then bring it back to a smooth stop by keeping their right heel on the floor and squeezing gently with their toes. Yes, we only drive with one foot, the right foot, (unless you are among the few, the brave, to try driving a standard transmission car!) Once they can do this smoothly, try a gentle acceleration using that same method of squeezing with the toes to get a feel for how much pressure to put on the pedal to make the car respond. This is called threshold braking (works for the gas pedal too,) and it will also help minimize the differences between one car and another. Each car has a different feel, and it takes a minute to adjust. A good driver is a smooth driver.

Driving too close to the right side of the road

When you are new to driving it feels like there is not enough room for everyone on the road, and oncoming traffic looks scary. It makes sense that new drivers will hug the right side of the road. Time and experience will teach them that there really is enough space for everyone, and other cars do not want to hit you either. We also, as drivers tend to drift where we are looking. Look up and out as far down the road as you can see, and it will be much easier to stay in your lane. Parents – remember too that you are not used to sitting in the passenger seat, and sometimes you drive just as close to the mailboxes without realizing it. Perspective is everything! Hang in there and this one will clear up with just a little practice. Video link.