Have you recently passed your driving test? This is an incredible feeling and can make a huge difference to your life no matter what age you are by providing a great sense of freedom and independence. Passing your test is exciting, but it can also be a stressful and daunting time because it is very different to driving with someone providing advice and support, and you also have other responsibilities like looking after your car. This post will outline a few helpful tips for new motorists that will hopefully help you to hit the ground running and enjoy this new chapter in your life.
1. Practice, Practice, Practice
Passing your driving tests means that you are considered a safe and responsible driver, but it can still take some time to feel confident on the roads (especially when you are driving solo for the first time). This is why practice remains so important when starting out, so you should try to spend as much time as possible driving and at different times of the day. Initially, you may want to stick to places that you are familiar with.
2. Avoid Distractions
Following on from this, when you are driving, you should try to keep distractions to a minimum while you build confidence. Therefore, you might want to avoid taking a car full of people anywhere, especially if these are friends and you might feel under pressure. You might also find it helpful to turn your phone off and keep music/radio off or turned down.
3. Buy A Car On A Finance Deal
When buying a car, you might find it helpful to arrange a used car finance deal. This can make it much easier to manage the cost as it will be spread out as opposed to paying upfront. You can use a calculator tool online to work out how much you will be paying back each month, which should help you to find the right car and finance deal for your individual situation.
4. Learn How To Look After Your Car
It is also a good idea to learn how to look after your car and to perform basic maintenance tasks yourself. In addition to keeping the car in good condition, this could also help you to feel more confident and in control as you will have a greater understanding of how the car works and what all of the different features are.
5. Find Ways To Lower Your Insurance
As a new motorist, you might be shocked at just how much it costs to insure your vehicle. Insurance costs tend to be higher for new and young drivers as you are deemed a higher risk by insurance companies, but there are ways to lower your insurance:
- Buy a car that is cheap to insure
- Increase your excess
- Reduce annual mileage
- Shop around
- Take a defensive driving course
Passing your test is a fantastic feeling and can change your life, but it can also be daunting when you start driving without any kind of guidance and supervision, so hopefully these tips will help.
