As a new driver, there's a lot to take in. Road rules, licence restrictions, gear changes. It's understandable that some young drivers feel overwhelmed and stressed out on the roads. Especially, considering the risk of having an accident.
That's why we've come up with SAFE, an acronym to help you remember some key principles of being a safe driver.
There's something you can do even before you jump behind the steering wheel and hit the road - service and maintain your car.
Making sure your car has a current Warrant of Fitness is key for safety as the assessors check if your car passes all the safety regulations in place to ensure your car is roadworthy.
Plus, there's a few things you can do yourself:
First make sure your car is parked on a flat surface and turned off. Open the bonnet and find the oil dipstick. Pull the dipstick out, wipe it clean, and push it back in the tube all the way. Then, pull it out again and check where the oil comes to on the stick. The stick should have a marked area the oil line should be within. If it's too low, add about 100ml and wait a while before checking again.
It's essential this task is done when the engine is cool, so it's best to check the water and coolant before you begin driving anywhere. If it's still hot, the water and coolant will still be under pressure and can burn you if you try to take the radiator cap off. As a precautionary measure, always use a large cloth to take the radiator cap off, then make sure that the water and coolant level is between the minimum and maximum marks. Your engine cannot go without coolant, so it's one of the most important checks you can do.
Making sure your tyres are pumped up to the right pressure and have enough tread can improve your car's grip and handling on the road. Having well maintained tyres mean improved safety while taking corners and shorter emergency stopping times.
Your car's optimal tyre pressure will be recorded in your car manual, which you can find online if you don't already have one. You're looking for a psi value, in most cases between 32 - 36 psi. Find a service station with a tyre pump you can use, and don't hesitate to ask for help.
It's quick and easy to check your tyre tread depth. You can either get yourself a tyre tread depth checker (see below), or you can ask your local garage to check it for you.
A small crack or chip in a window can easily grow, which can be more costly to repair and more dangerous while driving. So, it's important you get onto repairing a chip or crack when you see it.
The key to being a safe driver is maintaining un-broken focus on the road. This means removing as many distractions as possible from the driver.
Vision is the most important sense for safe driving. So, when driving with passengers, it's important to always keep your eyes on the road - no matter how interesting the conversation or sight. Distracted drivers (talking to passengers or on the phone) tend to 'look at' but not 'see' objects. In fact, estimates show that drivers using a cell phone (even if it's not handheld), miss up to 50% of the information in their driving environment.
This leads us to cell phones, which are fast becoming the most common cause of young driver incidents. Even a moment of distraction can prove fatal, so it's best to turn cell phones off and put them in the back seat of the car - even placing it in the glove box can be too enticing.
Everyone knows it's dangerous (and highly illegal) to drive drunk, but did you know that driving when you're tired has been found to have similar effects to driving drunk.
Driver fatigue is one of the biggest killers on the road, and while it can affect anyone, young people are at higher risk due to their lifestyle. Young people are more likely to be out late at night, whether for work or for play, so it's important you recognise the signs.
If you're planning a late night out or are still tired from the night before, it's best you avoid driving and find an alternative option till you've had a good sleep.
The last thing to consider when driving is the weather. Whether it's fog, heavy rain, high winds, or snow, you'll need to adjust your driving to match the conditions on the road. If you encounter any of the above conditions, it's important to slow down and keep a bigger following distance to the cars in front.
To improve visibility in fog, snow or bad weather, use fog lights or have your headlights on low beam.
In heavy rain, avoid sudden braking or steering actions and don't attempt to overtake if you need to quickly accelerate. Using the air conditioner or demister to keep the windscreen free of condensation. And always ensure your windscreen wipers are in good condition.
If you're looking for more support on how to be a safe driver, check out the AMI Safe driver online course. Plus AMI car insurance customers who are under 25 and successfully complete the course will qualify for a reduced excess with AMI Young Driver insurance 1.No matter how safe you are on the roads, accidents can happen. It's important to have insurance, so if you make a mistake, the financial consequences of it won't follow you for the years to come.
1 Terms and conditions apply to the young driver reduced excess benefit, see ami.co.nz/terms/youngdriver for more information.
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This article is intended to provide general information only, and should not be substituted for any legal, financial, or other professional advice. The information in this article is generally sourced from third-party websites and IAG New Zealand Limited does not guarantee or accept any liability for the accuracy of that information. Any references to third party websites in this article are not intended to constitute a recommendation or any endorsement by IAG New Zealand Limited.
