Staying safe once you get your driving license

New drivers who have freshly passed their driving exam will no doubt be excited about their new sense of freedom and want to drive as much as possible.  This excitement is all well and good but the cost of motoring when you are young or just passed your driving test is normally very high because they are either irresponsible or haven’t had the necessary experience that most drivers can rely on.

It’s a well known fact that young drivers get into the most accidents and so by just taking heed of the following tips you’ll be able to avoid any mishaps and save money in your first few years of driving!

Slowing down

Young drivers, particularly male drivers are fond of driving fast but driving at high speeds can lead to accidents as your braking time and distance will increase making you take longer to stop if something pulls in front of you.  You are also likely to get pulled over by the police.  A little known fact is that by lowering your speed you can also save petrol, something that can cost a lot at this point in time.

Taking care of your car

Many young drivers as well as driving fast will drive aggressively; accelerating quickly and braking harshly among other less advisable driving practices.  By driving this way you’re more likely to cause damage or increase wear and tear on the car’s brakes, engine, suspension and exhaust.  These areas are common faults that come up when your car goes in for its MOT test.  To save having to pay expensive repairs it’s best to accelerate slowly and brake well in advance to ease your car’s workload.

Choose the right car

Young people are not usually in the market for the latest and greatest cars on the road, many will have to buy second hand cars but with the release date aside there are a few other aspects you should check on the car you have chosen to buy.  Choosing a car with good mileage is a smarter choice than the one with the largest exhaust pipe or shiniest wheels.  Choosing a car with low emissions is important too as these factors in to how much Car Tax you are liable to pay each 6/12 months.

Avoid any distractions whilst driving

Young people can normally be heard driving down the street with speakers turned all the way up to the maximum, apart from being pretty annoying to other road users and pedestrians this means you won’t hear any audible warning signs such as car horns.  Other distractions such as MP3 players, mobile phones and GPS devices can take your attention off the road and in some cases research has shown that someone texting on a mobile phone has more delayed reactions than someone driving under the influence of alcohol!

So using your head and some common sense should mean you have a safe start to your driving career and you’ll have cheaper motoring costs as you build up no-claims bonuses on your insurance as a reward!