Confidence comes with time, just because you’ve passed your test doesn’t mean you feel confident enough to tackle a mammoth road trip or drive into the town centre at lunchtime on a Saturday.
Don’t be hard on yourself remember that it will take time to build up your confidence behind the wheel and there’s nothing wrong with that. Here are tips to help you become a confident driver:
1• Practice:
That old saying practice makes perfect is very true. Your confidence will only increase the more you get out on the road – even if it’s just driving around your local streets at first and learning these off by heart. Make a point of getting in the car every day, even if you don’t need to particularly go anywhere, and drive for 10-15 minutes. Try to include roundabouts and somewhere to park along the route to build up confidence.
You should also go out at different times of the day to get a feel for how the roads change so this could be an early morning drive one day, a lunchtime route the next and an evening drive on another. This can also help when it comes to driving in a different light and even weather.
2• Know your route:
One of the biggest realisations that comes with driving is that you suddenly discover you have no idea how to get anywhere. Your parents have likely driven you around, without you taking much notice of how you got there and, even in your driving lessons, you were being directed.
You might be tempted to stick the sat nav on, but it’s a good idea to go old school. Check your route before and try to get there yourself when driving around your local area. Just be prepared to take the wrong exit on the roundabout or turn too early on a side street – it’s part of finding your feet when driving. Maybe leave a few minutes early just to be safe.
3• Know where everything is in your car and how it works:
It might sound basic but knowing where everything is in your car is essential and ensures you feel even more confident when driving it. Locate where the hazard lights are, how to use the windscreen washer and where your fog lights can be found – just in case conditions are bad enough to need them. Your car might be very different to the one you learnt to drive in, so take some time getting used to it.
4• Go out on your own:
Having a passenger in the seat next to you can increase the pressure, making you even more nervous about making a mistake. Go out on your own, just around the block, and get a feel for your car and how you feel behind the wheel.
Don’t give your friends a lift the first chance you get either they could be distracting, which can be a real issue if you’re not a confident driver.
5• Force yourself to drive somewhere new:
That multi-storey car park might seem scary but you’ll probably need to tackle it someday – so try to force yourself to drive somewhere new to build up confidence. Pick a time and day when it will be less busy and give it a go then. The same rule applies if you need to drive on an A-road or even the motorway. If you can tackle these in less busy time periods, such as weekdays, then this can help boost your confidence for future driving.
6• Don’t worry about other drivers:
It’s easy to feel intimidated by other drivers who are going faster than you or taking risks but it’s important you ignore them and focus entirely on your driving. We know it’s easier said than done but there will always be a few bad drivers out there no matter how confident you are, so it’s best to be aware of them but try not to let them intimidate you.
7• Stick to the speed limit:
Speed limits are important, they are there to keep you safe – so ensure you drive within these. Speeding can make you feel out of control, which will do nothing to help boost your confidence if you skid, struggle to stop in time or even have a close call with another car.
Don’t forget, if you have a black box installed too then keeping within the speed limit is necessary to keep the cost of your car insurance low so stay on the lookout for those speed signs while driving.
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