Settling The Road Fears Of A Newly Qualified Driver In Your Family
There’s a funny feeling that comes over us when we’re finally qualified and licensed to drive – an odd feeling of “Oh, is this it?” Suddenly you’re allowed to drive anywhere you want, provided you have the fuel, the insurance, and of course, the car those things apply to. Being on the road alone might not have been an activity you’ve had much experience with, and it can feel eerie being behind the wheel with little instruction to guide you.
Settling the road fears of a new driver in your family, then, may take a little time. You may have helped them secure a full car service with John Delany Motors, perhaps you’ve outfitted the car with some comforts like air fresheners, and all the moral support they need. However, there may be a few other tidbits of assistance they could find value in. In this post, we hope to help you use those and have a better time because of it. Without further ado, please consider the following advice:
Mapping Your Local Area
One of the foremost difficulties of feeling comfortable behind the wheel is knowing where you’re driving in the first place. Of course, certain areas near your home will no doubt be familiar, but the routes, shortcuts, one-way areas and speed cameras may be new to you if you haven’t viewed this from the perspective of a road user. Sure, GPS and smartphone map apps can help, but it’s always good to become familiar with your local area first. So, as a relative of a new driver, simply heading with them for a lazy drive around the local towns can help them orient more readily, and even feel more confident in their commute.
Undergoing Car Maintenance & Servicing
Learning how to maintain your car is a duty of any road user, but not everyone knows more complex tasks outside of checking their oil. Learning how to change a tyre, understanding what every light on the dashboard means, when to head in for a checkup, how to describe a problem to a mechanic (this will make their own job easier), and searching for aftermarket parts where necessary can all be helpful. Offering your own experience in that light can be a helpful use of your time, and will avoid them being ripped off.
Encouraging Pass Plus & Similar Schemes
Passing the driving exam doesn’t necessarily qualify you for every single road situation you could ever be in, it just means you’ve proven you know how to operate the vehicle, a good understanding of road rules and are competent and safe behind the wheel. This is where additional courses can be helpful, such as those that train passed learners how to drive well on the highway (or motorway), and of course, how to drive certain vehicles like trucks if they need additional qualifications to do so. Recommending the courses you took, or helping them onboard with those lessons can be a great boon.
With this advice, you’re sure to settle the road fears of newly qualified drivers in your family.
