Read the driver’s handbook provided by the DMV or your local department that regulates driving and automobiles. This may be found online on the official government website. If you do not learn the rules, you won’t be able to get your permit. Some basic rules and common-sense safety precautions that everyone should know include: stopping for pedestrians, obeying traffic signs, staying within the speed limit, handling emergencies, and wearing your seatbelt.
Most states only allow you to practice driving with an adult age 21 or over. Only a few states allow you to legally practice with someone younger than 21. Most states also have a curfew for permit drivers. You cannot drive at night regardless if you are accompanied. If you’re a minor, you’ll need the signature of your parent or guardian before you can commence your driving. You’ll have to pass a written test about driving rules and regulation and safety on the road. Some jurisdictions will require a certain number of hours of “behind-the-wheel” driver’s education in order to get your license. If you are still in school, your school may offer classes in driver’s education. Depending on the jurisdiction, your learner’s permit may only be valid after you start behind-the-wheel lessons. In other jurisdictions, your learner’s permit is only valid during behind-the-wheel lessons. Certain jurisdictions require the placement of an “L” (learner), “Student Driver”, “New Driver”, or the shoshinsha mark (🔰) on the back of your vehicle during driving practice and/or for the first year after you get your learner’s permit or driver’s license. You can be ticketed if these are absent.
Practice with an adult that you trust. Drive with a responsible driver over the age of majority who can guide you and give you advice without getting frustrated. By law, the adult may have to sit in the front seat and have gotten their license. The adult must also be in a position to instruct, and, depending on the jurisdiction, the vehicle might need dual-controls (second brake pedal). Practice in an isolated and safe location, such as an empty parking lot on the weekends. This will help you understand the way your car accelerates, how your brakes work, and how to generally maneuver your car. Each car is different and it’s important to get a feel for what makes your car unique. While in some jurisdictions you can practice at the test site, in other jurisdictions you are not allowed to practice driving on the road test course.
Check your rearview and side mirrors and make any necessary adjustments. Make sure you have a good view of the cars on either side and behind you. Do not adjust your mirrors while driving—this can be far too distracting.
Lock all your doors. This will prevent unwanted people from entering your vehicle (i. e. carjackers) and reduce the chance of the doors inadvertently opening in the midst of a collision. Fasten your seatbelt. Depending on where you live, there is most likely a law that requires you wear a seatbelt. Not only can you get cited for breaking this rule, but your chances of injury and fatality during a collision also increase exponentially. Check your dashboard. Make sure your car is ready to drive and that there are no alarming lights that signal that your car needs to be taken to the shop. Adjust your seat, making sure you can comfortably reach the pedals and see the road.
Put away your cell phone. Don’t get behind the wheel if you’re in the middle of an intense texting session with your best friend. Finish the conversation by saying you’re going to drive and will talk later. You can even turn off your phone if you’re prone to distractions. Turn down your music. Put on something soothing and relaxing to get you focused. If you need to brush your hair or put on makeup, do not do this while driving–get everything you need to do done before you put the keys in the ignition.
Put your key in the ignition and turn it. You should hear it turning on. Put your foot on the brake. Release the handbrake.
If you’re driving forward, you should put your car in Drive. If you’re driving backward, in order to back out of a driveway or a parking spot, your car should be in Reverse. If reversing, first check your rearview mirror and then place your hand on the passenger seat as you turn your head to the right to look behind you.
Slowly apply your foot to the gas to accelerate.
If all the cars around you are going much slower than the speed limit due to traffic, drive accordingly to avoid crashing into them. If all of the cars around you are driving much faster than the speed limit, you don’t have to break the law, but you can accelerate a bit so you don’t slow the flow down too much. Remember that driving too slow can be just as dangerous as driving too fast. Accelerate your car calmly. Don’t push your foot too hard on the gas or you may go much faster than you intended. Know that each car has its own acceleration rate.
Make sure to have both hands on the wheel. Place your hands at either 8 or 4 o’clock, slightly higher at 9 and 3 o’clock or at 10 and 2 o’clock, depending on your preference. At this position, you can safely maneuver the wheel and are prevented from making any sharp turns. When making a turn, pull down on the side of the wheel you wish to turn towards and push up with opposite hand. This is called “pull-push” steering. To make sharper turns at lower speeds, use hand-over-hand turning. To do this, perform a push-pull turn but bring your pull hand over your push hand in order to continue moving the wheel in the desired direction. [4] X Research source
Always drive at least a car length behind the car in front of you. If you have to make a fast stop, you do not want to crash into the front car. When traveling at a faster speed, you will need even more than one car length in order to come safely to a stop, so understand and observe the two-second rule, which states that you should be at least two seconds behind any car directly in front of you to keep a safe following distance. Take weather and road conditions into account. Try not to stop suddenly unless it’s an emergency. Sudden stops can lead to vehicles behind you plowing into your rear.
As you approach the last 100 feet (30. 5 m) before your turning point (left or right turn). Before you change lanes, be sure that you signal at least 5 to 6 seconds prior. Before pulling into or out from a curbside parking spot. When changing directions.
A general rule of thumb is if you have to ask yourself, “Should my lights be on right now?” then the answer is always yes. Check the other cars on the road. If most of them turn their lights on, flick yours on too. Remember that some cars have lights that automatically turn on and off under certain conditions. If you don’t have one of these types of cars, make sure to turn your lights off when you park your car, or you may drain your battery.
Recognize that there are some states that require your full-headlights to be on when you run the wipes from anything between intermittent speed and faster. Some wipers can squirt fluid on your windshield to wipe off any dirt or stains. Do not drive if your wipers are broken. Driving in a storm without wipers is incredibly dangerous.
S: SIGNAL to let the cars around you know that you intend to change lanes. M: Check your MIRROR to see that it is clear. O: Check OVER-THE-SHOULDER to again make sure that it is safe to proceed. G: GO.
Find a good parking spot, and stop your car by putting your foot on the brake. Shift gears into “Park. " Turn off your engine. Pull up your parking brake. If your lights are on, turn them off. Lock your car to prevent theft. Get out of the car and make sure it fits in its spot.
The steps you should take to prepare for driving, such as adjusting your mirrors and avoiding distractions. The rules of signaling appropriately. The rules of changing lanes. Using your lights and wipers when needed. The placement of your hands on the wheel.
The clutch: The clutch controls the connection between the engine and transmission. Pushing on the clutch pedal disengages the clutch and disconnects the engine from the transmission. Releasing will engage the clutch and connect them. When disengaging the clutch, you effectively place the car in neutral regardless of whether it is in gear or not. Engaging the clutch will place the car into whichever gear is currently selected. The shifter: Shifting gears is done by moving a stick called either the gear stick, shift stick, gearshift, gear lever, gear selector, or shifter. Gear numbers and shift patterns will vary by model but the “default” position is “N” neutral, followed by gears that range from 1 to 5 or 1 to 6, and then “R” reverse.
Begin by stepping on the clutch. Most manual cars will not start unless the clutch is disengaged. Once you have started the car, place your foot on the brake and release the emergency brake. If moving forward, place the car into 1st gear. If reversing, place the car into reverse (“R”). As you slowly release the clutch, slowly apply pressure onto the gas pedal. You will hear the engine revving up and then feel and hear the clutch “catch. ” If the car moves forward without the engine stalling, then great work! You have successfully started the car and are traveling in 1st gear.
You must shift gears in this order. Disengage the clutch by pressing on the clutch pedal. Shift gears using the shifter. Re-engage the clutch by slowly taking pressure off the clutch pedal while stepping on the gas. Think of the clutch pedal and gas pedal as being proportionate to the other in pressure. They should act in concert together in the same way that a see-saw behaves. When one goes up, the other goes down. Gradually applying gas while engaging the clutch will make shifting gears smoother. It will take time, but once you master the feeling of the clutch and gas, it will become second nature.
Listen to your car and switch when you think the engine needs to make the change.
You can potentially save gas and improve the life of your brakes by downshifting to decelerate. This takes practice however, so begin by just using your brakes.
Leave your car in gear, not Neutral. It’ll typically be in either reverse or first gear. If you leave it in Neutral, it won’t stay put. Take your keys out of the ignition.
Pass a written test. Pass a short driving test, which will test you on basic driving skills which include how to parallel park and make K-turns. Pass a vision test. Check out your state’s DMV requirements to see exactly how old you have to be and what you have to do to get a license.
Always put safety first. Safety should be your priority over fun. Don’t do anything that compromises your safety like cram seven people in your car, drive without a seat-belt, or be a generally distracted driver. Your driving skills can always be improved. Make notes of things you want to work on, from making smooth turns to signaling ahead of time, and work to address your driving flaws. Keep your passengers safe. Make sure your passengers are behaving appropriately before you start the car. If they are hanging out of windows, not wearing seat-belts, or not respecting the roads, don’t start the car.
