BRIGHTON Mich., - While on the internet the other day I
stumbled upon an article written by a former race driver and driving instructor
who has experience in teaching young people to drive and knows their weaknesses
when doing so. I think it is
important to share his information with you. If you are a parent with teenagers
who are new to driving, then pass these important
safe driving tips on to them because it could very well save their lives.
Tip #1: Don’t be afraid to use your brakes!
The
ABS in your vehicle has incredible abilities so even if
you hear a strange noise or pulsation from the pedal do not be alarmed, that’s
normal. ABS actually allows you to
steer while braking, so what is important to remember is that you don’t need to
pull hard on the wheel to turn and to not let off of the brake until you have
centered your steering. If you do
turn too hard without righting your vehicle then you could end up in a ditch or
crossing into oncoming traffic.
Tip #2: Use 9 and 3,
10 and 2 are long gone!
The numbers are of course referring to the position of your
hands as if your steering wheel were an analog clock. Before, you were taught that 10 and 2 were the correct
positions, however, due to modern technology and air bags 9 and 3 are now the
best possible positions. Most
vehicles are built with thumb hangers at exactly 9 and 3 anyways so just place
your hands near those! Never put
your hand at 12, no matter how cool it may look. If you hit something while resting your hand in this
position then your hand can hit you directly in the face potentially breaking
your nose, teeth and your hand itself, so unless you want to have the kind of
yearbook photo that you’ll never live down then don’t do it.
Tip #3: Always stay
calm!
It is common for young drivers (and even many older drivers
as well) to want to overcorrect when they find themselves drifting off of the
road. In the event that you’re
looking away from the road changing the air temperature or your mind begins to
wander, your vehicle may drift off of the road a little bit. If this happens then don’t panic! Simply take your foot off of the
accelerator and slowly steer your car back onto the road. You’d be shocked at how many accidents
and deaths can occur just because someone wasn’t paying attention to the road
and didn’t remain calm.
Tip #4: Practice your
reactions ahead of time!
It’s true what they say about how practice makes
perfect. Go to an empty parking
lot and set up some cones, or use your imagination to picture situations such
as a vehicle suddenly stopping in front of you on the road. If you haven’t practiced getting
yourself used to maneuvering around vehicles in an emergency situation then
it’s likely that you’ll run into the vehicle in front of you. However, practicing can get you used to
reacting appropriately within the 2 seconds or less you have to avoid an
accident.
So make sure you pass these
important safe driving tips on to your teenagers, because even
though they’ve gone through driver’s training, they are far from knowing all
there is to know about driver’s safety and these tips could very well keep them
coming home safe.
Brighton Ford is located at 8240 Grand River Ave. just north of I-96
in Brighton. We are a family owned and operated business that strives on
customer satisfaction. Brighton Ford proudly serves the Brighton Ford
dealership needs, Howell Ford dealership needs, Fowlerville Ford dealership
needs, South Lyon Ford dealership needs, Whitmore Lake Ford dealership needs
and Ann Arbor Ford dealership needs. For more information on Brighton Ford
visit
BrightonFord.com or give us a call at (800)-836-8206.
