10 Essential Real-World Tips for New Drivers

10 Essential Real-World Tips for New Drivers

1. Locate the Gas Tank Instantly: When driving a rental or unfamiliar car, look at the gas pump icon on your dashboard gauge. A small arrow next to the icon points directly to the side of the car where the gas cap is located.

   

2. Use Reflections in Blind Spots: When exiting a narrow street or alley where walls block your view of the sidewalk, look for reflections in the doors or windows of parked cars. This allows you to spot approaching pedestrians before pulling out.

   

3. Steer the Way You Want to Go in Reverse: A common misconception is that you must turn the wheel the opposite way when reversing. In reality, simply turn the steering wheel to the side you want the rear of the car to go. If you want to back up to the right, turn the wheel to the right.

   

4. Verify Your Wheels are Straight: A steering wheel can appear straight even when turned one full rotation. To check, straighten the wheel and pull forward slightly. If the car pulls to the left, turn the wheel one full rotation to the right to perfectly center the tires (and vice versa).

   

5. Delay Steering When Exiting 90-Degree Parking: When backing out from between two parked cars, do not turn the steering wheel immediately, or your front bumper will scrape the adjacent vehicle. Back up straight as much as you can—ideally until your car is entirely out of the spot—before turning the wheel.

   

6. Identify One-Way vs. Two-Way Streets: If there are no parked cars or road lines to guide you, look at the road signs on the opposite side of the street. If you see the backs of the signs, you are on a two-way street. If you see the fronts of the signs, it is a one-way street.

   

7. Spot Hidden Stop Signs: If a stop sign on your side is completely blocked by a large truck or a bush, check the opposite corner of the intersection. If you see the back of a stop sign facing the other direction, it indicates your side also has a stop requirement.

   

8. Prevent Rolling Backward on Steep Hills: When starting from a stop on a steep incline, your car may roll back. For automatic cars, hold the brake with your left foot while gently accelerating with your right, then release the brake. For manual cars, engage the handbrake and slowly lower it as you release the clutch and press the gas.

   

9. Unlock a Jammed Ignition and Steering Wheel: If your key will not turn in the ignition, your steering wheel is locked (often caused by leaning on it when exiting the vehicle). To fix this, wiggle the steering wheel left and right with your left hand while simultaneously turning the key.

   

10. Dim Blinding High Beams: If a vehicle behind you is following closely with high beams on, pull the small lever located underneath your central rearview mirror. This tilts the mirror to eliminate the harsh glare while still allowing you to safely monitor the traffic behind you.