10 Ways New Drivers Can Stay Safe

Congrats on getting your license! It’s normal to feel excited — and nervous. For most new drivers, this is a big milestone on the way to adult independence.

More than ever, safety matters. People count on you to stay safe and keep others — like your riders, other drivers, walkers, and bikers — safe too.

How Can I Keep Myself and Others Safe?

Make safety your priority and build good driving habits right from the start. Here’s how to do it:

1. Buckle up every time. Before starting the engine, check that you and your riders are buckled in. Clicking your seatbelt may be automatic for you, but if you’re distracted you could forget. 
2. Give driving your full attention. Put your phone away so you’re not tempted to talk, text, or look something up. Limit your conversations with your riders. It’s OK to listen to music, but turn it off if it distracts you. And never eat or put on makeup while driving. 
3. Don’t drive while impaired. Using things like alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs makes it hard to pay attention, steer, react quickly, and make decisions. Never drive while under the influence.
4. Don’t drive when you’re tired. An alert, rested driver can react more quickly when needed.
5. Follow traffic rules. Red lights and stop signs need full stops. Stay within the speed limit and know when to yield to other drivers.
6. Leave extra space. Use the 3-second rule to keep a safe following distance from the car in front of you. As you drive, look ahead and find a “marker,” like a sign, on the side of the road. When the car in front of you passes it, start counting from 0 to 3. If you reach the marker at the count of 3, you’re keeping a safe 3-second following distance. If not, slow down. When weather or road conditions are poor, increase the distance to 6 seconds.
7. Scan and check often. Keep your eyes moving, scanning ahead of you to look for hazards. Quickly check your rearview and sideview mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds so you know what's going on around you. 
8. Take extra care at night. Choose well-lit roads when you can. Slow down in the dark. It's a good idea to keep at a speed that lets you brake within the distance covered by your headlights. (Check that headlights and taillights are working.) If oncoming headlights blind you, look to the side of the road, away from the oncoming traffic, and focus on the painted white lines or where the road meets the shoulder until the vehicle goes by.
9. Learn car-care basics. Get comfortable with your car. Know how to pump gas, check your tire pressure, and add air. It’s also good to find out how to change a tire, add wiper fluid, and jump-start the battery in case your car ever dies when you’re out.
10. Be a defensive driver. Help avoid accidents by being prepared for the unexpected. Keep alert and focused and ready to respond if another driver makes a mistake.

What Do I Need in Case of an Emergency?

Keep these items in your car in case of an emergency:

• insurance and registration cards
• a first-aid kit
• bottled water and nonperishable food
• a flashlight and extra batteries
• jumper cables
• a blanket
• a white rag (to tie to driver’s door as a sign you need help)