So You Got Your Driver’s License, What Now?
So You Got Your Driver’s License, What Now?
After a gruelling couple of weeks or months of back and forth lessons and expenses, you’ve finally got your driver’s license. Perhaps you got it on your first try, or maybe you’ve had a couple. Either way, the work is finally over and you can now experience the thrill, joy and convenience of driving a car.
But wait—what now? Do you have a car ready? Do you need to buy a car? What about insurance and tax? There are so much more things to consider that it can put some people off. In fact, many people obtain their driver’s license and then never use it outside of treating it like an identification card. Sadly, the less you drive the rustier your skills get and the less likely you’ll want to drive in the future, putting all of your hard work and money to waste.
Driving without the safety of an instructor at your side can feel intimidating—especially if the car isn’t yours or it’s new. To help remove some of that intimidation and encourage you to drive, here are some helpful tips.
Your First Car
Choosing your first car can be incredibly expensive and daunting. It’s a good idea to try and keep the costs low, but you might want to think twice before approaching a questionable dealer on the internet or buying a car from someone across the road from you. There are many decisions you have to make, so here’s some short and sweet advice on helping you pick.
First of all, unless you’re rich, you’ll need to finance your car. Even if your credit rating isn’t very good, you can use bad credit car finance services to help you purchase your first vehicle. Secondly, there’s no point buying a second-hand car if it’s at the end of its life. A car with over 150,000 miles on it is a red flag unless you can pick it up for an extremely low price and you’re willing to repair it a couple of times before it finally dies. If you only have to drive a couple of miles a day, however, then a car with fairly high mileage will be fine.
Next, you’ll have to have a MoT test done on your vehicle to make sure it’s road safe. You’ll also need to set up insurance, so make sure you drive safely and don’t rack up points on your license or else these costs will also increase.
Remember What You Were Taught
Let’s face it, there are some rules that we just can’t remember after passing our driving tests. To help refresh your memory, here are some driving tips that you should keep in mind at all times.
First, obey traffic rules. They are there for a reason. Things like wearing a seatbelt can feel like a drag a week or so into driving but never neglect it unless you want to test the strength of your windshield by flying through it head-first during a crash. Secondly, avoid distractions. Get a mobile phone holder, stop playing with smart devices, and never drive while you’re stressed or tired. Lastly, stay alert. If you’re not distracted, then the next step is to be ready for anything that can happen. Watch other people as they drive around you, watch for pedestrians and never forget to check your mirrors as you drive.
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