Whether you have just passed your test or been behind the wheel for decades, driving skills can always be sharpened up. From dealing with road rage to traffic jams, tight parking spaces to hire cars, driving instructors share their tips on how to be a better motorist in the most challenging scenarios.
If you are running late
Gyokhan Zlatev, of the Derin Driving School, says there is one major problem that many drivers are guilty of: “They are always in a rush. They refuse to leave home two minutes earlier to go somewhere in time.” This can make you more likely to drive in a risky way, he says.
But leaving more time is easier said than done given the world we live in, says Kev Field, of Confident Drivers in Leighton Buzzard. “We want to be there before we’ve actually got there,” says Field, “and people are in our way, or we’re running late for work.” Field says he spends a lot of time helping learner drivers to overcome this mentality. He asks them to imagine they’re in the office: “Would you run and risk running into your boss?” It’s best to walk, and drive, calmly.
If you are delayed
Field says that most people crave predictability, which causes stress when there are changes to our route, such as road closures, roadworks or bad traffic. The key to being a good driver, he says, is being able to react and adapt our driving when faced with such challenges.
If you are running late and stuck in bad traffic, use hands-free to call and let someone know you are stuck to alleviate the worry of being late, says Field. Ensure you are familiar with the rules around hands-free usage, he continues, as prosecution is still possible if it distracts from driving – if in doubt and if possible, pull over to call. Don’t be tempted to text someone when in a queue, as this is against the law in the UK.
“In traffic, a lot of experienced drivers get really close,” says Venus Ubah, a driving instructor in Manchester. “You are supposed to give a safe amount of space for the driver in front – a car’s length away.” Other reckless driving that she regularly spots includes drivers running red lights or not signalling to change lanes.
If you are the victim of road rage
As hard as it is, do not engage, says Zlatev. When someone becomes aggressive, “don’t look at them, don’t make eye contact, or try to prove a point. Just let them go, and create distance – it is much safer for you.” We all make mistakes, says Zlatev, “even Formula One drivers”.
“People’s behaviour changes when they get into a metal box and they feel they have the right to wave their hands, shout, and act in a manner that is aggressive or bullying,” says Field. To counter this, stay calm. “Then think about what options you have. If the driver can overtake you, give them some space.”
Never feel you have to break the speed limit because the driver behind you is in a hurry and tailgating, says Field. “Most people have probably heard of the two-second rule – leave a two-second gap to the car in front of you. If the car behind you is really close, leave a three- or four-second gap, just because we don’t want to go into the back of someone else.”
If you are anxious about driving
“Know that you are in control of your car,” says Field, “and don’t let other people control what you do. Don’t feel that you have to keep up with others who are more experienced.”
“When I first started driving, I used to panic a lot – like if I stalled before moving off and I got beeped or sworn at,” says Ubah. How can others cope with this? “Don’t look at them, because that can start to bring up an emotional reaction. Look ahead and take your time.”
If you are driving abroad
“Don’t assume everywhere is like the UK,” says Ubah. “I do some research while in the holiday booking process. I look up the road rules, the side they drive on, speed limits, what the signs look like.”
It is essential to check for any differences in countries you are new to driving in. “In America, if you’re turning right at a set of traffic lights, you can [usually] turn on a red light,” as long as it is clear, says Field – although this has been banned in some places.
Zlatev recently drove from the UK to Turkey and back, which he says he found fine, except for the fact that “satnav doesn’t work well in some countries, Belgium, for example”. He says that in Germany some junctions are tough, and he saw a lot of British people clinging to the slow lane on speed-limitless autobahns.
If you hire a car
Make sure you know how everything works before you set off, says Field. “It’s a bit like when you get a new car: you wouldn’t just jump in it and drive out of the showroom.”
“Adjust your seat and mirrors,” says Zlatev. Check that the lights and wipers are working: “If there’s any noise on the brakes, tell them immediately.”
“When I hire a car,” says Ubah, “I’ll take a video from the office to the car, so they know it’s the first time I’ve come across it. Then I’ll do a 360 around the car, checking all the doors, tyres, windows, the boot – videoing everything.” Always make sure you are fully insured, in case of any prangs.
With hire cars, you don’t actually have to buy insurance through the rental company, points out Denise Rawson, an instructor from Bury in Greater Manchester. “You can go independently online. Or if you just want everything in one place and you feel safer with that, that’s absolutely fine. Just make sure [the car] is covered for everything.”
If you are lost
If you take a wrong turn, “don’t panic, just carry on; don’t do a sudden break”, advises Zlatev. “Just take the next junction.” That’s the safest opportunity to correct your route, he says.
“It is much safer to carry on on the wrong road than to drive dangerously to the right one,” says Ubah. Getting lost “is a distraction, isn’t it?” says Field. “And the distraction is we’re going to look at the satnav rather than actually look outside.”
Pull over to re-route, he says; don’t be tempted to try this while you are driving. “Satnav is designed to help you,” says Field. “Sometimes we just need to allow the technology a little bit of time as well, and it will re-route us and get us back on track to where we need to go.”
Be prepared for some good old-fashioned sign or map reading if your satnav loses signal or runs out of battery, he says. It can’t always be relied on.
If you are driving in a city you don’t know
Field used to be a lorry driver and had to travel through central London, which he describes as “an interesting one”. What tips does he have on city centre driving?
“There’s probably going to be more traffic. People tend to drive quicker, especially if they know the area, even though the speed limit is lower. So be aware of how other people might drive differently to what we’re used to.” Also look out for pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and motorbikes, he says.
Zlatev recommends turning the audio on satnav, so you can listen to instructions rather than look at them, and fully focus on what is going on around you.
If you are parking under pressure
In a city you don’t know, it is best to leave your car in a car park, says Zlatev: “Pay for it, and make your life easier.”
Rawson advises planning several parking options before you set off and even checking what spaces look like on Google Images.
Take your time when getting into a tight space and try not to feel self-conscious, says Zlatev. Other drivers “can watch and learn something from you. You don’t need to stress.”
“Make sure the space is actually big enough for your car,” says Field. And don’t forget to keep watching out for changes in what is going on around you, be it cars or pedestrians.
There is no shame in driving off if you can’t get into a space. “I’m a driving instructor and I’ve done it,” says Ubah. “There is no prize for getting into the teeniest, tiniest parking space.”
If you struggle to parallel park
“If you’re going to parallel park, make sure you’ve practised before you actually go and do it in a busy place,” says Field. “Don’t overcomplicate it. Make sure that you know where the kerb is, and you are far enough back so that when you start to turn, you don’t hit the car that you’re trying to parallel park behind. It is as simple as that.”
Rawson has a different approach: “We get lined up with the car and then we do a full lock of the steering wheel to the left. Let the car roll out so we’re facing a 2 o’clock angle if we started at 12. And then we reverse in a straight line, so we straighten the wheel back towards the kerb, and as the kerb lines up with your back door handle, we’ll do a full lock to the right, and then it’ll tuck in nicely.”
In all Zlatev’s vehicles, he uses blind spot mirrors, which can be handy when reverse parking. These are small circle mirrors that you put on the wing mirrors to improve visibility of what is alongside the vehicle. “When all my clients pass their test, I give them the gift of a pair of blind spot mirrors,” says Zlatev.
If you are driving a manual for the first time in a while
In the UK, you have to pass in a manual to have a full licence, explains Ubah, and this can impact on your insurance and jobs you can apply for. Many of us learned in a manual but have moved over to automatic. How can you revert if needed?
“Before you start to move,” says Field, familiarise yourself with the clutch pedal, because the brake pedal tends to be bigger in an automatic. Practise changing gears and going into reverse, so you know where they are before you move. “There’s different ways of changing gears,” says Field. “Some people do it by speed. Some listen [to the engine]. Some do it by the rev counter.”
If you stall, “first of all breathe”, says Ubah. “Give yourself some time. Put the clutch back down, and find that biting point again.”
If you are driving at night
“Don’t let the road being quiet make you think that you can drive faster,” says Ubah. “I see that a lot when I do my evening lessons.”
“You need to make sure that you’re fit to drive,” says Zlatev; tiredness is a major cause of accidents. “Use your lights properly, and avoid looking directly into the headlights of oncoming vehicles, because you can be dazzled easily.” Be more generous with the gap you leave between vehicles ahead. “Take your time: no rush, no risk.”
If you encounter bad weather
If you are already driving and it starts pouring, “slow down, increase the distance between you and the vehicle in front, and avoid sudden braking”, says Zlatev. “If you see a big puddle in front of you and you don’t know the area, try to avoid that puddle or go through it very slowly, because you don’t know how deep it is and you can damage your car.”
Make sure you keep your windscreen clear, says Ubah: “We need to be able to see our next five seconds – minimum. In the rain, if it is a road that is 60mph, it doesn’t mean you have to drive at 60mph – the speed limit is a limit, not a target. If you can’t see properly, reduce your speed.”
In ice, “just remember that you’re going to need to be delicate with everything”, says Rawson. “Even steering is a slight turn – and do everything a lot slower.”
If you are worried about running out of charge or fuel
“I haven’t got an electric car,” says Field, “so I don’t have that fear of the charge running out. But it is exactly the same with fuel – it’s just that there are more fuelling places than charging ones. But it’s getting better. So it is just about thinking before you set off: ‘How much fuel have I got?’ or, ‘How much charge have I got?’ And then being aware that you can find out where your nearest points are using the satnav. But also, the night before, just make sure that you’ve got enough to get to where you’re going.”
If you have an accident
“Exchange details, and take a photo,” says Zlatev. “If you have any dashcam record, keep it safe. If you’re able to drive the car safely, you can. But if not, call the breakdown cover.”
Afterwards, “remind yourself that having an accident doesn’t make you a bad driver”, says Ubah. “You’ve got to have empathy for yourself. If you need to take a break from the road for a bit, that’s completely fine. Don’t judge yourself for it, and just know that the road is there whenever you want to drive again.”
