15 Driving Tricks They Don't Teach in Driving Schools

How to eliminate blind spots? How do you know when to stop as you are parallel parking? What should you never do before making a left turn?
Even the most experienced drivers don’t always know all the nuances that can make driving easier. Bright Side explains how to feel at ease when driving, learn to avoid dangerous situations and become a confident driver. Every tip we are going to share is very important, so you’d better not miss any of them.

TIMESTAMPS
Get to know your vehicle 0:48
Check if all your mirrors are adjusted correctly 1:45
Don’t drive in someone else’s blind spot 2:26
Learn to feel where the wheels are 3:13
Park guided by your windows and mirrors 3:51
Learn to drive in bad weather 4:44
Dry your brakes after driving through a puddle 5:30
Watch out for the maneuvers of taller cars in front of you 6:06
If the car doesn’t start, turn the high beams on 6:35
Lower your rear-view mirror at night 7:00
Turn on the air conditioner 7:19
Use the handbrake regularly 7:34
If a car in the neighboring lane is slowing down, follow suit 7:54
Don’t let the illusion of low speed deceive you 8:12
Don’t turn the wheels beforehand when making a left turn 8:44

SUMMARY
– Believe us, when you hit the roads you will have many things to worry about rather than finding the switches for your front and rear fog lights or your hazard light button. See it as getting ready for an important exam. The more time you take preparing for it and the better you know the material, the less stress you will have during the exam.
– To eliminate blind spots, adjust your side-view mirrors so that you can’t see your car in them. To check if there is a blind spot, drive past another parked car in reverse, looking in your side-view mirror. As soon as it’s out of the picture, you should see it with your peripheral vision.
– If you find yourself in a dangerous position, change it. A dangerous position is when you are driving along to the right and slightly behind another vehicle. You are likely to be in their blind spot, so they don’t see you.
– If you want to avoid potholes on the road, you need to learn to feel where the wheels are. Feeling your vehicle is the key to being able to control it and it is crucially important for safe driving.
– When perpendicular parking, stop once you see the curb under the side mirror. This way the distance between the car and the curb will be minimal, and you won’t scratch the bumper.
When parallel parking, make sure you don’t scratch the hubcaps. Stick a piece of colored duct tape to the bottom of the windshield.
– You never know what might happen and when you are going to have to drive in bad weather conditions, so it is better to be prepared. The best thing about practicing is that you can choose the time and place to do it.
– Before even the smallest of puddles, you’d better slow down and go through it smoothly without maneuvering or changing speed. If you drive quickly, there is a chance of water getting into the ignition system and making the engine stall.
– Drivers of taller vehicles (truck and buses) see road situations much more clearly. If they start to change lanes all at once, it’s likely that they saw a car accident or a different kind of roadblock.
– In the times of global climate change, you never know where and when winter might come after you. Sometimes in winter the car just won’t start on the first try. It is not a reason to panic, call for help, or use public transportation instead.
– To avoid being blinded by a car behind you, change the angle of the mirror by pulling down the lever under it.
– Even when you don’t use the air conditioner (for example, in winter), turn it on regularly for a short period of time.
– Even if you don’t do angle parking, use the handbrake regularly to keep it alive. The only exception is very cold weather. In such conditions, you’d better avoid using the handbrake so that the brake pads don’t freeze.
– If you see a car in the neighboring lane slowing down, you should do the same. It’s likely that the driver wants to let a pedestrian or an animal pass.
– On a straight road, the speed seems to be two times lower than it really is. It makes you want to speed up to give your vehicle a chance to show its full power.
– It’s dangerous to turn the wheels in advance before making a left turn. They must be in the initial position. If a car hits you from the back, you might be thrown into the opposite lane where hitting other cars will be inevitable.