There’s a growing sentiment that states people should requalify or at least re-verify their driving ability once they hit a certain age, provided their driving examination was a certain number of years ago.
That’s because as we get older, our bad habits tend to develop and stay with us. Alternatively, sometimes age can make us less focused, attentive, and reactive when we need to be. There are many, many excellent drivers out there in their elderly years, but unfortunately, some may be affected by the conditions of their age, and it’s good to ensure all road users are safe, where statistical considerations like this are higher.
Regardless, learning to avoid building bad habits in your driving career and understanding how they are built is a great place to start and avoid such a fate. In this post, we’ll discuss where you may begin with such an approach:
Nail The Theory & Review It
You may feel that you can already do the theory part, especially when you’ve been watching other people drive for years and feel like you already understand the rules of the road just by osmosis, but the truth is that theory doesn’t stick unless you actively spend time with it. Learning road signs or remembering how many metres it takes to stop in the rain is important, but theory is also about retraining your brain to think like a driver rather than a passenger and to refresh those rules that might’ve been forgotten or misremembered over time.
The highway code updates every so often too, so even if you passed years ago and think you’ve got it all down, there’s a good chance you’ve missed something that’s changed since then. That’s why it helps to not just cram for the theory test once and then forget it ever existed, it’s worth coming back to it now and then just to make sure your knowledge stays sharp because that’s what helps you build good habits from the start and actually hold on to them.
If Your Friend Or Relative Suggests A Certain Practice, Ask Your Instructor
If someone close to you says something like “oh no, you don’t need to do that anymore” or “they don’t mind if you do this, everyone does it,” and the problem is, sometimes they’re right, but a lot of the time they’re working off outdated advice or bad driving habits they’ve built up over the years without even realizing. If you’re confused now, you may always be an it may affect your test.
You don’t have to be rude or dismissive of course, just take whatever’s said with a pinch of salt and check with your instructor when you’re not sure. Remember that instructors are trained to teach in line with current laws and testing standards, so they’re always going to be your best source of truth, especially if you’re hearing five different opinions about the same thing. A quick talk with them can save you from reinforcing something that might lose you points or cause trouble.
Use Practice Tests To Excel Before Your Exam
Even if you think you’re a naturally good driver or you’ve solid instincts, the actual structure of the test, including both the theory and your practical, can absolutely catch you out if you’re not ready for how specific it all is. That’s why a G1 practice test can help you completely be free of any questionable habits or overconfident thoughts you’ve had before the real thing.
If there’s anything that will help you avoid bad habits it’s having the humility to see your mistakes and correct them, and a practice exam can give you that, without the frustration of failing a proper test you’ve paid and had to wait for.
Develop An Appreciation For Car Maintenance
The more you know about how the car works and what it needs to stay safe on the road, the less likely you are to ignore an issue or brush it off until it becomes a bigger problem. This also helps you avoid situations where you’re forced into bad habits, like driving with poor visibility because your wipers aren’t working properly or pushing through worn tyres because you didn’t notice the tread was low.
As such, a bit of time spent understanding the vehicle you’re in helps keep your driving habits clean, and more importantly, it keeps you and everyone else safer while you’re out there. Moreover, if you enjoy paying attention to details, this can be a great hobby of yours.
With this advice, we hope you can more easily avoid any and all bad habits in your driving career.