How to Improve Your American Driving Skills
Study the Driver's Handbook., Observe how Americans drive., Realize that there is a flow., Know when to brake., Know your limits., Be defensive., Copy the best., Signal correctly., Think like a driver., Don't be an aggressive driver.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Study the Driver's Handbook.
You had to pass a test to get the license, and maybe your English wasn't very good.
Go back and read it again, carefully.
Memorize it if you have to. -
Step 2: Observe how Americans drive.
Everyone drives differently of course, but there are patterns and there are good drivers and bad ones.
Pay attention and learn which ones are driving well. , We follow traffic laws here and that means traffic moves in a predictable flow or pattern.
People drive by assuming that all drivers know the pattern and follow it.
When you drive counter to this assumption, you surprise people, and that makes you dangerous.
This includes entering freeways, where you must get up to speed fast, not stop and wait. , Of course, you must brake at a stop sign or light, or when traffic stops in front of you.
But many drivers brake when they shouldn't, and that confuses other drivers around you.
You should normally not brake when driving at speed on a non-city road or freeway.
This means look ahead to see how the cars in front of you are moving, and when there is a slow-down, you slow also before you have to suddenly brake.
If you leave enough space between your car and the ones in front, you shouldn't brake at all. in normal traffic when cars are flowing smoothly.
Don't keep your foot on or above the brake pedal "just in case"
because that makes the brake lights come on and now people wonder why you are stopping. , If you are afraid to drive as fast as people usually drive on a freeway, or on a mountainous curved road, don't do it.
Don't slow other people down behind you because you are afraid to follow the normal speed and habits.
Find another road. , Many Americans don't do this, and they cause and suffer accidents.
They need to learn the same thing.
Act as if every other driver near you is too stupid to drive correctly.
Give them extra room and time.
Decide what you would do if they suddenly got in your way.
Have a way out; that is, where would you steer your car if you have to move out of the way fast. , Don't copy poor drivers to who speed, drive close behind other cars, drive through yellow traffic lights, etc. , Signaling means you indicate where you will move BEFORE you do it, not while or after you do it.
Signal for at least 5 blinks of the light before changing lanes, or turning a corner.
Show people what you are doing so they don't get in your way.
Two cars can't be in the same space at the same time. , In this country, driving is NOT like riding a bicycle back home.
If your country has small slow roads, lots of bicycles, carts, or walkers, animals, horses, etc. then you have to think differently.
You can't suddenly realize you made a mistake and turn around like a bicycle can.
You can't stop and decide what you're going to do on the road.
You must be ready to drive before you get on the road. , In Europe you may be used to high speed driving on open motorways.
We do have speed limits here, and we're not used to road racing, like in Monte Carlo (though some drivers fantasize about this).
In fact, we seldom drive high performance cars and aren't used to tight turns and other racing techniques.
Just because we have whole states of open freeways (think Nevada), this doesn't mean you are on a racecourse. -
Step 3: Realize that there is a flow.
-
Step 4: Know when to brake.
-
Step 5: Know your limits.
-
Step 6: Be defensive.
-
Step 7: Copy the best.
-
Step 8: Signal correctly.
-
Step 9: Think like a driver.
-
Step 10: Don't be an aggressive driver.
Detailed Guide
You had to pass a test to get the license, and maybe your English wasn't very good.
Go back and read it again, carefully.
Memorize it if you have to.
Everyone drives differently of course, but there are patterns and there are good drivers and bad ones.
Pay attention and learn which ones are driving well. , We follow traffic laws here and that means traffic moves in a predictable flow or pattern.
People drive by assuming that all drivers know the pattern and follow it.
When you drive counter to this assumption, you surprise people, and that makes you dangerous.
This includes entering freeways, where you must get up to speed fast, not stop and wait. , Of course, you must brake at a stop sign or light, or when traffic stops in front of you.
But many drivers brake when they shouldn't, and that confuses other drivers around you.
You should normally not brake when driving at speed on a non-city road or freeway.
This means look ahead to see how the cars in front of you are moving, and when there is a slow-down, you slow also before you have to suddenly brake.
If you leave enough space between your car and the ones in front, you shouldn't brake at all. in normal traffic when cars are flowing smoothly.
Don't keep your foot on or above the brake pedal "just in case"
because that makes the brake lights come on and now people wonder why you are stopping. , If you are afraid to drive as fast as people usually drive on a freeway, or on a mountainous curved road, don't do it.
Don't slow other people down behind you because you are afraid to follow the normal speed and habits.
Find another road. , Many Americans don't do this, and they cause and suffer accidents.
They need to learn the same thing.
Act as if every other driver near you is too stupid to drive correctly.
Give them extra room and time.
Decide what you would do if they suddenly got in your way.
Have a way out; that is, where would you steer your car if you have to move out of the way fast. , Don't copy poor drivers to who speed, drive close behind other cars, drive through yellow traffic lights, etc. , Signaling means you indicate where you will move BEFORE you do it, not while or after you do it.
Signal for at least 5 blinks of the light before changing lanes, or turning a corner.
Show people what you are doing so they don't get in your way.
Two cars can't be in the same space at the same time. , In this country, driving is NOT like riding a bicycle back home.
If your country has small slow roads, lots of bicycles, carts, or walkers, animals, horses, etc. then you have to think differently.
You can't suddenly realize you made a mistake and turn around like a bicycle can.
You can't stop and decide what you're going to do on the road.
You must be ready to drive before you get on the road. , In Europe you may be used to high speed driving on open motorways.
We do have speed limits here, and we're not used to road racing, like in Monte Carlo (though some drivers fantasize about this).
In fact, we seldom drive high performance cars and aren't used to tight turns and other racing techniques.
Just because we have whole states of open freeways (think Nevada), this doesn't mean you are on a racecourse.
About the Author
Natalie Hill
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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