As part of MPR Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer's coverage about teen drivers getting real-world experience, she connected with Susan Anderson of Anderson Motorsport Inc. Susan shared her top three tips (and a bonus one!) for safer driving with us. Susan gives these tips with younger drivers during the "real world" part of the program:
1. The car is not an appliance- you can't turn it on and go do something else. Try to avoid automotive multitasking (eating, phone calls, reading) as much as possible and give your attention to your driving.
2. Everyone makes mistakes- give other drivers a break. Don't tailgate. Try to keep at least 3 seconds distance between yourself and the car ahead.
3. The car will go where your eyes send it- look up and ahead, where you want the car to go- not where you are afraid it might go. Try to look at least 2 to 3 cars ahead in traffic and anticipate what may happen in front of you.
And here's a bonus one-
Take the owner's manual (you know, that big fat book the dealer gave you) out of the glovebox and read through it. Take it, a pen and paper and a flashlight into the garage and look over the car. Where is the spare? Where does the oil go in? How much air should be in the tires? Being familiar with the car can save you time and money, and could save your life in an emergency.
What are your driving tips? What would you share with younger drivers, or even with drivers who should know better?
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Julia Schrenkler
Minnesota Public Radio Interactive Producer
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Comments: 9
You're sweet, Lora, but Susan Anderson deserves the credit. These are tips she uses to train teens to be better drivers (should I wait out the "keeping them off the sidewalk" jokes?) but these are smart for drivers of all ages.
Don't know about you all, but I love reading owner's manuals. If pressed to share my own tip...
Get to know how your car "feels" by doing your own maneuvers. Take it to an empty parking lot and see how tight the turning radius is, how quickly it responds to hitting the brakes hard. The better you know how your own car handles, the more likely you are to identify when it needs maintenance and you'll manage emergency situations better.
Another thing - if the car ahead of you has its brakelights on, you should not be accelerating!
They are both good drivers.
Mary P gives us a good reminder to keep our eyes on the road, no matter how gorgeous or distracting a passenger might be.
Checking the blind spot is so basic and useful Diana, you'd think more people would be clued in to doing that. Glad you got good drivin' kids on the road.