Tips for new drivers

Learning how to cope with carrying passengers, following directions and generally dealing with getting from A to B is tricky enough, so give yourself a break and put green P plates on your car. These let other drivers know that you’ve recently passed your test and that they may need to be a little more considerate and patient than usual.

A little extra help

Even though you’ve proved you’re proficient enough to drive a car, you are still relatively inexperienced on the road. One in five newly-qualified drivers has an accident in their first year, so boosting your skills and reducing the chances of this happening to you makes good sense. Pass Plus is a training course designed by the Driving Standards Agency, with the support of car insurers and the driving instruction industry.

Pass Plus can be taken any time within the first year after passing your test and is made up of six practical modules. These include: driving in town, in all weathers, on rural roads, at night, on dual carriageways, and on motorways. The aim is to boost your confidence in dealing with different kinds of hazards, improving your ability to anticipate and plan for whatever situation may arise. Pass Plus will take a minimum of six hours, but there is no test at the end as you will be continually assessed under expert tuition instead.

Direct Line car insurance discounts

If you successfully complete the Pass Plus course, Direct Line could offer you a discount on your car insurance for the first year.

Get off to a safe start

Make sure your first car gives you the best chance to be safe on the roads. The European NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) aims to provide drivers with an independent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. Choose a roadworthy car with a strong Euro NCAP crash-test results rating, with anti-lock brakes and airbags.

It’s down to you

It’s your responsibility to make sure your vehicle is registered with the DVLA, that you have a valid tax disc and have car insurance. Every time you drive, you must be confident that you are fit to drive. It’s best to avoid alcohol completely if you are planning to get behind the wheel, and if you are on any medication check with your doctor or pharmacist to ensure it won’t have any adverse effect on your performance – some medication may make you drowsy for example. If your passengers are behaving in a noisy or distracting way, be assertive and tell them to stop, as driving needs your full attention.

Proceed with caution

Driving sensibly not only makes sense to ensure the welfare of you and your passengers, but also because your driving licence will be automatically revoked if you build up six or more penalty points within two years of passing your first driving test. You would then have to reapply for a provisional licence, pass the theory and practical driving tests again and claim your test pass. So unless you want to go back to the beginning, commit to safer driving for life.

Related information:

Dangerously mobile – mobile use is an obvious distraction while you’re behind the wheel – plus you could now end up with a hefty fine

Safe summer driving – you may think there’s no safer time of year to drive, but there are still some hazards to be aware of

New driver car insurance – find out what Direct Line can offer those who have just passed their driving test