Here is some basic driving skill I was teaching to my 16 year old daughter that I found difficult to learn when I started driving as a teenager the first one is driving in bad weather. When driving on the road in bad weather such as snow, rain, or ice there are some basic driving skills you need to keep in mind. First, always wear your seatbelt. Whenever it is necessary for you to use your windshield wipers always turn on your headlights, it will help you see better and help other drivers see you.
Remember black is can not be seen on the road so if the tires start to spin and you begin to lose control here are some things you should do: You must keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times. As nervous or scared as you might be, when the car starts to slide, you must remain calm and do not panic. It is important for you to relax and tell yourself you are in control of this situation, panicking will only make you lose control of the car. When the car starts to slide do not, under any circumstances stomp on the brake or the gas pedal.
Instead slowly take your foot off the gas pedal and turn the steering wheel the way the car is sliding. For example, if the tires are sliding to the right, then smoothly, don’t jerk or snatch, turn the steering to the right (depending on the Year of the car). If you do this soon the car will stop sliding and you will be able to regain control of the car. If it start to snow or rain too hard while driving, pull over to a safe place until it slows down and you feel comfortable driving again.
Another difficult driving maneuver is parallel parking. When parallel parking signal first, pull up and place your rear tires next to the other car’s bumper. Put the car in reverse and turn your wheels all the way to the right, slowly back-up until your car is at an angle then stop. Next, turn your wheels all the way to the left, roll slowly as you turn the wheel. Finally, slowly back-up until you are parallel with the curb. If done right you should be a few inches away from the curb not on it.
Also, if you must park on a hill when parking upward turn your front wheels to the left, when parking downward turn your front wheels to the right in both cases always apply the emergency brake. I prefer to find a park that I can easily pull straight into. When pulling out of a parallel park always use your signal and check your blind spot to make sure there is no on-coming traffic before you pull out. In my honest opinion learning to drive in bad weather or just the basics especially, parallel parking is based on your own judgment, the more you practice will improve your judgment.
