Receiving your first driving license means you now have the freedom to drive a vehicle without relying on anyone. Aside from that, you can use this document as a personal identification card when applying for government benefits, opening a bank account, or enrolling in school. Furthermore, getting a license may lead to more job opportunities, especially those that require some driving.
However, you need to maintain a clean driving record to show that you’re a responsible driver with a low risk of accidents. With a pristine record, you may be able to earn the trust of potential employers, helping you get your dream job. On the other hand, failure to do so may affect your job applications and increase the price range of your car insurance premiums.
This article provides you with the five best practices for maintaining a clean driving record.
Avoid Drunk Driving
Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or other substances does more than affect your clean record. It can lead to life-threatening consequences. Drunk driving results in poor decision-making, loss of judgment, and slower reaction time that may cause you to disobey traffic signals. Aside from that, you’ll also suffer from poor coordination, impairing your driving ability and putting yourself and others in danger.
To avoid DUI, you have to make the conscious decision not to drive after consuming alcoholic drinks. Instead of driving, you may call a private car service to take you home or stay overnight at your friend’s house.
But if you ever get charged with DUI, it would be wise to seek the assistance of an attorney from a reputable law firm like Summit Defense since drunk driving is considered a criminal offense with serious penalties.
Always Bring Your License
The main purpose of your driving license is to show proof to law enforcement officers that you’re qualified to operate a vehicle. However, if you can’t show this document when you’re pulled over by the police, you’ll be issued a traffic citation. The first offense is typically classified as a misdemeanor, but the second and succeeding offenses are categorized as a felony.
In addition, your driving license will allow emergency personnel to identify you and notify your family if you ever get involved in a car accident.
Therefore, always keep your driving license with you. It may be tempting to leave your license in the glove compartment, but it’s not advisable. If your license gets stolen, it can be used to commit identity fraud.
It’s better to put this document inside your wallet to ensure that even if you switch handbags, you’ll have your license with you at all times. You also avoid the hassle of going home to get it.
Focus On The Road
When driving on the road, you should eliminate distractions that can cause bad accidents, affecting your driving record. These distractions include taking calls, noisy passengers, adjusting music settings, eating, and looking at roadside billboards. If you’re not mindful enough, there’s a greater risk of causing a car crash, leading to costly damages or death.
You must keep your eyes and mind on the road and avoid such distractions. For instance, you can switch your mobile phone to Do Not Disturb mode so you won’t get distracted by calls, messages, and other notifications while your hands are on the wheel. Also, you must ask your passengers to be quiet or refrain from talking loudly so you can concentrate on your driving.
In addition, you should avoid driving a vehicle if you’re exhausted or sleepy because you may not be able to react immediately to avoid a collision. Instead, you must drive only if you had adequate sleep the night before in order to stay alert throughout your road trip.
Alternatively, you may consider rolling down the window to inhale some fresh air or have a quick walk to get your blood flowing before hitting the road.
Obey Traffic Rules
The most common traffic rules include wearing seat belts, driving within the speed limit, and stopping at a red light. Failure to abide by these laws may put other motorists, pedestrians, and yourself in potentially dangerous situations. Even if such violations don’t result in an accident, these will be reflected in your driving record and you also have to pay stiff fines.
You need to practice driving at a safe speed to avoid posing dangers on the roadway and affecting your clean record. In addition, you should keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you to avoid collisions, especially during bad weather.
If your car breaks down for whatever reason, use hazard lights to warn other drivers. Avoid using your hazard lights to park illegally.
Install Dash Cameras
A dash camera is a practical tool that can help you contest a questionable traffic ticket so you can maintain a clean driving record. There are instances where there’s a valid reason behind a traffic ticket. For example, if you were speeding or ran a red light due to a medical emergency.
When buying a dash cam for your automobile, you must consider the field of view (FOV). This refers to the width of the scene that the dash cam can see or record. The FOV should range from 130 to 160 degrees. Any wider than that and the image will most likely be distorted. But if it’s too narrow, the image won’t capture your car’s fenders.
Next, you should ensure that you choose tools with a high visual resolution that allows you to record all the essential details, especially in low-light environments. Additionally, you need to assess the mounting capability of the device to prevent it from falling on you or blocking the view of your car’s advanced control detectors.
Key Takeaway
As a first-time licensed driver, you must be responsible when driving a vehicle so you can maintain a clean driving record and avoid costly fines and other penalties. But more importantly, you should follow the pointers given above to keep yourself and others safe.
