My friend Maria learned to drive at forty two years old. Forty two. She had three kids and a minivan and a husband who traveled for work. One day she just got tired of asking for rides. So she went to the DMV, got her permit, and called me crying two weeks later.

That is the energy I want to bring here. Because driving is scary at first. It just is. But every person on the road today was once a shaky mess behind the wheel. Every single one.

These car driving tips for beginners are not from a textbook. They are from me stalling a manual car at a busy intersection while a truck driver behind me laid on his horn. They are from my cousin backing into a fire hydrant. They are from Maria and her garbage can.

First Thing: Know Your Car Like You Know Your Own Shoes

I do not cruel you require to modify an motor. I cruel you require to know where everything is without looking. Since when you are driving, looking down to discover the fog light switch implies you are not looking at the street.

So sit in your car right now. Engine off. Just sit. Find the pedal on the far right. That is the gas. The one next to it is the brake. If you have a third pedal on the left, that is the clutch. Touch them with your feet. Press them. Feel how the gas pedal moves easily but the brake pedal feels harder to push. That is on purpose.

Discover the pedal on the distant right. That is the gas. The one following to it is the brake. If you have a third pedal on the cleared out, that is the clutch. Touch them with your feet. Press them. Feel how the gas pedal moves effortlessly but the brake pedal feels harder to thrust. That is on reason.

You may also read :- Driving Tips for Beginners: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Car Basics for Beginners: The Stuff Nobody Told Me

Okay so you know where the pedals are. But do you know what the letters on the gear shifter mean? Because I did not. I thought N stood for "nice" or something. No.

P is park. You only put it in P when you are stopped and turning off the car. R is reverse. For backing up. N is neutral. That means the engine runs but the car does not move when you press the gas. You almost never need N. D is drive. That is where you put it to go forward.

If you have a manual car, you have numbers 1 through 5 or 6. That is a whole different thing. I will get to that later. Here is something important. When you park on a hill, do not just put it in P. Use the parking brake too. The parking brake is usually a lever between the seats or a little pedal way on the left. Pull it or push it. It holds the car so the transmission does not have to. Your transmission will last longer.

How to Drive a Car Step by Step: What I Actually Do Every Morning

I am gonna tell you my exact routine. The one I use every day when I drive to work. It takes me maybe thirty seconds now. When I was a beginner, it took me five minutes. That is fine. Speed comes later.

Step one: Walk around the car

Before I get in, I walk around. I look at the tires. Do any look flat? I look for big puddles under the car. That could be a leak. I look for things behind the car. A kid's bike. A cat. A garbage can that Maria might have hit.

Step two: Get in and adjust

I put my butt in the seat. I push the seat forward or back until I can press the brake pedal all the way down without stretching my leg. My knee stays bent a little. Then I adjust the steering wheel if my car lets me do that. I want to see the whole speedometer.

Step three: Mirrors

I set the rearview mirror so I see the whole back window. Not the back seat. Not my own face. The road behind me. Then I set the side mirrors. 

Step four: Seatbelt

Click. Pull it tight. Make sure the shoulder strap goes across my collarbone, not my neck. If it cuts across my neck, I move the seat up or down if the car lets me.

Step five: Start the engine

Foot on brake. Turn key or push button. Listen. Look at the dashboard. All the little lights should turn off after a couple seconds. If the check engine light stays on or the brake light stays on, I do not drive. I call someone who knows cars.

Step six: Check controls one more time

I touch the turn signal. I touch the wipers. I make sure my lights are on if it is dark or rainy. I do this without looking down.

Step seven: Go

Put the car in D for automatic. Or first gear for manual. Release the parking brake. Check my mirrors. Look over my shoulder. Then go.

10 Useful Driving Tips for New Drivers (Mostly Things I Messed Up)

1.  Put your phone away. Not in your lap. Not in the cupholder. In your bag. In the glove box. I do not care if you are expecting a call. That call can wait. You know how many accidents happen because someonelooked at a text for two seconds? A lot. A whole lot.

2. Check your mirrors every few seconds. A quick glance. Look at the rearview. Look at the left mirror. Look at the right mirror. It takes less than a second

3. Turn your head to check your blind spots. Mirrors do not show everything. There is a spot near your back wheel on each side that mirrors cannot see. You have to look over your shoulder.

4.  Turn your headlights on when your wipers are on. It is the law in a lot of places. But even if it is not the law, do it. Other drivers need to see you.

5. Stop completely at stop signs. Not almost stop. Not slow down and roll through. Stop. Feel the car stop moving. Then look both ways. Then look left again. Then go.

6. If someone tailgates you, let them pass. Do not brake check them. Do not speed up. Just slow down gently and let them go around. It is not worth the fight.

7. Take breaks on long drives. Every two hours, stop. Walk around. Get coffee. Your brain gets tired even if your body feels fine.

8. Check your tire pressure once a month. The number you need is inside your driver door. Open the door and look. It says something like 32 PSI. Use a little gauge from any gas station.

9. Drive like everyone else is about to do something stupid. That guy at the side street? Assume he does not see you. That car changing lanes? Assume they forgot to check their blind spot. You will be ready.

10. Never trust another driver's turn signal. I have seen people drive for miles with their left blinker on. Wait to see them actually turn before you pull out.

Automatic Car Driving Tips for Beginners: Keep That Left Foot Still

I already told you about my left foot mistake. But I am gonna tell you again because it is really important. In an automatic car, your left foot does nothing. It just sits there. Keep it flat on the floor. Only use your right foot for the gas and the brake.

So left foot on the floor. Right foot moves from gas to brake. Take your right foot completely off the gas before you touch the brake. Practice this in a parking lot until it feels boring.

Manual Car Driving Tips for Beginners: The Clutch Is Not Your Enemy

Here is the secret. Go to an empty parking lot. Flat ground. Press the clutch all the way down with your left foot. Put the car in first gear. Take your right foot off the brake. Keep it on the floor. Do not touch the gas. Slowly lift your left foot off the clutch. Lift until you feel the car start to roll forward. That spot is called the bite point. Press the clutch back down. Do this twenty times. Now you know exactly where your clutch grabs.

Once you find the bite point easily, add a tiny bit of gas when you feel it. The car moves forward smooth. No jerking. No stalling.

When to shift gears? Listen to the engine. If it sounds loud and busy, shift up. If it sounds quiet and struggling, shift down. For most cars, first to second at ten to fifteen miles per hour. Second to third around twenty five. Third to fourth around forty. Fourth to fifth around fifty five. But really, just listen. Your car tells you.

What Are the 7 Steps Before You Start Your Car?

Here is a table I made for my cousin. She printed it out and taped it to her dashboard for two months. Now she does it without thinking.

FAQ: Stuff Beginners Always Ask Me

How long until I stop being scared?

About fifty hours of driving. The first ten hours are the worst. By hour thirty, you stop thinking about your feet. By hour sixty, you might actually enjoy it. Everyone is different. My friend Maria took almost a year. My cousin took three months. It is fine.

What if I stall a manual car at a green light?

It happens to everyone. Do not panic. Press the clutch all the way down. Press the brake so you do not roll backward. Turn the key to restart the engine. Put it back in first gear. Find the bite point slowly. Add gas. Go. The people behind you might honk. Let them honk. You are learning.

How do I parallel park without losing my mind?

Pull up next to the car ahead of the empty spot. Line up your rear bumper with their rear bumper. Turn your wheel all the way toward the curb. Reverse slowly until you see the headlights of the car behind you in your side mirror. Straighten your wheel. Reverse until your front bumper clears the car ahead. Turn your wheel away from the curb. Pull forward to straighten out. Practice thirty times. You will get it.

What is the most common mistake new drivers make?

Looking at the hood of the car instead of far down the road. New drivers stare at the bumper ahead of them. That causes swerving and late braking. Look twelve seconds ahead. Your peripheral vision handles what is close.

What if someone is road raging at me?

Do not look at them. Do not wave. Do not brake check them. Slow down gently and let them pass. If they follow you, drive to a police station or a busy gas station. Never drive home with someone following you.

One More Story Before You Go

The first time I drove alone after getting my license, I was so nervous I forgot to release the parking brake. I drove for two miles with it on. The car smelled like burning metal. I pulled over and cried for ten minutes.

Then I laughed at myself. Released the brake. And kept driving. You will do dumb stuff too. You will stall. You will forget to signal. You might even hit a garbage can like Maria.

But you will learn. And one day, you will be the one giving car driving tips for beginners to someone who is scared and shaking behind the wheel. Now go practice. Start in a parking lot. Then quiet streets. Then busier roads. Take your time.