Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/303828
drive smart Back to (Driving) School 10 ways to fine-tune your skills behind the wheel by Mark Richardson 1 Hold the wheel correctly. Hold the steering wheel as if it's a clock, with your hands in the 9 and 3 positions. is way, if you need to make a sudden cor- rection, you can probably do so without letting go of the wheel, and you'll keep as much control as possible . 2 Sit properly. Raise the seat back so you're upright and close enough to the wheel for your elbows to be at a 90-degree angle, with your shoulder blades supported by the seat back. You'll be more alert and better positioned for reacting to the unexpected. 3 Set up your mirrors accurately. Most people arrange their side mir- rors so they can see the edge of their car, but this area is visible with the rear-view mirror. Set the side mir- rors wider so they just overlap with the image in the main mirror, and you'll no longer have a blind spot. 4 Follow the two-second rule. Avoid tailgating by keeping at least two seconds of driving time between you and the vehicle in front. is gives you space to brake in a hurry and will also let you see farther down the road to anticipate potential problems. 5 Put the phone down. is is probably the most danger- ous distraction, and it's against the law almost everywhere. But go further: don't make phone calls while driving, even with a hands-free device. It's still a distraction. 6 Signal every time. Don't just turn on your indica- tors when there's another vehicle nearby; do it every time. en you'll be in the habit to signal when you really need to. 7 Back into parking spaces. Always reverse into a space in a parking lot if you can't drive right through. It's safer when leaving because you can better see traffic driving down the access lanes toward you. 8 Keep to the right. If the right lane is clear, drive in it. e law says keep right except to pass; to do otherwise blocks faster traffic and frus- trates drivers. An irritated driver is a bad driver – you don't want a tailgater behind you. 9 Read the manual. Look through the owner's manual in the glove box – you may learn something you didn't know. It will also tell you the correct recommended tire pressures; don't go by the maximum pressures printed on the tires themselves. 10 Clean your car. Just as you feel better when you wear clean clothes, you'll drive better when you feel pride in your vehicle. Toss the garbage and run your ride through a car wash or bring out the bucket and handwash on the next sunny day. at good feeling will rub off on the road. W s u m m e r 2 0 1 4 | W E S T W O R L D 43 Visit driveright.caa.ca for reminders, tips and tools for parents and new drivers. p42-43_DriveSmart.indd 43 14-04-11 2:42 PM