Has it been a while since you’ve driven a car? Don’t worry–this kind of thing happens to everyone. Many people can eventually find themselves in a situation where they won’t be able to drive for a while. Some people just get rid of their vehicles because they’re too expensive for the convenience they offer, and others don’t even buy a car after getting their license. No matter what reason you have for not driving, it’s completely understandable.
But what can you do to get back into driving after a long break? Is there anything that you can do to make the transition back to driving smoother?
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Work on your theory if you’ve forgotten everything
Safe driving requires you to understand the Highway Code. If you’ve forgotten what signs look like, then it’s completely understandable that you might feel uncomfortable getting into a car again. For something like this, you can always look at theory revision tests or even contact a company such as NxtGen Driving Academy that will have courses and lessons that you can take to reinforce your driving knowledge. This is usually the best option for people that just need a little push to get back into driving.
Try and practice with more experienced drivers
If you ever get the opportunity to drive, try it. This is especially true if you’re able to practice with more experienced drivers near you. For instance, if you’re planning to drive somewhere with friends, then you can offer to drive everyone. This will give you a much-needed confidence boost, and it’ll also help calm your nerves. A lot of people tend to get a little anxious when driving on their own after a prolonged break, so just having people in the car (even if they don’t know how to drive) can help soothe your nerves a bit and make it a lot easier to drive.
Get back into driving slowly by doing it a bit every day
It’s important to drive a bit each day if you’ve decided that you want to get back into it. It can feel like you’re learning to drive from scratch again even if you’ve not been behind the wheel for just a few months, so take it easy and don’t rush yourself! The more time you spend practising, the more comfortable you’ll be on the road. Just do a little each day until that muscle memory comes back.
Consider taking additional courses to refresh and upgrade your memory
There are always opportunities for you to take refresher courses and additional courses to help improve your driving. These are usually aimed at people that have a bit of experience with driving but want to learn a bit more. For instance, you could try a defensive driving course that will help you learn how to be more aware of drivers around you. You could also just look at a couple of YouTube videos and other internet guides for a quick memory refresher instead of taking on a full-blown course.
