Tips for Driving With Passengers in the Car

One of the first things that you are likely to do when you have a brand new car is taking a few friends out for a ride. After all, you want to show off your new sets of wheels as quickly as possible, right?

For new drivers, this can present a couple of problems. Driving with others in the car can lead to a lot of distractions and it is a far different proposition to driving with an instructor. This means you need to prepare yourself so you stay safe on the road, no matter how many people are in the car.

To help you out, we’ve pulled together a few tips that will help you when driving with passengers.

No Back Seat Driving

You may have more experienced drivers among your passengers and the most annoying of these will insist on giving you advice during the trip. Don’t give into the pressure and make sure you avoid any advice that would require you to drive unsafely. This is your car and your licence, which means you are responsible if something goes wrong. If a passenger insists on back seat driving, tell them to be quiet. You could even tell them you will kick them out of the car if they keep pressuring you.

Seatbelts

Your car’s seatbelts are lifesavers. There are no two ways around it. If your passengers refuse to wear the belts, you should refuse to take them anywhere. Again, it’s your neck on the line so you need to lay down the rules. You could get pulled over and fined for not making sure your passengers are wearing their belts. We don’t think we have to tell you how devastating the consequences could be if you get into a road traffic accident while your passengers are not wearing their belts.

Stick To Your Friends

Having somebody you don’t know in your car can be unnerving at the best of times. This issue only increases if that person feels the need to berate you over your driving. To avoid the problem entirely, stick to only giving lifts to the friends that you trust to respect the fact that you are a new driver. It’s all about building your confidence up in the early days, so avoid any passengers who might prevent you from doing that.

Avoid Being a Drunk Friend Taxi

Once you have a bit of driving experience under your belt you can feel a little safer acting as a designated driver. However, in the early days, you should completely avoid driving your drunk friends around. People act differently when they are intoxicated and they are liable to cause a lot more distractions. If you are already nervous as a new driver you may find that these distractions are a tipping point. Wait until you have built a little bit of confidence before you start handing out lifts to drunk friends. Even when you do, make sure you follow the rest of the above advice to stay safe during the drive.