Check with family members and friends to see if they have a used car for sale or might be thinking of upgrading their own car.

Look for a safe car and a smaller car like a sedan if possible.

Research on current pricing and deals.

Be flexible on the model and year that you want.

Have the car inspected before you buy.

Check the cost of insurance for the model you are considering.

Read our tips for buying a used car.

Some states have suspended all non-essential local and government services including drivers licensing testings and services. Check with your state DMV to see if they are open or have an alternate online way to apply. If your state has lifted stay at home orders and you already have your learner’s license, you can use this time to practice your driving and study for your test and there may be less traffic. There will come a time when you will be able to take your test and get your license. Take care and be safe.

Tips for Drivers:

Look for other drivers who are using cell phones when driving and give them extra space.

Watch out for walkers who are on the phone or plugged into devices and are not paying attention.

Be aware that walkers may jay walk or dash out into the street at any time.

Give an extra few seconds when the light changes to give walkers a chance to make the other side.

Slow down around congested areas like shopping centers or schools and watch out for groups of people not paying attention to the traffic.

Tips for Walkers:

Don’t use a cell phone when walking.  If you have to take a call, stop and move to a save place out of traffic and away from other walkers.

Look left, right, and left again before moving into and then crossing the street.

Even if you are in a cross walk, be aware of the drivers—they might not see you.

Don’t walk near traffic wearing headphones.

Take responsibility for your own safety.

Cross at marked street crossing lanes—even if it means walking down to the light to cross and obey the Walk and Don’t Walk signals.

If you’re walking at night, wear reflective gear that will make you more visible to drivers.

Stay back on the curb when waiting to cross, cars may make a sharp turn and hit you if you are too close.

Check with your state about new laws that impact new drivers. Below are some highlights from around the country.

Washington State—the grace period for distracted driving laws is over in Jan. Remember it’s now illegal using cell phones, tablets, video games, or even laptops. First offense is $136, 2nd is $234. Also, if you’re pulled over, and caught doing other distracting activity such as grooming, smoking or even eating, you may get a %99 ticket. So be aware.

In Tennessee, it is illegal to use a hand-held cellphone or device in an active school zone—and drivers under 18 aren’t allowed to use hands-free devices either. Fine is $50.

Arizona minors won’t be able to use a phone while driving during the first 6 months of either a learner’s or a driver’s license.

In California, it’s now illegal to smoke pot and drive—and consume edible marijuana—and this applies to passengers in the car, too. Teendriving.com recommends that you do not drink or use any drugs while driving.

North Carolina has a new law and updated Driver’s Handbook to let drivers know how to pull over and interact with law enforcement if they see a patrol car’s blue light signaling them to stop. The new law also includes a minimum of six hours of anti-drinking and driver’s education. Louisiana has also added new content to their driving education requirements that covers appropriate driver conduct when stopped by a police office.

Maryland – In case you missed it, back in October 2017 a law was passed that banned fuzzy dice or any other “object, material, or obstruction hanging from the rear view mirror.”

Thanks to CJPonyParts for sharing their infographic on driving tips in extreme weather.

Link to Infographic

In many families, if teens get a car, they end up with the oldest, most beat-up one in the household.  Or if they save up to buy a used car, it’s 6-10 years old and a smaller model.   While less expensive, this option might not be the safest choice for teens.  The Institute for Highway Safety has compiled a list of best choices and good choices for a safe used car for teens.  In the last few years many cars have added great safety features like back-up cameras, side camera, ESC Electronic stability control, larger mirrors, collision warning, lane watch, and more.  In general, heavier cars had better safety crash ratings than lighter ones—and no mini cars made the list.  So do your homework and get the car with the best safety rating and features that you can afford.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Vehicles for Teens

Winter driving presents a unique set of challenges, but also gives drivers opportunities to critique their own skills that they may not have year round. We often hear students here at the driving school make comments like “I’m a great driver in the summer, but I have a lot of problems in the winter.” That should be a huge red flag for any driver, it means that your skills are not really up to par and that you are getting away with a lot of bad habits that will bite you sooner or later… especially when data suggests that most fatal crashes occur in the summer time. There’s no such thing as an “accident” in the driving world, just poor planning and/or execution. Blaming other drivers, your vehicle, animals, bad conditions, or other variables for your troubles will only create a roadblock to learning… With that in mind, let’s look at a few things that’ll help you get through the winter season (and the rest of your motoring life) in one piece.

1. Look where you want to go

It’s one of the hardest things to do in an emergency situation, and just as important to keep in mind when things are going well. Especially in the winter, constantly evaluating road conditions, choosing the best driving line, and having a backup plan are the most important skills to have as a driver. You can have the car control skills of a Formula 1 Champion, but if you fixate on every obstacle that appears, or stare at the trees when you start to skid, it’s going to end badly. Looking down the road at where you’d like to end up is the first step to recovering any bad situation.

2. Use the controls smoothly

On ice and snow, you may have only 10% of the grip that you’d have on dry tarmac. Sometimes closer to 30% or even 50% depending on the temperature and consistency of the surface as well as your tires… It’s your job to decide how much grip you have available and work within those parameters. The key is knowing that if you have ~40% grip, you can only accelerate, brake, or steer at ~40% of your car’s normal capability without inducing a skid or activating your car’s safety systems (ABS, Trac, DSC, etc.).

3. One maneuver at a time

When you’re dealing with snow, ice, and other slippery surfaces, its important to use what little grip you have for what you need most at the time. You can accelerate, steer, or brake… just don’t expect to do more than one at a time without getting into trouble. If you’re braking at or around the limit of the surface, you may need to release the brakes somewhat as you add steering. The same is true of acceleration, if you’re on the gas and trying to turn simultaneously, the car may not turn effectively until you release the throttle somewhat.

4. Safety Systems aren’t always your best friend

Modern vehicles are equipped with advanced safety systems that will work to get you out of trouble when you exceed the limits of grip. Your ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) will keep the wheels from locking while the car is still moving, but will allow simultaneous braking and turning. Traction control will stop the tires from spinning or turning faster than the actual road speed of your vehicle. DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) works to keep the car from understeering or over-steering.

Find a safe place to feel these systems working, and see for yourself whether they’re helping or actually hurting your driving… In situations like deep mud and snow, you might find that with ABS you have to double or triple your braking distances, and that you may have to turn off the traction control to make forward progress. These systems function much better with proper tires for the surface you’re traveling on, with fresh winter tires on the snow, they are all fairly
capable.

5. Be prepared

Set yourself up for success whenever possible. Mounting winter tires (on all four wheels), installing winter wiper blades, keeping your washer fluid full, carrying a towstrap and shovel as well as an emergency kit, having sand or kitty litter on hand, cleaning your lights and windows, checking your anti-freeze, warming your vehicle up properly, owning an ice scraper/brush, carrying tire chains when applicable, clearing ice from your wheel wells, blocking off your radiator in extreme cold temps… Any one of these things may make the difference between a successful journey and spending the night on the side of the road.

6. Have fun with it

If you drive fairly smoothly, pay attention to the conditions and adjust your speed and line accordingly, learn the strengths and weaknesses of your vehicle, and keep your eyes on the road, you shouldn’t need fantastic skid control skills. That said, part of learning your limits, the vehicle’s limits, and the road’s limits involves going beyond each of them to find exactly where the line is. Always try to be safe and constructive about practicing and playing around. Whether you’re in an abandoned parking lot, on a frozen lake, or just out at night trying to beat the plow trucks to fresh tracks, try to have a goal or at least a way to gauge your progress… Or just make a trip up to Team O’Neil and we’ll have you squared away in no time.

About Team O’Neil

The Team O’Neil Rally School has been in operation for almost twenty years in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and teaches courses year round ranging from basic winter driving schools to multi-day racing classes and off-road courses. With alumni like Travis Pastrana, Ken Block, and many other Champions from a variety of racing disciplines, Team O’Neil has garnered an international reputation for driver training.

by Mark Kinsel

With winter just around the corner, many young drivers will experience cold weather road conditions for the first time; add large trucks to the mix, and odds are you’ll see a great increase in accidents that occur. Even if a truck driver receives the best CDL training possible, they are still relying on all of the young drivers around them to be aware of big trucks.  As a former truck driver, I know that 9 in 10 fatal truck crashes happen when smaller passenger vehicles are involved. If you’re new to driving, or just need a refresher course, here are the 4 B’s that drivers of all ages can keep in mind when sharing the road with large trucks.

Avoid Blind Spots

All young drivers know that cars have blind spots. For big trucks, especially those hauling trailers, these blinds spots are exponentially larger. This area is called the No-Zone. If you remember nothing else about blind spots then remember this: If you can’t see the truck driver, then the truck driver can’t see you!

• There are blinds spots on the left and the right of a truck’s cab. If you can’t see the trucker in the side mirror, then you’re in the blind spot, and you need to get out.

• Behind the truck is the largest No-Zone. The trucker cannot see you and you cannot see what is ahead of the truck, thus greatly reducing your reaction time.

• In front of a large truck is a dangerous place to be as well. Unlike small cars, trucks need considerably more time and distance to come to a stop.

Be Predictable

When driving a massive vehicle, operators need more time and space to react to anything happening out on the road. Others can make the roads safer by making sure their moves are steady and predictable. This is especially true when drivers need to pass through a blind spot.

• Always maintain a constant speed while driving around large trucks. When you enter a blind spot, maintain your speed and be visible and predictable.

• Change directions slowly and deliberately. Do not weave in and out of lanes. Driving a truck requires enough focus without having to keep track of erratic drivers.

• Signal plenty of time before making moves in traffic. This gives everyone else time to react to your change in lane or direction.

Be Alert!

Being alert while you’re behind the wheel is an absolute must. Fatal traffic accidents claim countless lives every year, and if you’re frequently inattentive when you drive, you’re only contributing to the problem. Rather than concerning yourself with your phone or your stereo, try focusing on what’s happening in front of you; it can save lives.

• Don’t text (or talk) and drive. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 21 percent of fatal car crashes, involving drivers ages 15-19, were due to cell phone distractions.

• Don’t be a Rubbernecker! This occurs when something of interest catches your eye and you whip your head around to see more. This causes immediate loss of focus on the road. Also, when you turn your head, your hands instinctively turn in that direction which could cause you to drift out of your lane.

• Keep in mind that there are many other ways to be distracted by influences in and out of the car, especially if you are getting up early in the morning to drive to school.

Be Considerate

This one may seem obvious, but often forgotten when tempers flare on the roads. Just remember that everyone needs to get somewhere; that’s why you’re all driving in the first place. Big trucks are not on the road solely to make your life more difficult.

Driving on our roadways requires a lot of trust, and the only way we can establish that with each other is by working together and being respectful of one another’s boundaries. Reading this article means that you have taken a great first step in ensuring your own, and everyone else’s safety.

Just remember: Keep your mind in the car, while keeping your eyes and tires on the road!

The Miller Law Offices have created a useful Infographic on Teen Driving Safety.  

Click here to check it out.