Every car owner who sits behind the steering wheel of his vehicle for the first time after acquiring a driver’s license experiences different feelings. It happens that they experience great joy, and sometimes fear before the track. Everyone worries at first, and this is a completely normal feeling, because driving a car is a serious matter. Every day the fear leaves your head. By applying our recommendations for a novice motorist, you will be able to get rid of this feeling quite quickly.
Where to start
Quite often, vehicles are purchased only after one of the close relatives already has a driver’s license. Then the question of the car model arises. I would like to advise you to buy a car that is not too expensive. He will be able to withstand the careless movements of a novice driver. In addition, it will be more economical and easier to operate. Choose your first car better than our manufacturers. After purchasing your long-awaited vehicle, you will need to complete some documents. Be sure to take out MTPL insurance, but CASCO insurance is optional. Of course, for beginners it is recommended to take out these two insurances. You will need to purchase an identification mark in the form of the letter U; it must be placed on the rear window. Don't be shy, this thing will help you a lot. This sign will inform other drivers that the car owner is inexperienced and that he may be unsure and make mistakes when driving. This will greatly help preserve your nervous system.
Driving lessons with license
Sometimes life turns out in such a way that your license had to be put aside for some time and they lay unclaimed for a long time, and when you needed to get behind the wheel, you suddenly realized that not only has Moscow changed, every year there is a stream of traffic on the streets of our city It’s getting denser, but the worst thing is that you have completely forgotten the traffic rules . Who will go first, where to look and to whom to give in?! When a driver is nervous, he makes mistakes. In a situation of stress, it is very easy not only to mix up the pedals... What a frightened driver who does not feel the dimensions and does not remember the rules can do is known only to God, and also to an experienced instructor.
Therefore, if you are a responsible person, then under no circumstances will you go without preparation. Take at least one or two lessons from a driving instructor (not that much money), this will save you from possible problems. And most importantly, you will save your nerves and those of your loved ones, especially those who, out of simplicity or inexperience, express a desire to teach you, and if you are a lady, then you will not quarrel with your husband, because learning to drive from your husband is the same as doing independently and together with him, renovating the apartment. A private instructor is what you need in this case. During city driving lessons, it is much easier than from a book to remember the rules and fill in existing gaps in knowledge of traffic rules, learn to change lanes in high-speed traffic, park in real conditions - all this is completely safe if you have backup pedals and a professional driving instructor. You will adapt comfortably and without stress to new conditions, learn a lot of interesting things and feel like a real Driver. A lesson with a driving instructor after obtaining your license will be useful even if you have some driving experience. Since our instructors have extensive experience not only in teaching, but also as drivers (many of them have professional licenses), they have something to share, and you always have something to learn, because there is no limit to perfection: Contrary driving, city orientation , competent communication with the traffic police inspector, consultation on any issue related to driving, traffic rules and the material part of the car.
If you have a license, come to the Driving Master Class!
Driving in Moscow with automatic transmission
Training on an automatic transmission is often necessary for a driver who has previously trained or driven a manual and will have to switch to a car with an automatic transmission. As a rule, there are no difficulties with this; usually one lesson is enough. In which an automatic transmission instructor will teach you how to competently operate a car with an “Automatic” or “CVT” gearbox, on our website you will find instructors teaching automatic transmissions and CVTs who are ready to drive up at a time convenient for you at your address in any district of Moscow.
Initial trip
Every car owner is nervous before his first independent trip. After all, when making an individual trip, you do not have an instructor with you who has additional pedals. Now only the owner of the car is responsible for everything that happens on the road. Because of this, we recommend taking someone with you for the first time who knows how to drive a vehicle. The recommendations of experienced drivers will be very useful to you; with their help you will feel more confident in any situations occurring on the road. You must also understand one thing: savvy motorists will not drive with you all the time. Someday the time will come when you will have to remain face to face with your transport. You shouldn't conquer all city roads for the first time. Experienced people advise first to look at the path from your home and, for example, to work and vice versa. You explore it when it’s already dark or on weekends, when there’s less heavy traffic. Day after day, moving in one direction, you will increase your skills in driving. You will quickly get used to your direction, you will know where the markings, traffic lights and signs are installed. Moving through familiar terrain, you will not pay attention to different infrastructures, because they will be like family to you. With a little experience, you will understand the behavior of road users and pedestrians.
A technically sound car is an axiom of safety
Every seasoned driver will tell you that to drive confidently, you need to get used to a new car. The sense of size is the main aspect that will allow you to literally “merge” with the vehicle. Master all the units, practice turning them on with the engine off, check all the lighting devices (“stops”, “turns”, “dimensions”, etc.). Also keep an eye on the following points:
- Location and purpose of controls. I think you will definitely find the steering wheel, and there shouldn’t be any problems with the pedals. However, if you have an unusual manual transmission and an automatic transmission, then pay attention to the fact that there are only two pedals.
- A variety of levers and toggle switches. Activation of wipers (without which it is impossible to move during precipitation), lights (low beam), turning lights, etc.
- Customizing the driver's seat to suit you. The required angle of the seats, its location from the steering wheel, and in some cars the height of the steering wheel. This also includes the correct adjustment of both side and rear view mirrors.
I draw special attention to the last point! If you know a truck driver, talk to him about the importance of side mirrors for driving safely. I strongly recommend learning how to use them before leaving! After all, they are the ones who will help make sure that there is no interference from behind when turning or changing between lanes of the motorway, and in general - these are your additional eyes in the literal sense of the word.
Security Feature
To be confident behind the steering wheel, you need to guarantee maximum safety for yourself and for the people around you. To make this happen, follow the established rules. When you get behind the wheel for the first time, don’t try to give rides to fellow travelers. You will be distracted by their conversations. We also do not recommend listening to audio recordings in the car at first; they will interfere with your concentration on the road and clear control of traffic. Do not use your mobile phone while driving. Quite simple rules that even a schoolchild can understand. It’s a pity, but not all motorists adhere to them, and if you believe the statistics, then it is precisely this moment that influences the occurrence of unforeseen cases. When talking on the phone, you can harm not only yourself, but also other road users.
Using optical instruments
During intense precipitation in the form of rain, snowfall or dense fog, the use of low or high beams can significantly reduce visibility. This phenomenon is often called a "light wall". Each drop or snowflake is an independent light reflector. In some cases, you can turn off the lights for a short time, although this is prohibited by traffic regulations, because then other road users will not be able to see you.
When visibility is up to 100 m, it is recommended to use fog lights and low beams. In case of thicker fog, you should leave only the fog lights.
You can follow a car at a safe distance on a road with low visibility, but you should not use high beams. With limited visibility of less than 10 m, the speed must be reduced to 5-7 km/h.
How to park correctly
It is very important for a novice driver to learn how to park a vehicle correctly. While you are familiarizing yourself with the route home to work and back, you need to improve your parking skills. You will be taught the main features in driving schools. There are some nuances here too. For example, you don’t need to think that an important point in parking is taking care of your vehicle. There is a drawback, these are the vehicles of other car owners who park them next to each other. Before you look for a suitable parking space, check that your vehicle does not interfere with others leaving. It’s worth asking other car owners for help the first time. Even highly skilled drivers do this. Inexperienced car owners often do not feel the dimensions of their vehicles, and the neighboring driver will help you overcome this task. The moment you park your favorite vehicle, don’t rush to get out of it right away. Since you are new to this business, it is very important to remember the space from your vehicle to the obstacle (for example: a tree or a wall). The ideal option would be to ride there and back a couple of times in order to compare your results with your impressions. You should park differently from the back, from the corner and from the front. If in a few months it seems to you that you are already the king of the road or a driving master, think carefully because this should not be the case. Almost all motorists go through such a dangerous period. Just too little time has passed, and every person cannot master how to drive a car masterfully, and how to behave correctly on the road surface. To master this you need skills, and to acquire skills you need to devote time. Only then will you receive the relevant experience. And suddenly, if you feel like a born ace, then immediately estimate how much time has passed since you acquired a driver’s license. Undoubtedly, in a few months you will gain a certain experience that will work automatically. However, this is just the beginning towards acquiring the desired experience.
How many hours of driving are there in a driving school training program?
Training in a driving school is regulated by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (Ministry of Education and Science of Russia). It issued order No. 1408 dated December 26, 2013. Moscow Registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on July 9, 2014 Registration No. 33026 “On approval of model vocational training programs for drivers of vehicles of relevant categories and subcategories.”
You can read about the driving school training program here:
Driving school training program
The full text of the order can be found here:
On the website of the Russian newspaper: https://cdnimg.rg.ru/pril/99/99/47/RG_sp_01-08-2014_izm.pdf
On Rulims: RG_sp_01-08-2014_izm
The order regulates the main aspects of the driving school training program, including the number of driving hours during the training. For cars falling under category B, with a manual transmission, this is 56 hours of driving, for cars with an automatic transmission, this is 54 hours of driving. For cars falling under category C, we are talking about 72/70 hours of driving, respectively. Next, I will always write about category B vehicles with manual transmission.
Driving hours, recommended driving school training program
How to become much more confident
Most beginners experience fear when they find themselves on the roadway. Such fear must be overcome. The very first thing you should do before starting a trip is to thoroughly check the technical condition of your vehicle. While driving on the highway, do not overtake. For your safety, sit behind the vehicle in front and keep a maximum distance. If a car overtakes you, do not try to follow its owner and do not slow down. Remain confident and control the situation on the road until the end. You can make the first advance only after a long drive through the streets or cities. This should only be done in places where there is no active traffic and where there is absolute visibility. There are car enthusiasts who, once on the road, try to show themselves as cool and overtake. Remember that a few minutes will not change anything, but by performing such maneuvers, you are putting yourself in danger. When driving on the highway, follow these rules:
1. Maintain maximum distance
2. Drive at a constant speed.
During a long journey
If you decide to go far from home, take note of the advice for novice drivers on a long journey. To begin with, the main step will be to choose a suitable route that will help you not get lost in an unfamiliar area and not drive extra miles. Take your car to a service station in advance to immediately eliminate possible damage. Always have spare parts and tools available, as they may be necessary on the road.
"The quieter you go, the further you'll get"
Before heading out on the road, throw all “show-offs” aside! Understand that neither a fat wallet nor acquaintance even with the president himself will protect you from a traffic accident. Therefore, you only need to press the gas pedal in appropriate situations. I know that sometimes the soul just needs to drive, but doing it within a populated area is extremely unsafe. A huge number of cars, trees, buildings - all this significantly reduces the driver’s viewing angle, which you must take into account. Do not lose your composure, be vigilant, and if other road users make unusual maneuvers, it is better to stop and assess the situation.
Night driving for a beginner is not the best time to gain experience. Therefore, if possible, it is better to avoid such trips. A separate word needs to be said about winter driving, which is also better not to resort to, but the cases are different... Your humble servant has considerable experience in driving a car during this period of the year and I will not be the first, but I will say that in such conditions the possibility of an accident is significantly increases. These are the conclusions I made for myself, I hope some of them will help you too.
- Low speed. Even if you have winter tires installed, you shouldn’t tempt fate, because the likelihood of avoiding a collision will be minimal for both you and the other car.
- Feel free to pull to the right and stop. When there is a snowstorm, visibility becomes minimal, and windshield wipers often freeze to the windshield. In this case, you don’t need to prove your skills to others, but rather park and fix the problem.
- Use road markings as a guide. Given the same poor visibility, this is practically the only option to move around. Do not forget that when the broken lines change to solid, a turn is approaching.
- Don't go onto unknown roads.
- Try to control the car as much as possible. After all, when there is ice, it can behave unpredictably even at low speed.
- Avoid overtaking.
- Don't forget to switch to low beam, this is not even advice - it is a requirement. After all, such a miscalculation can harm oncoming traffic.
Let's finish here. And my hands are itching to supplement the rules of driving a car for beginners. I would like to tell you as much as possible about what I have tried on my own skin, but for starters, there is enough information for thought. My story will be complemented by a video for novice drivers. Enjoy watching!
How many hours of driving does it take to learn to drive/pass the test?
Naturally, this is a rhetorical question and there is no clear answer to it. In my opinion, there are 24-26 lessons of 1.20-1.30 minutes each, of which about 20 in the city allow you to learn how to drive a car.
There is a semi-imperial rule that the number of classes should be equal to the student’s age divided by two, the numbers here are also very individual, but the idea that later learning is much more difficult is correct.
Sometimes people who teach driving say that 56 hours is not enough.
You can understand how much you personally need only after starting your studies; control the learning process; if something goes wrong, change your approach to learning.
At the beginning of 2020, traffic rules (traffic rules) changed once again. According to the new edition of the traffic rules, any driving training, except for training in a driving school by a driving school instructor along a pre-agreed route, is illegal. Unauthorized study may be punished by fines of 35-45,000 rubles (30,000 rubles for an instructor, 5-150,000 rubles for a student). While this is more of a theory, it is not clear what the practice will be, but there are certain risks here.
A private driving instructor is illegal according to the new edition of the traffic rules (from January 1, 2020) according to the traffic police
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The ratio of activities on the site and in the city in practice
As written above, the recommended program recommends conducting 12 classes at the racing site and 16 classes in the city. In the event of a reduction in the volume of training, the reduction usually occurs due to classes in the city, that is, a situation may arise: 12 classes on the site and 8 in the city.
Hours of driving, on the circuit and in the city
The recommended program involves sequential training, first the race track, then the city; this is not the best practice.
Sequence of learning to drive a car (how long to study on the site, how long in the city)
