Learning How To City Drive

City living in certainly convient. In a busy metropolis like Las Vegas, you are never far away from entertainment, great food, or live music. The downside, as every Vegas resident will tell you, is the traffic. City driving is a skill that all urbanites have to learn eventuially, and to help get you up to speed as soon as possible, here as some tips on learning to city drive.

Essential Points To Remember

If you live in a densely populated area and want to learn how to cope well with congestion, you need to do your homework first. Listen to the radio, check Google maps or watch the regional news to find out if there have been any incidents that are affecting traffic or if there are any persistent roadworks on your route to work.

Remember to always pack a map into your car or a sat-nav if you have one. If you’re going to use a sat-nav, make sure it’s correctly positioned and has your route set before you leave home. The last thing you want is to be fiddling around trying to adjust it when you’re driving.

Much of the congestion you’ll encounter in cities is caused by rush hours. Rus hours primarily work and school-related travel causing congestion on the road. Thes delays normally occur in the early morning and late afternoon/early evening, around the time people are starting/finishing work.Unless you absolutely have to travel at these times, try your best to avoid them. It will take a little of the pressure off other road users and make your journey easier.

Remember to keep a safe separation distance. Cities have some of the busiest roads you’ll encounter and there will be plenty of vehicles both in front of you and behind you. Sudden stops, turns, or lane changes are not uncommon, so you’re going to need plenty of time to react. The best way to do this is to leave as much space in front of you as you can. Stay observant and look out for late braking, sudden maneuvers, and people opening doors and getting out of vehicles parked at the side of the road.

Driving In Rush Hour

Driving during a rush hour can be a testing experience, the roads are clogged with other drivers, all of whom want to get home as much as you do, and sometimes the gridlock can make it feel like you aren’t going anywhere.

So how do you keep anxiety to a minimum and stay focused on your driving? Here a few tips on journey planning that can make traveling during a period of high congestion that little bit more bearable.

● Make timing a essential part of your journey planning. The more time you allow for checking routes, checking the weather and checking for any closures/incidents, the more confident you can be that you’re in control.

● Don’t forget to leave as much time as you can for your journey. The more spare time you have in your journey plan to adapt to changes in the traffic conditions, the less inclined you will be to rush and make rash, and possibly dangerous, decisions.

● If you can, choose a route that you’re familiar with. Familiarity with the route you are driving means you’ll be more relaxed.

● Once you’re out on the road, keep your speed low. The faster you drive, the more information you need to process in order to drive safely. Keeping your speed low might mean you don’t get to your destination on time, but at least you, and everyone else on the road, will get home in one piece.

● Always focus on the task of driving. If you find that you are becoming distracted or over anxious, find a safe place to stop, relax and calm down for a while and only continue when you can do so safely and calmly.

If you have recently passed your practical test, but are still not feeling completely confident with city driving, you can ask your driving instructor for additional lessons to give you a little extra city driving practice.

Start Driving Today!

The Northwest Driving School and Traffic School provides the Las Vegas community with live driving and traffic classes taught by seasoned instructors. All of our driving instructors have passed background checks, each automobile is DMV safety-approved and every member of the Northwest family is committed to providing excellent drivers ed and behind the wheel instruction.

At Northwest, you can expect to find outstanding classes, both on campus and behind the wheel, that are engaging, fact-filled, entertaining and geared toward success. We make no bones about it, we believe that Northwest provides the best driving lessons in Las Vegas, no matter your age or background. We are proud of the fact that 98% of our students pass their test on the first try. Call us at (702) 403-1592 to start your driving adventure with one of our expert instructors.

Written by:
Rich Heinrich
Master Instructor, Emeritus