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Operating a Motor Vehicle

By: Jafree Gurner Click author's name for more of his/her articles

So, it's time to move up in the world. You're probably some young kid who is ready to buy their first car, and needs to become a licensed driver. The most important thing before getting your drivers license, however, is learning how to operate a motor vehicle. Luckily for you, driving is somewhat simple. Just follow this article and you will become an excellent driver in no time at all.

If you haven't used a vehicle before, take a little bit of time out of your day to go motoring with a friend or family member. Take along a notepad and observe what the person does while they motor around town. Write down things that you have questions about, such as, "How do I put the car in reverse?" or "How far back should I stay from the vehicle in front of me?" Taking quick notes and noting down questions might seem stupid, but will help you get your ideas together, and in the end will make you a better driver.

After you've noted down some questions and ideas, ask the friend or family member to teach you how to drive. They will probably walk you through all the simple stuff, like turning the car on, parking the vehicle, and driving at a safe speed. These items might seem obvious, but a lot of people get intimidated the first time they start up a car, and in turn forget all the simple things that they had learned. Reviewing these simple things will help you remember when you actually get behind the wheel.

Before turning on the vehicle, you should practice good safety by making sure that all kids are in the back seat, and that all passengers are wearing their seat belts - including yourself. Wearing your seat belt is a safe thing to do, and it also helps you avoid getting a ticket from the police and getting a hefty traffic fine. A new driver probably doesn't want a ticket on their first day out, so just be sure to wear your seatbelt.

Another thing you should do to avoid a ticket is to follow all traffic laws. Don't roll a stop sign, run red lights, or speed excessively. The cops are everywhere, and are always happy to pull over a lawbreaker. After all, it's their job. Also, you can't outrun the cops. They will catch you eventually. If you're asked to pull over, it's easier to just pull over and face the consequences.

Back to driving. In order to drive safely and efficiently, you should check all fluids before you head out for a drive. Just open the hood, move the car back and forth a little bit, and check the levels of everything. If you can't see fluids moving around, it's probably a good idea to check them by {removing the cap, and looking inside.. If the fluid is low, add more to the container. This isn't necessary for every trip, but should probably be done before going on a 900 mile trip or something similar.

Now you are ready to start the car (please note that these instructions are not for a manual transmission).To turn the car on, press down the brake pedal with your foot, release the parking brake, make sure the car is in park, then twist the ignition key clockwise. A few cars require that you push the key in a little bit before the key will turn, but most do not. With the car turned on, put it in 'drive.' Once the car is in drive, simply remove your foot from the brake. The vehicle will start crawling forward. Lightly press the accelerator to get a feel for the vehicle, then move out onto a back road to get a feel for how it handles at faster speeds. Don't drive too fast, though!

Don't forget to follow all traffic laws. If you don't know them, look them up at your local DMV, or go online. There are plenty of resources out there to help get you started. Please also remember that this is just a very basic guide, and should only be used to help you get an idea for what driving is actually like. I'm sure there are hundreds of things in here that should have been mentioned, but weren't to save space.

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About The Author: Jaff Gurner loves Zippo lighter memorabilia, and is a self proclaimed cigar aficionado. If you're looking for a place to order zippo lighter products after reading this article, feel free to visit www.tobacco-barn.com/s-85-zippo-lighter.aspx