What to Do If You're Out of Practice with Driving?
2 Answers
More practice is the top priority. Frequent hands-on practice makes perfect, which is the best and most important way to improve driving skills. Boldness with caution is a quality that every qualified driver must possess. Quick reflexes are closely related to excellent driving skills.
I had a friend who experienced the same thing before—after a long holiday, even holding the steering wheel felt unfamiliar. My suggestion is to find a large parking lot and focus on practicing basic skills. Start by driving slowly around the lot, with special emphasis on parallel parking and reverse parking. Nowadays, cars come with rearview cameras, which can make us overly reliant on the device and forget how to use the side mirrors properly. Remember to readjust your seat and mirrors to the most comfortable position—your old preferences might have changed after half a year. Before hitting the road, test the brakes a couple of times to get a feel for their responsiveness; it’s easy to forget how soft or hard they are after a long break. Avoid highways at first and instead take some time on weekends to drive on less busy ring roads. If the steering wheel feels heavier than expected, try holding it at the 9 and 3 o’clock positions—this grip provides better stability when turning.