You may be wondering where are places to practice driving near me? Learning to drive is one of the more fulfilling achievements of teenage and young adult life, as the freedom it grants you is relatively incomparable. Building confidence behind the wheel can not only mean you can get around your state, but you’ll be able to drive yourself across entire continents, something which our forefathers could only dream of achieving. Although driving also comes with its hazards, as we see from the many injuries and fatalities each year, learning to do so properly is imperative.
Here at our driving school in Phoenix AZ, we know that safety comes first when driving anywhere. Although a less commonly considered aspect is safety when learning to drive, which should set a precedent for all future driving. By giving yourself ample time and space when learning to drive, you will quickly gain the confidence required on the real roads.
Here are our recommended safe places.
Practice Driving with Another Good Driver
One of the most helpful things in the early days of practicing driving is having someone who is a confident and established driver by your side. While many rely on their parents, they may not be the best people for the job, so be sure to ask a family member or family friend who you feel comfortable around. If you don’t have anyone in your family to practice with you, ask any friends who may already have their licenses.
Use a Suitable Vehicle
As well as keeping good company, you should also ensure you have access to a vehicle which is suitable to learn in. Don’t take your father’s Jaguar out for the very first time you drive, as any damage will be monumentally expensive.
Best Places to Practice Driving: Safe Places to Consider
As the very first steps in learning to drive are starting and stopping, a large parking lot is your best bet in those early days. At first, you will need to find a time where it is empty or mostly vacant, as you don’t want to inconvenience other drivers. There are also many kinds of corners in parking lots to practice turning, and usually space to practice specific turns such as U-turns. Finally, as you’re already in a parking lot, you will be able to practice different kinds of parking, just be sure to practice away from vehicles first to gain your spatial awareness.
What to Look For in a Practice Area
When choosing a practice area, keep the following points in mind:
- Low Traffic Density: Less traffic means fewer distractions and risks.
- Good Road Conditions: The quality of the road can significantly affect your driving experience.
- Visibility: Good lighting and clear markings are essential for safe driving.
- Legal Permission: Ensure you’re allowed to practice driving in the chosen area.
1. Busy Parking Lots
Once you’ve got past the initial jitters that come with effortlessly directing a ton of metal around, you should practice driving in a parking lot with other vehicles around. Be sure to be very careful not to hit any people or other vehicles, and practice the same maneuvers you were initially, except with a bit more haste and intention.
Parking lots will be your best friend during the very early days of your driving as the low-speed limits mean the risk is kept to a minimum.
2. Suburbia
Once you’re confident in parking lots, you can level up to suburban streets which often boast wide quiet roads. This is the ideal place to practice driving and changing lanes, using intersections, as well as following the posted speed limits. If there is plenty of parking space on the sides you may even want to practice the infamous parallel park, which many young drivers swear they will never want to do.
If you’re really worried about parallel parking, wait until you come to our driving school in Phoenix AZ to learn how to do it right every time.
3. Small Towns
Once you’ve conquered suburbia it’s time to start putting into practice what you’ve learned so far, but around a minimal amount of people. Small towns, like any other dense area of people, will have busy times of day and quiet times of the day. Start to practice driving at the quiet time of day, and later get out during peak hours to get used to the natural flow of traffic.
4. Rural Highways
Often found on either side of a small town, these are a great place to practice driving at higher speeds without the concern of other people on the road. They are a great place to practice maintaining a high speed, driving at night with high beams, and passing slower vehicles.
5. City Streets
If you live in a city or ever plan to, it’s important to get used to how traffic and pedestrians flow as early as possible, otherwise it will become more and more daunting over time. Be sure to have an experienced passenger with you your first few times, and be forgiving to yourself as stressed-out reactions often lead to accidents.
Common Questions About Places to Practice Driving
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about practicing driving:
- Can I practice driving in a car park? Yes, that is the perfect place to practice driving when you first get started. Car parks, parking lots, these are great places to start. You can practice parallel parking, break checking, and basic maneuvers.
- When is the best time to practice driving? Depending on your level of skill, early in the morning before 9am is the best time to practice driving due to less traffic on the road, and statistically less crashes happen before 9am, as seen in the image below.
- How long should I practice driving? Practicing driving is a life long lesson. The main things to practice are both external and internal. Externally you want to become aware of the road signs and meanings, aware of rules and regulations. Internally you want to learn how you handle driver distractions, and road rage.
- How often should I practice driving? If your wondering how long it takes to learn how to drive, then you may be wondering how often you should practice. Like any skill, 10,000 hours or 10 years is the time it takes to master a skill. Fortunately, it only takes a few weeks to learn how to safely drive a car.
The best days and times to practice driving are the times when your unlikely to get in a wreck. According to NSC Injury Facts, the best times to avoid a wreck are in the early mornings.
Utilize a Driving School Education – Legacy Driving Academy
The best way to ensure you learn how to drive both properly and safely on all roads is to combine these practices with education from a driving school. Looking for places to practice driving? Feel free to contact us or visit us in our driving school in Phoenix AZ to see how we can help you learn to drive.