Remember the acronym 'FLOWDRY'
This acronym stands for:
Fuel - Do you have enough for your journey? Do you know how to open the fuel cap for the fuel on this particular vehicle? And what fuel does it take, Unleaded Petrol / Diesel? Which side of the car is the fuel cap?
It's a good idea to know this in advanced so you don't feel lost the first time you pull into a petrol station (learn from my mistake).
Lights - Do they work? Being a legal requirement that all of your external lights must operate correctly, it shouldn't take more than a minute or two to check them out. Stick them on and have a walk around. Avoid that £60 on the spot fine and carry some spares with you - Amazon have some crazy low prices for this bit of kit - take a look.
Oil - When did you last check the levels? Pop the bonnet open, pull the dipstick, give it a clean, and check again. Simple! This question may even come up on your practical driving test too. By not having the correct type and amount of oil could see your new pride and joy seizing up - thousands for a replacement engine I must add. If the engine oil warning light comes on, get it check asap. Halfords offer an easy to use search function on their website, all you need is your registration. Try it out here.
Water - I don't mean your bottle of water for the gym here (although carrying a drink is always a good idea anyway), does your engine have enough engine coolant & screen wash?
This stuff protects the engine from overheating from all the moving parts. It's also really good at helping to prevent the solution from freezing over in the winter too, keep an eye on it.
Electrics - Ensure all the important electrics in your car work. Wipers, Horn, Windscreen demisters and of course the radio, just in case your ride-share's signing voice is less than ready for an audition on 'The Voice'.
Rubber - This stuff is the only thing connecting you to the road, make sure you have a good set of tyres appropriate for the journey you plan on attempting. Slicks in the rain are not advised.
Remember the legal minimum tread depth of a car tyre is 1.6mm - My advice is to never let them wear close to that, change at 3 unless you've found other damage such as side wall cracks, perishing rubber, punctures etc.
Michelin are my firm favourite all season tyres, I use this particular brand on by my cars and motorcycles - each to their own, but it's what I use.
YOU - You are solely responsible for the vehicle your driving. Make sure you're feeling well, you've personally checked all of the other points.
Another thing to note is that even as a learner driver, the moment you sit in the driving seat, you are legally responsible for everything.
If your not sure on something, ask for help!
Comments