Advanced Driving Skills You Should Know About

Driving is one of those basic skills everyone should know about. Knowing how to drive is an important skill to learn because we live in a motorists’ world. We can’t always rely on other people to drive for us and it is a handy skill to know especially when there is an emergency.

If you’re already a driver, don’t think that you’ve already learned all you need to know about driving. The average driver only knows the more rudimentary parts of the science of driving. There are actually more advanced driving skills that you can learn, either through practice, self-study or by attending advanced driving courses.

Here are some of the more important advanced driving skills you should know about:

Proper Braking

If you think braking just means simply stomping on the brake pedal, then think again. There is such a thing as proper braking and it is considered an advanced driving skill. A knowledgeable driver knows that there are certain techniques to braking – and it all revolves around decelerating the car at such a point that the vehicle would stop when you need it to but not at the point where you brake so hard that your wheels will lock. This is a particularly important skill to use when there is a possible collision. There are also different braking techniques depending on whether your car has ABS or the conditions of the road.

Heel and Toe Shifting

Heel and toe shifting is an advanced technique that allows you to change gears while matching the RPMs of the engine and wheels to allow for smooth deceleration at a turn and then fast acceleration going out of the turn. It is a technique that is used by professional race drivers so they don’t lose momentum even when making a turn.

Proper Gear Shifting

Gear shifting on a manual transmission car has a science surrounding it that advanced drivers learn and perfect. Each gear has its own range of speeds but within this range is another range where the engine will perform at its optimal level. This is called the power band. The power band is where you can achieve the fastest level of acceleration for that particular gear. It takes practice and intimately knowing the nuances of your car to know when you have reached the power band and knowing when to shift down or up.

Driving is a fun activity but also a skill that can be very technical. Knowing advanced driving techniques will make you feel more in control of your car and it’s a big ego boost knowing that you have driving skills that the average motorist doesn’t have.