In our region there are some speed limits on "teenager race tracks" or "applause turns" for motorcyclists. Those spots are easily mastered by average drivers at the general speed limit but cars and motorcycles keep running off the road despite decreasing speed limits. I know a specific turn where the limit went from 100km/h to 30km/h over the past few years. Fatal crashes still happen in that spot. I still think that exceeding the speed limit is not a good idea.

Put a Res-Q-Me on your keychain.

As I was falling asleep it occurred to me that if the OP is still in school, he should see if it would be permitted on the grounds.

If not, then hang it somewhere easy to reach from the driver's seat without any leaning (a jammed belt may be holding you in place), and that you can be sure will still be there after a major collision (a rearview mirror mounted on a windshield does not meet this requirement).

On your keychain is best, though, because then it's with you even in someone else's car.


A final tip from me: don't be intimidated by how much people are offering. Driving is a very complex activity, with many different inputs to process in a continually changing environment. You have your license, but you are only just beginning to learn to drive.

Printout/file all this info somewhere, and review it periodically. Bits of it will "stick" each time.

Drive safely, and enjoy the road!

I've been trying to think of where to place these near my kids seats (Brytex) where they could be reached if needed but not with reach of my kids who might decide to test them out

I have some advice that is a little different than what others are saying. Everything they are saying, espcially with regards to slowing down and focusing on ONLY driving is spot on.

That said, I highly recommend taking a high performance driving course, the kind that teaches you threshold breaking, puts you on a skid pad, and maybe even puts you on a race course. I've done this a few times (lucky enough to have a family mamber who races Porches, so cost was somewhat managable) and it has made me a much better driver for a number of reasons:

1) You will learn what the car feels like at its limits, in a safe environment. This helps you never go near the limits on the street.

2) You will learn how to recover if you exceed the car's limits. Hopefully you will never need to do this on the street, but it's good to know how.

3) You will get the need for speed out of your system. Driving close to the limits can be fun. Do it in a controlled environment, and it can be relatively safe. DON"T DO IT ON THE STREET!!!

After every track day I have driven, I find myself driving much slower and more carefully on the street, and I think the experience has made me a much better driver.

You seem like a reasonable and careful kind of guy, which is why I am suggesting this. If you are the type who will take this kind of class and think it makes him a better street racer, well then ignore everything I have said, as it may only get you killed.

I agree with this statement for experienced drivers, but for situations like the OP, who just got their learner's permit, I think it's appropriate to keep the speeds down, even in spite of other factors.

New drivers will always be confronting new situations and they often hesitate in deciding how to react. If traffic is flying along at 50mph in a 35mph zone, the new driver may be comfortable going with the flow of traffic and could do it all day. Some may argue that it's safer for this driver to be going 50 than 35. However, if something novel suddenly develops, the new driver may need every millisecond to either make up their mind on how to react, or else to ask the person they are driving with (the OP only has a learner's permit, after all) what to do.

After we've been driving for a while, we almost instinctually know what to expect in various situations and adjust our driving accordingly. But a new driver doesn't have the advantage of experience and may be paralyzed trying to guess what might happen or how to react properly, in addition to the sensory overload that afflicts new drivers at first.

When the new driver takes their driving test, speed really does matter, too. Go over the limit and we may flunk, regardless of whether it's safe to drive that fast. We all adjust to whatever speed we're accustomed to driving. If we have a habit of driving faster than the posted limit, then the driver has one more thing to consciously worry about on the driving test. I moved from a city with relatively fast top speed limits to one with limits much slower. I had a hard time keeping my speed down at first and had to constantly check my speed, but now, I drive without even looking at my speedo and I'm naturally driving at the slower speeds expected in my new city.

New drivers also tend to get into more car accidents. Regardless of why it happens, since the energy of a crash goes up by the square of the speed, any extra speed is magnified in impact energies. Keeping your speed down increases the survivability of any accident, which would be prudent for those at higher risk of getting into an accident.

I agree with the rest, expect the unexpected. And for gods sake, don't try to text and drive.