Good driving schools, such as Morgan School Of Driving Inc, will give students the opportunity to practice driving in a variety of different settings. Among the settings in which you should get a chance to practice is a rural area, which will be especially handy if you live or work in a rural area. Driving on rural roads presents a unique challenge that can be slightly different than driving on the average highway. You'll impress your driving instructor, as well as increase your likelihood of staying safe and developing good habits, by keeping these tips in mind.
Allow More Following Distance
While it's a good practice to always follow other motorists at a safe distance, you'll want to increase the gap between your vehicle and the vehicle driving ahead of you when you drive on rural roads. Many rural roads are gravel, which means that vehicles' tires easily pick up individual pieces of gravel and fling them backward. If you're following another driver too closely, the odds of having an airborne piece of gravel hit your windshield and chip or crack it are high. The farther your following distance, the less likely that an airborne piece of gravel will cause any permanent damage.
Be More Vigilant About Side Hazards
Although you should always be casting quick glances to each side of your vehicle when you drive, doing so is especially valuable when you're driving in a rural setting. Country roads often have the risk of animals crossing them; in many areas, you'll see warning signs posted that alert you to a high volume of deer, for example. By keeping a closer eye on any hazards that may be approaching from either side, you'll have a better ability to quickly decrease your speed and/or take evasive maneuvers to prevent a collision.
Watch Your Cornering Speed
Slowing your speed as you approach a corner and then accelerating beyond the corner's apex is a good practice, but you'll want to be a little more careful with taking corners when you're driving on rural roads. If a rural road is made of gravel, it's advantageous to decrease your speed more than you otherwise would, given the risk of your vehicle's back end sliding away from you as you take the corner. Keep in mind that even if the road is paved, there may be loose gravel on the road at corners, due to other drivers' tires clipping the edge of the shoulder and shooting gravel onto the pavement.
