Uncategorized – Page 14 – Traffic School Online

Getting your driver’s license is one of the modern rites of passage many of us go through. It provides freedom, shows responsibility, and for many young people, getting their licenses proves they are growing out of childhood and into adulthood. None of that makes a driver’s test any less nerve-wracking, though.

Young drivers hearing horror stories from their friends who took the test, or whose only experience of a driver’s exam comes from the spoofs we put in our pop culture, can relax. A driver’s test is nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be. If you can relax, and take a deep breath, here’s what you should expect at your driver’s test.

#1: Filling Out Forms

Any time you go to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, you’re going to have to fill out forms. Most of the questions will be simple, asking for your name, date of birth, information about the car you’re driving, things like that. While there’s probably going to be a writing implement there, if you want to be proactive, it’s a good idea to bring a pen with you. Just in case.

#2: Bring Your Car, and Your Permit

It seems obvious, but sometimes the obvious has to be stated. When you’re going to take a driver’s test, you need a vehicle to take the test in, as well as the permit that says you’re allowed to drive as long as there’s a qualified, licensed driver in the car with you. You’ll likely be asked to show your permit before the test starts, so make sure you have it ready to hand.

It’s also a good idea to make sure your car is road-ready. That means you need to check the fluids, fill up the tank, and give it a thorough cleaning before your test. Not just because you don’t want to annoy your tester, but because if you’ve got a passenger footwell full of empty cans and fast food wrappers, then you might be told to come back later. No one wants to deal with that stress.

#3: Be Ready to Drive

It seems simple, but when you’re taking a driving test you really should be prepared for anything. Your instructor might have you tool around the town square, do some simple turns, and call it a day. It’s also possible that your instructor will want to take you onto the highway or make you parallel park on a busy street. Any task you may be called on to perform behind the wheel, you should be ready to do it. That way, no matter what your particular instructor asks during your particular test, you’ll be ready for it.

#4: Expect To Be Told How To Do Things

We all get into a comfort zone when we drive. We have a certain way we do things, and we don’t like to alter that pattern. When you show up to take your driving test, prepare to do things the way your instructor tells you to do them. That may mean turning the radio off or putting your phone on silent mode. Regardless, you should do your best to follow all the rules you learned from reading the manual, and from going through driver’s ed. That means you need to wear your seat belt, check your mirrors, use your turn signals, and more or less pretend there’s a film crew in the back seat who will be using your performance to show future drivers how to pass an exam. If you can do that, you’ll have no problem passing the test.

Knowing how to properly tow a trailer is an important skill to have. After all, there’s a good chance that at some point in your life, you’ll need to do it. Whether towing a cargo trailer during a move, towing a camper for a camping trip, or anything in between, safe towing is a must. Specifically, there are a few towing tips that you’ll want to follow to keep yourself and others safe on the road.

Know Your Vehicle’s Towing Capacity

Start by making sure that your vehicle is capable of towing the load that you need to transport. You can check your vehicle’s towing capacity by checking your owner’s manual. This is extremely important because exceeding your towing capacity by even a small amount can reduce your ability to brake and make handling very difficult (and downright dangerous). When calculating the weight of your load, make sure you factor in the weight of the trailer itself in addition to whatever will be loaded inside of it.

Load Your Trailer Up Properly

The manner in which you load up your trailer can also affect your safety on the road. Specifically, you’ll want to make sure that at least 60% of the weight is loaded near the part of the trailer closest to the hitch. This will help immensely with handling and help to reduce the possibility of fish-tailing. Furthermore, you’ll want to make sure all of your cargo is properly tied down–especially if you’re using a non-enclosed trailer. It’s a good idea to stop after the first 20 miles or so of driving to ensure that the contents of the trailer haven’t shifted significantly while driving.

Use the Right Hitch and Technique

Not only is checking your towing capacity important but so is using the right hitch for the job. You’ll want to make sure that the hitch you’re using is rated for at least the total weight of your trailer and cargo (ideally, it will be rated for much more). Otherwise, you can actually end up losing your trailer while driving, which is obviously an awful situation that you don’t want to be in.

Speaking of which, make sure you use chains and attach them in a criss-cross pattern as a backup technique to protect your trailer in the unlikely event that it does slip from the hitch.

Conduct a Quick Inspection at Each Stop

When towing a trailer long distances, it’s always a good idea to make periodic stops and check on your trailer and hitch. Specifically, you should make sure that everything is still properly attached and tied down. This is also a good time to check the tire pressure on both your vehicle and trailer. Proper tire pressure is a must for increasing your handling and maneuvering.

Allow Yourself More Time to Brake

When you’re towing a heavy load, you’ll naturally need to give your vehicle more time to brake while driving. As such, you should always keep your eyes on the road and anticipate your need to brake as much as possible so you can avoid having to slam on your brakes, which can be dangerous. It’s also a good idea to reduce your speed overall so that the time and distance needed for you to brake is smaller. This is especially important for freeway driving, where you generally shouldn’t exceed speeds of 55 miles per hour while you’re towing a trailer.

These are just a few important safety tips to keep in mind while you tow a trailer; by following these tips, you can keep yourself, other drivers, and the load you’re towing safe on any trip you take.

Learning to drive takes time and practice. It is both scary and thrilling to go out on your own. If you had enough practice, you should feel (almost) ready to be out and about on your own. However, it does take time to gain confidence in your driving.

Here are some tips to help you gain confidence as you start driving.

Practice, practice, practice. It takes time to become a good driver so the more you drive, the more comfortable you will become.
Drive as much as you can with another driver. Take every opportunity that you have to drive with someone. Listen to them and learn from them. It is also important to drive with different people so you can appreciate how others think.
Be careful who you pick to drive with. Though you might want to drive with anyone who will take you, it is important (especially when you are first starting out) to pick carefully. You are going to want to pick someone who won’t make you nervous. You are going to want someone who is calm and does not easily get rattled when you make mistakes.
Start in a parking lot. Many young drivers learn to drive in a big parking lot. This will allow you to learn to maneuver your car without having to worry about hitting anything. You can focus on starting, stopping, and steering your car.
Once you master the parking lot, start with back roads and gradually work up to busy streets and highways. Take your time. Drive in the parking lot as long as you need to. Once you feel confident enough, you should venture onto back roads and other streets so you can learn to drive with more speed, other drivers, and use road signs. As you gain confidence, you will be able to go out further and further until you are ready for busy streets and highways.
Practice in all types of terrain. You should try to drive all over and experience all types of roads, including the highway, back roads, and even dirt roads.
Drive in all weather. You also need to be prepared to drive in all sorts of weather, including light rain, heavy rain, and snow (depending on where you live). You need to be prepared to drive in all types of weather so you don’t get stuck somewhere in inclement weather. Many people are unprepared with winter weather and you don’t want to be one of them!
Drive different vehicles. If possible, you should try to drive several types of vehicles so that you know how different types of vehicles handle. This will also come in handy when you decide to buy a vehicle.
If you are feeling anxious, try listening to some quiet, soothing music. Music is very good for calming people down quickly. You might also find that playing quiet music in the background every time you drive will help you keep your nerves down as you learn to drive.

It can take a lot of time and practice to get confident behind the wheel. Depending on how much you drive, it can take a few weeks (or months). However, you really need to take advantage of the time that you have with older and wiser drivers. If possible, you should go driving with a few people. It is also important that you know how to handle different roads and weather before you go out on your own and find yourself stuck and unsure of how to handle yourself.

One of the most frustrating experiences you can have as a car owner is having to take your car to an auto repair shop for repairs. Unfortunately, many people feel intimidated when talking to auto repair mechanics. As a result, their vehicles may not be repaired properly, or they wind up paying for services that they don’t even need. If you feel overwhelmed when dealing with auto mechanics, here are some important tips for dealing with an auto repair shop effectively.

Communication Tips

Good communication is especially critical when it comes to effectively dealing with auto mechanics. Once a mechanic knows the symptoms of a vehicle and what’s wrong, it’s much easier for the problem to be repaired.

Before taking in your car, make a list of abnormalities. For example, does your vehicle smell different or sound strange? Is it leaking, or does it feel different when you drive it? Also, determine the frequency at which these conditions occur.
Be able to describe how your vehicle was working just before it started having the problem.
Be prepared to tell a mechanic when you last brought your vehicle into an auto repair shop, and if the issue could possibly be related to when it was last repaired or serviced.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t understand what a mechanic is telling you regarding your vehicle’s problem and how it should be fixed, ask for a simple explanation.

Secure Several Written Estimates and Then Negotiate

Don’t settle for the first estimate, especially if it seems too high. It’s best to get at least four or five written estimates for what the repairs will cost. Then, once you have your estimates, be ready to negotiate.

In other words, go to an auto shop that gives you a higher estimate and show the owner a lower estimate for the same repair job from another shop. You have nothing to lose if you’re turned down.

Tips for Detecting a Dishonest Mechanic

If a mechanic is dishonest, he or she probably will probably hesitate to use simple layman’s words when asked for an explanation.
Recognize when a mechanic is trying to test your knowledge of cars. The best way that a shady mechanic can access how much you know about your car is by asking basic questions, such as the number of cylinders your car’s engine has.
Another setup question is quizzing you about the oil weight that your vehicle can take.
If you appear ignorant, you can easily be duped into believing that your vehicle may need unnecessary services

Additional Tips and Warnings

Study your car owner’s manual. Besides appearing more knowledgeable about your vehicle, you’ll also may be able to solve simple problems just by knowing more about the basic controls of your car, meaning you may not even have to take it into a shop.
Clean your car before dropping it off because a filthy, cluttered car can compromise repair quality. If a mechanic has to first remove heavy items before working on your car, you may not receive the best service. What’s more, the excess weight of too much clutter in a car can cause a car to perform poorly.

Sometimes, vehicles need to be repaired because they’ve been involved in traffic accidents. Besides having to worry about costly repairs, many drivers also have the problem of increased insurance rates due to additional points on their driving records. In many cases, judges let drivers, who have to make court appearances, attend traffic schools so that their points are reduced.

If you’re facing additional points on your auto insurance policy because of a traffic accident and don’t have time to attend a brick-and-mortar traffic school, consider attending trafficschoolonline-dev.plume.co.uk/. In addition to providing an online traffic school, we also offer courses in defensive driving for reducing insurance costs and dismissing traffic citations.

For most teenagers, driving means freedom. It means having control over where you go and when you arrive and leave. It means no more relying on friends for rides, no more panting and sweating on a bicycle, and no more being stuck at home while everyone else is out having fun. And being able to drive isn’t just a practical matter; it’s also a rite of passage. Driving is one of the things that signifies a child is becoming an adult. No wonder driving is such a universally desired ability among eligible teenagers.

Learning how to drive, however, is just one piece of the puzzle. Once you know how to operate a vehicle, you then have to prove it to the government, a process that involves multiple steps. In addition, how to get a driver’s license varies by state, but there are some consistencies.

Driver’s Ed

Driver’s education courses are one of the most important components of the licensing process, as they are the part that actually teaches teenagers how to drive safely and obey traffic laws. Many driver’s education programs are classroom-based, but an increasing number are online. Even if you take an online driver’s ed course, you will still be required to complete in-person driving practice.

Driving Practice

Most students are required to complete driving practice with a professional driving instructor. As part of this practice, students will be required to drive (often on a closed course) in order to practice applying the skills they learned in their driver’s education course. This is just as important as driver’s ed, as driving theory means very little without practice.

DMV Tests

If you have paid close attention to your driver’s education courses and driving practice, the DMV testing shouldn’t be tremendously difficult. The written test should be especially straightforward if you review the content before you take it. The road test, however, is usually a bit more difficult, as it involves driving on public roads with other cars on them, something that most teenagers may not have much prior experience with.

Learner’s Permit

The majority of states prohibit teenagers from getting a driver’s license without first possessing a learner’s permit or provisional license. Learner’s permits allow a teenager to drive a car, but only under certain conditions. Again, restrictions vary by state, but almost always include a prohibition on other minors in the car and almost always require a passenger with a full license to be in the vehicle.

Probation

Most states require teenagers to have a permit for a certain number of months (six or seven is standard) and reach a certain age (usually 16 years old) before becoming eligible to obtain a full license. This pre-license period is usually accompanied by a curfew as well; in many states, teenagers with permits may be prohibited from driving after 10 pm or midnight.

License

Once you have possessed your learner’s permit for the required number of months and have reached the state-mandated minimum age, all you need to do is take the DMV licensing exam. The licensing exam is usually similar to the permit exam in that it includes both written and practical sections, but the licensing exam is more comprehensive and less forgiving, especially in the road test.

Once you have completed each of these steps, your local DMV will grant you your driver’s license. Many full licenses do not come with any restrictions, but your state may have a program called graduated licensing, which imposes limitations for licensed drivers who are still minors. Once you turn 18, however, your license shouldn’t have any restrictions on it no matter your state.

The process for obtaining a full driver’s license may seem long and involved, but that’s only so that the roads are safer for drivers and passengers alike. Follow the proper steps, and pay attention in your studies, and you’ll have your license before you know it.

In this age of fluctuating gas prices, it is useful to improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Thankfully, there are several basic car maintenance procedures that you can perform that will immediately increase your fuel efficiency. Alone, they may not save you a lot of money, but combined, you may be able to save several dollars per tank of gas.

Get Your Car Regularly Tuned Up

If you haven’t gotten your car tuned up in the last year, you’re doing great damage to your fuel efficiency. Tuning a car engine helps it fire more efficiently and eliminates dangerous emission problems. Just how much it will help depends on how poorly your car was tuned before the repairs.

Generally speaking, a good tune-up should improve your mileage by about 4% or $0.09 per gallon. However, in severe cases, an improvement of up to 40% is possible. That kind of huge improvement will be noticeable immediately.

Inflate Your Tires Perfectly

Obviously, under-inflating your tires will eliminate fuel efficiency by decreasing the surface area that touches the road. However, people who overcompensate by over-inflating their tires are also doing themselves a disservice. Too much pressure may give you a slight increase in efficiency, but also puts your tires under a higher strain and increases their chances of blowing.

Instead, look at the sticker on your door jamb to find the proper tire pressure and inflate to that. Never inflate to the maximum pressure! Keeping your tires properly inflated can increase efficiency by 3%, which is about $0.07 per gallon of gas.

Always Properly Change Your Oil

The wonderful thing about motor oil is that it has become so efficient that it can last far beyond the three-month or 3,000-mile change time suggested by mechanics. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it stays efficient: beyond that change date, old motor oil gets increasingly thick, and murky, and can decrease your fuel efficiency drastically.

Just how does old oil interfere with your engine’s efficiency? It starts by causing more friction in the engine, which creates more heat. With more heat, your fuel burns at a higher level. This means that more fuel will burn with each stroke of your engine. Getting your oil changed (with the proper suggested brand) can increase efficiency by 4% or $0.08 per gallon.

Clean Out Your Air Filter

When you’re getting your oil changed, make sure to always get your air filter changed. Why? A clean one is necessary for eliminating pollutants that can otherwise damage your engine. Dirty air filters no longer filter efficiency and all sorts of damaging items can get into your engine and decrease its efficiency.

However, this is only true of vehicles with carbureted engines: Installing a new air filter can increase its efficiency by as much as 14%. Newer vehicles with computer-controlled engines don’t really get an efficiency benefit, as such. That said, it will still increase the life of your engine and make it run more smoothly.

Don’t Max Out Your Speed

The temptation to drive as fast as you’re legally allowed is understandable psychologically, but aerodynamically, it is seriously impacting your fuel mileage. There is as a delicate balance between speed and efficiency: up to about 60 miles per hour, your vehicle generally burns less gas as it drives quicker.

However, as your car’s speed increases beyond about 50 miles per hour, the drag on your vehicle starts to force your vehicle to burn more gas. Generally speaking, your vehicle will start to lose fuel efficiency. Often, this can be as high as $0.25 cents per gallon of gas for every 5 miles per hour you drive.

Now that you know how to improve your fuel efficiency with these simple maintenance tips, you should implement them as soon as you can. Shaving off an extra $0.05-$0.10 per procedure will add up quickly.

If each of these procedures eliminated $0.10 per gallon, you’d be saving $0.50 per gallon. In a 15-gallon tank, that is $7.50 per tank. Over time, that can add up to real savings!

This is it: you’re ready to take the test for your learner’s permit. While you’re aware that up to 35% of applicants don’t pass the test on their first try, you want to be one of the ones who come home with your permit in hand. To help improve your chances of success, don’t forget these important tips, and make sure to use your state’s DMV official handbook as a supplement to an online course.

Don’t Skip The Alcohol Section Of The Study Guide

When you’re studying for your permit test, it can be tempting to skim right over the top of this information. More critical is information on things like when you should turn on your lights, how to pass correctly, and traffic rules and regulations that you’d never paid attention to before. You’ll notice that this section takes up a large portion of your study guide. As you’ve learned from school, that means that it may take up an equally large portion of your test–so be prepared!

Commit Specific Numbers To Memory

If there are specific numbers attached to a statistic–for example, the acceptable level of alcohol in your blood–you could potentially need to know those specific numbers for your permit test. Take a moment to commit those numbers to memory. Also, remember that the well-meaning friend who told you that you could drive five miles per hour over the speed limit before you got pulled over might have been right about practical application, but when it comes to the written test, the acceptable answer is that if you’re going over the speed limit by even one mile per hour, you’re going too fast. These might be small details in your mind, but they’re details that are on your permit test, and you’ll need to know them in order to pass.

Take Practice Tests Until You Can Pass Them Easily

If you naturally retain information quickly and typically test high, you might think that the practice tests are a waste of your time. Taking the practice test, however, will give you a good idea of how prepared you are for the real test. When you can pass the practice test easily, you’ll have equally good odds of successfully passing the real test. As you’re taking practice tests, however, make sure that they’re specific to your state. While most major traffic laws are the same between states, there are regional differences, particularly concerning issues like drug and alcohol use. Also, keep in mind that no matter how good the practice test is, you can’t guarantee that you’ll see the same questions that will be on your actual learner’s permit test. The test database contains hundreds of potential questions, but the actual test will only have around twenty.

Don’t Be Afraid To Enlist Help

Do you have a friend close to your age who is also studying for their learner’s permit test? Take advantage of the opportunity to study together. Quiz one another and share study guides and outlines. If you don’t have a friend to study with, ask for help from your family members. You wouldn’t hesitate to ask for help to study for a school test, so why not ask for help on a test that’s even more important?

Don’t Rush Into The Test

If you aren’t sure that you’re ready for the test, it’s better to postpone it than to take it and simply hope that you pass. First, waiting at the DMV is a time-consuming process, and convincing your parents to take you at a different time will go better if you’re honest with them upfront. Second, keep your focus on the real reason for this test. It’s not just to make you memorize the rules of the road. The purpose of the learner’s permit test is to ensure that you’ll be safer and more prepared when you get behind the wheel.

Taking your learner’s permit test is a huge milestone. By preparing carefully, you can make sure that you’re one of the successful applicants and that you come home with your permit in hand. If you are unsuccessful, remember: you can always try again! Check out your state’s regulations to find out how long you have to wait before you can make a second attempt. Using your state’s DMV official handbook in conjunction with online courses and practice tests will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the material, increasing your chances of passing the test and becoming a safe, responsible driver.

It is well-known that drunk driving and texting while driving cause accidents. Many public announcements have been made in an effort to reduce the number of drivers under the influence and to diminish cell phone use while driving; laws exist and those caught are punished. It is not as commonly thought that health affects driving too. At Traffic School Online we realize that poor health conditions can also cause crashes. Here are some health issues to be aware of before you or a loved one gets behind the wheel.

Vision

When you get your permit and renew your license you take an eye test. Vision is obviously an important part of driving. You need to clearly see the road, signs, lights, other vehicles, and pedestrians. Therefore, if vision changes occur it is important to stay off the road until they are corrected. Maybe it is something simple like a need for new prescription glasses. Many older adults find their vision worsens and they need cataract surgery. Other common vision issues that can affect driving are glaucoma and macular degeneration. If you have any concerns about your own vision or the vision of a loved one, consult an eye doctor.

Diabetes

Side effects of diabetes include feeling sleepy, dizzy, or confused. All three are harmful when driving. In extreme cases, someone with diabetes can lose consciousness or have a seizure. Make sure diabetes is well controlled to continue driving safely. Any concern that blood sugar is too high or too low needs to be addressed immediately. Until the issue is resolved, driving should be avoided.

Seizures

Seizures pose an obvious threat to driving. Someone experiencing a seizure would no longer be in control of the vehicle. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, the states have different regulations when it comes to drivers who have a history of seizures. In most cases, they require a certain amount of time to pass after a seizure before the driver is allowed behind the wheel again. If the state requires 1 year that means the driver must be seizure-free for an entire year before driving.

Alzheimer’s

People with Alzheimer’s disease are not only prone to getting lost, but they also tend to get confused which can be an issue when driving. This can lead to them pressing the gas when they are meant to break or going through a red light instead of stopping. Unfortunately, many dementia patients do not realize that they are no longer safe drivers so family intervention may be required to keep them off the road.

Arthritis

Although most people with arthritis are still able to safely drive those with severe symptoms may not be able to continue driving. If motion is limited it may be difficult to apply the brake and gas pedals. Turning the steering wheel smoothly may not be possible. If movement of the hands, feet, or neck is limited due to arthritis, it may not be wise to continue operating a vehicle.

Cold and Flu

Although it may seem like driving shouldn’t be impacted by the common cold or the flu you may want to reconsider. It is hard to focus on the road when you are excessively sneezing or feeling sleepy due to a fever. If you have taken any over-the-counter medications to combat the symptoms of a cold or flu, that may make you even more drowsy or dizzy. If you are ill, it is best to stay home and rest until you are well enough to resume normal activities.

Before you get in the car to drive, consider your health. Yes, it is wise to abstain from drinking and driving as well as texting and driving. It is also wise to stay out of the driver’s seat if your health is affected in a way that may impair your ability to drive safely. If you are worried about a loved one driving in poor health, talk to them about your concerns and help keep the roads safe.

Owning or renting a car is an expensive proposition for many people, but a variety of companies around the nation are offering a new service: car sharing. This new service gives people access to public cars for a relatively low fee. Can this service save you money? Read on to find out.

The Purpose of Car Sharing

Car sharing is a rapidly growing movement that is designed to help decrease the negative environmental impact the world is suffering from too many people driving too many cars. Essentially, it helps cut down on emissions by offering cars for short-term use. Think of bike rental hubs in major cities: users pay a small fee for access to a bike for several hours. Car sharing is, essentially, the same thing but with automobiles instead of bicycles.

It is also designed to help give people who can’t afford vehicles access to a steady and safe form of transportation. This is especially nice for people who may work a long way from home. Remember the Detroit man who walked 21 miles to work every day? He could have benefited heavily from a car-sharing program.

Joining A Car Sharing Club

Typically, car sharing is done via joining a club or organization that offers cars to share in your area. Right now, car sharing is mostly a big city deal, so it’s unlikely you’re going to have many options if you live in a smaller town. However, if there is a car-sharing club near you, you usually need to meet a few basic requirements. These are usually as simple as being 21 years or older and possessing a valid driver’s license. At that point, you need to fill out an online membership form and pay a fee.

The fee that you pay varies depending on what plan you utilize. Although the various car-sharing companies offer a variety of rates, you’re generally going to be able to pay a bulk yearly rate (which will save you money in the long run) or monthly rates. Usually, there are two or three monthly rates available. Often, they are as low as $10-$20 per month. You will likely have to pay a one-time application fee of $25-$50.

Saving Money With Car Sharing

The major advantage of car sharing is how little it will cost you compared to owning or renting. As mentioned before, you normally have to pay an application fee, as well as a yearly bulk payment or a monthly rental rate. You also have to pay an hourly driving rate, as well as a mileage rate. Insurance is covered by the car-sharing company, so you don’t have to worry about that extra expense. That alone can save you $150-$200 a month over owning or renting a car.

Let’s take a look at one car-sharing company and utilize their best rates to get a feel for how much money you can save when car-sharing. They offer a $60 bulk yearly payment. That works out to a $ 5-a-month rate. Let’s say you purchased a car and pay $200 a month for payments. That’s another $150 worth of savings. Their yearly plan has a $7.50 hourly rate, which is higher than their other plans, at a $5.75 hourly rate, but has the advantage of nixing the $0.35 mileage rate.

Okay, so you mostly need your car to drive to and from work and to go shopping. If you rent one for about an hour a day during the work week and one hour during the weekend. That’s six hours a week for $45 in rental fees. Multiply that by four and you have $180 in rental fees. Although that may average out to about the same as paying off a car, when you subtract gas, repair bills, maintenance bills, and the already-mentioned insurance, you’re still saving hundreds of dollars a month.

There are, of course, drawbacks to car sharing. For example, you won’t have 24-hour access to a vehicle whenever you need it, as you won’t have a car parked in a garage. However, for people who don’t drive much or otherwise use public transportation, car sharing is a great money-saving option.

If you have just finished your online driving classes and are in need of a vehicle, you could be asking yourself whether you should opt to purchase a car or lease one. Both options can have a lot of benefits, so you should consider the pros and cons of each so that you can make the right choice for you.

The Benefits of Owning

A lot of people opt to buy cars rather than lease them for a reason. These are some of the main benefits of owning a car:

You don’t have to worry about making payments toward something that you’ll never own. Once you make a set number of payments and pay off what you owe, the car will belong to you. If you choose to keep the car rather than immediately buy another one, you won’t have to worry about making car payments anymore, which can be easier on your budget. This also means you can sell the car later to get the cash to buy another vehicle or to put a down payment on a car that you’re interested in.
You don’t have to worry about mileage restrictions. Although putting a lot of miles on your car can have an effect on its value when you decide to sell it, you don’t have to worry about being penalized for it in any way, which is not the case when you’re leasing. When you lease, you’re often restricted to putting 12,000 or 15,000 miles on the car each year, and you may have to pay a penalty per mile if you go over. This can really add up, especially if you have a long commute or like to travel in your car.
If you stain the seats or cause minor dents or other minor damage, you don’t have to worry about paying a penalty because of it.
If you have bad credit, you can pay cash for a car or can purchase from a used car dealership that offers buy here, pay here financing. To qualify for a lease, you often have to have good credit.

The Benefits of Leasing

Even though a lot of drivers prefer owning a car, some swear by the benefits of leasing. These are some of the positive things about leasing a car:

If you’re the type of person who would prefer to have a new car every few years, leasing can be a good option for you. After a couple of years, around the time that you might get tired of a car anyway, you can swap out the car for another new model.
Lease payments are often more affordable. This means that you can still lease a nice car if you’re on a relatively tight budget. It also means that you can get more cars for your money. Instead of driving a more economical car, you can often lease a luxury vehicle with all of the bells and whistles for a similar (or even lower) monthly payment.
You often do not have to come up with as much of a down payment when you are leasing a car as you do when you’re buying, which can make getting into a nice vehicle a whole lot easier.

There is really no right or wrong answer if you’re trying to decide between buying or leasing a car. Both can be great options, but it is important to go over the advantages of each and to look at your personal situation so that you can make the right decision. Another good idea is to head to a local dealership so that you can talk to a sales professional about your options.

◉ What Should You Expect at Your Driver’s Test? What to Bring?