With the warmer season ahead, getting into your car for nature hikes, road trips, music festivals and fun getaways are what you look forward to when you can drive. While the fun times are ahead, having other people in your car regularly will inevitably leave your car in need of a deep cleaning.

Here are some of the best car cleaning tips!

Check your cleaning products

Car interiors can be sensitive to cleaning products. Avoid causing unnecessary wear and tear to your seats and vulnerable parts of the interior of your car. Make sure to do a quick search on the best products to use for your model. Your car manual can give you some insight on maintenance or a quick search on the internet never hurts.

Vacuum on reduced speed

To effectively remove dust and debris, vacuum on a lower speed or toggle the power switch between on and off. This will ensure your vacuum doesn’t blow on full speed which causes the debris to spread everywhere. Instead, you can slowly collect the debris into a pile and remove it easily.

Conquer hard-to-reach cracks

By using a toothbrush and a paintbrush, you can effectively remove debris from crevices, corners and deeper locations. You can use the brush to aid in your vacuuming to clean up the more difficult spots.

Removing sticky materials

For gum, wax and other sticky materials you can use dry ice to freeze the material and gently scrape it off with a paint scraper to avoid damage to your car. Chewing gum remover also exists as an option but you’ll have to purchase it through an auto-detailing company or from a specialty cleaning supply store.

Don’t forget the main spots

Steering wheels, gear shift knobs, the sides of the door and seatbelts are subject to more grime build up than other parts of the car. Make sure they are all cleaned thoroughly and are in working condition.

Daily Check

There have been cases where garbage has gotten stuck under the accelerator or brake pedal, or items like groceries that were forgotten about have rolled out from underneath. This can lead to serious accidents. By doing a daily check between your regular cleaning routine, you can avoid this.

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Summer is finally here, which means that road trip season is officially under way. Road trips are great for a young group of friends, or families looking for an affordable and adventurous vacation. Whatever kind of getaway you’re planning this summer, follow these easy tips for a great road trip to avoid any hiccups you might experience along the way.

Have Valid Documentation

It’s important to have all of your information in order before you leave on your road trip. You should have a valid and up-to-date driver’s licence, vehicle registration, and any other relevant documentation on-hand at all times during your road trip. Especially if you’re driving into another country, it’s crucial to have all your legal documentation in order so that you don’t run into any trouble.

Get a Tune-Up

Making sure that your car is in good working condition is essential for any successful road trip. Nothing is more devastating than having your car break down in the middle of the dessert with no mechanic in sight. If you have someone give your car an inspection and tune-up before you leave, you’ll save yourself the stress of an unanticipated disaster.

Bring More Than One Driver

Driving for long periods of time can be exhausting, especially for new drivers who have limited experience on the road. You may not get to enjoy the relaxing aspects of your road trip if you have to play chauffeur for the entire time. More seriously, exhaustion is a big reason for accidents on the road. If you don’t get a break from driving, your concentration may go down and you’re more likely to cause an accident. Have at least two drivers in the car so that you can switch places if one of you gets tired. If you end up being the only driver on your trip, make sure you take many rest breaks to keep your energy up.

Road trips are a great way to spend your summer vacations. Whether you’re driving with friends or family, a road trip is a fun and affordable way to see the sights. If you’ve got the travelling itch this summer but need help learning how to drive, Ambitious Drivers can give you the skills and knowledge you need to get out on the road.

You know that person sitting across from you in the car watching your every move? That person whose job it is to decide whether or not you fit enough as a driver to be legally allowed on the road. That’s your driving instructor, and despite what many young students think, they aren’t scary and mean at heart.

Most students spend so much time worrying that they often make some mistakes that they could have avoided. Here are 3 things your driving instructor wishes you knew when you got in the car.

Driving instructors want you to pass!

Believe it or not, the driving instructor is not against you; in fact, it’s the opposite. They want you to pass! Students tend to get very worried and they focus on not upsetting the instructor. Even to the point of being overly cautious on the road. Our best advice is to relax, not pay much attention to the instructor, and just do your best.

Technique is more important than knowledge

Understanding the rules of the road is important to safe driving, but the technique that you drive with is much more important than the things that you know. Having a good feel for the car, being able to react to other drivers, and adjusting your style to what’s going on in your environment are far more important than knowing how many seconds to leave before merging. Keep calm, pay attention to the road, and worry about other stuff later.

Parking isn’t make or break

Notice how all children’s cartoons and comedy sketches seem to involve a hapless student who can’t park a car worrying about getting their license? For the most part, it reflects reality. A lot of our students here at Ambitious Drivers worry about being able to park, and blow everything way out of proportion. Parking is very important, don’t get us wrong, but not being able to park perfectly isn’t the end of the world. You could easily improve. What instructors care about is your ability to drive a car.

Ambitious Drivers helps prepare drivers for the road test, and our goal is produce the best and safest drivers possible. Before you get into that car, remember these 3 things that your driving instructor wishes you knew, because they might just come in handy. Keep calm and drive safely!

So you’re a novice driver but you’ve managed to convince your parents into letting you take the car out for your first long distance trip. You’re headed to a music festival with your best and trusted friends and you couldn’t be more excited. Aside from making sure you have enough gas in the tank, food, plus all of your belongings, you have had the oil checked, your tires checked for pressure and your fluids are A-OK.
You know how to change a tire in case there is a flat, and how to jumpstart a motor. And you also have some basic things put into place such as your car’s manual, insurance papers and a CAA card should you need emergency services.
But before you’re officially good-to-go, here are some things you should keep in the car in order to be prepared for anything that can happen.
• A spare tire
• A tire jack and tire iron to install the tire (if you don’t have these the tire is rendered useless!)
• Jumper cables
• Tire pressure gauge
• Duct tape – If your mirror melts off, if anything comes out of place, duct tape is great temp. fix)
• WD-40 – it can be used to revive spark plugs, degrease engines, loosen car door handles and hinges when stuck, remove rust and used for a wide variety of maintenance purposes.
• Flashlight (and an extra battery if necessary)
• Emergency food and water (Granola bars, water bottles – anything that will keep for a long time)
• Seatbelt Cutter – if there’s an accident or anything happens where the seatbelt gets jammed, this is an essential item to have that most people don’t think about.
• Flares or reflective gear – if you pull over at night you should be visible to other drivers
• Physical copies of maps – if data signal or phone battery fails you, you should be able to find out where you are.
• First Aid Kit
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Sometimes it can be the little things that make or break your road test success. It can be a nervous or anxious time, but if you are prepared, confident, and smart, you can pass with flying colours! Here are some crucial tips to keep in mind when you approach getting your driving test.

Get Plenty of Practice

Practice makes perfect – it is true! For the best preparation possible, enrolling with a driving instructor or a driving school will be the best decision for you. Getting practise with a teacher can not only successfully prepare you for your driving test, but also for being a driver in day to day life.

Pre-Car Ritual

Make yourself a little miniature ritual to perform before you start your car. Take a quick inspection of the car and its wheels, adjust your mirrors once seated and buckled in, have the radio turned off, and check to see if your signal lights are fully functional. This kind of precautionary behaviour reflects excellently on you when you meet up with your driving tester for the first time.

Always Obey Signage

No matter what it is, keep an eye on the road signs during your test. Paying close attention to speed limits in your area is only prudent. Driving too fast is dangerous for obvious high-velocity reasons, but driving too slow can also be hazardous to drivers around you – keep just under the speed limit by about five kilometres (no more!) and you should be set.

Put Your Parking Break in Practice

You are going to need to use your parking break, especially when parking on hills, whether the car is parked facing uphill or downhill. Point your wheels so that if the car were to start moving, it would roll/steer away from the road and stop safely on the curb or somewhere similar. Remember to take it off before resuming your test! Driving with the parking break on is very bad for your car.

Don’t panic! Follow what you learned, remember these tips, and your driving test should be a roaring success. Happy driving!

Everybody loves road trips. People piling in the car together, getting all physically close, listening to the same music, and taking hours to get some place … oh wait, that sounds potentially awful.

Road trips can be a fond memory that lasts a lifetime, or a terrible experience that ruins friendships and causes family trauma. Here are some handy tips to keep your road trip as drama-free and painless as possible.

Have Food / Water

• Nothing shortens tempers faster than lack of food and water – and those who are in a hurry are not going to want to stop at a gas station right away. So pack some snacks and a water bottle.

Chip in On Gas Money

• If you’re all in the car, you all share the cost. You’re never going to get a ride again if you don’t pitch in (and remember, owning a car has far more expenses than just gas, so you are paying only part of the price).

What’s Your Role?

• Okay, so you got shot gun. That doesn’t mean you can fall asleep – now you are in charge of making sure that the driver is alert and awake throughout the whole drive. Better take charge of the music and make sure that you keep the conversation going! (You’re also in charge of directions.)

Change Drivers

• Driving can be a tiring task. If you can, offer to take turns driving. (If you can’t, start the process of getting your license at Ambitious Drivers today!)

Take Breaks

• I know you want to get where you are going, but take the time to enjoy the road. Stop at that cool park or sanctuary you pass, pick up some fruit from the roadside market, get out and breathe the air. You’ll all feel refreshed and you’ll get to experience the beauty of the journey, not just the destination.

Stock Up On Energy

• At the end of the journey, everyone’s going to get tired. Make time to stop and get coffee, juice, tea, or whatever it is you need to keep going. Driving while drowsy is dangerous, and if the whole car is sleepy, the driver will be too.

Bring Comfy Items

• Pillows and blankets will make your trip so much better.

At Ambitious Drivers, we know that road trips can be the best if you are prepared. Stock up on all the items you need to make this trip pleasant one and get on the road this spring break!

We all know that drinking and driving is bad news. But what do you do when someone you care about is about to get in the car and you know they are not in a fit state to drive? Telling someone not to drive can be a tricky thing. People get sensitive about their judgement and may even get aggressive. You know that you are doing the right thing by preventing them from getting in the car, but how to do that when they are unwilling to listen to you?

1) Be nonjudgmental and non-confrontational. This is not the moment to give them a lecture or appeal to their morality. Keep it simple and friendly.

2) Suggest alternatives (taxi, sleeping over, a ride home).

3) Get their keys (this is important, as many drivers will go back to the car even after agreeing to an alternative plan).

4) Get help. This is one case where peer pressure can be a good thing. It’s harder to ignore several people, and in the unfortunate situation where you might have to physically take their keys away from them, you will have backup.

5) Distract them. Get them to stay in their home or in a taxi cab through conversation about something else.

6) Get them water. (Increased sobriety may help you reason with them.)

7) Have information on possible free services to get your friends home (around the holidays there are usually several volunteer organizations and initiatives that will make getting home cheaper or free).

8) Don’t give up. Even if your friend is mad at you in the moment, it is better than them risking their life (and the life of others).

9) Talk about it when sober. Many drunk drivers are repeat offenders, and this is a dangerous habit to get into. Open up the conversation before they get drunk. Let them know that you are concerned for them and want to talk about what occurred.

Taking a long drive on a sunny afternoon can be a relaxing adventure. However, driving in extreme conditions, particularly in winter weather, can be stressful and frightening. Understanding some basic principles about how to avoid some of the biggest pitfalls in winter driving can make the difference between a safe trip and an unnecessary tragedy.

Never warm up your car in an enclosed space.

If you’re starting the car in sub-freezing temperatures, it can be tempting to let the car warm up so that you can slide into the driver’s seat and turn on the heat right away. However, if you do this, make sure that the car isn’t inside the garage with the door down or inside another space that lacks ventilation. The carbon monoxide in your car’s emissions can build up into a deadly gas that can fatally poison your system.

Don’t use cruise control when driving on slippery surfaces.

Setting the cruise control can take the pressure off your foot on a long drive. However, you want to maintain constant vigilance as to your speed when you’re driving on wintry roads as you may hit an icy patch. For this reason, keep your foot on or near the gas and brake pedals at all times, and don’t rely on the cruise control.

Keep your tires the same type and monitor the air pressure.

The cold temperatures at night can bring your tire pressure down so that the pressure sensors activate when you start the car in the morning. Resist the temptation to go fill them up right away, as the rising temperature during the day can make the air inside expand and damage the tires. Instead, make sure that the sensors do not go off when you’re driving the car later in the day.

Also, make sure that you do not mix radial tires with different types of tires on your car. That way your car will respond uniformly when you have to stop, start or turn on the ice.

Have cold weather gear in the car.

Hopefully you’ll never get stranded in the cold, but if you do, you’ll be glad that you packed a kit with food, water, hats, gloves and blankets in the trunk. Also, if you are on maintenance medications, you’ll want to pack an extra few doses in that trunk. That way if it takes hours for a wrecker to find you, you will be safe and as warm as possible.

These are some tips to help you be as safe as possible when Jack Frost is driving the weather. Leave the house with confidence even on snowy days with this advice in mind.

Driving through windy and rainy conditions can be a serious test for even the most experienced and qualified driver. Essentially, it requires that the individual adopts a much more ‘defensive’ approach while on the roads. This is because potential hazards are more than just the other vehicles sharing the roads, but also the rainfall that can cause slippery conditions, poor visibility and significantly reduced braking speeds to name just a few.

In this two part blog series, we’ll take a look at the main points that need to be highlighted when driving specifically in rainy conditions, and how they help ensure a safe journey on the roads.

Be Prepared

Wet conditions can really test the quality and maintenance of any vehicle so it’s important to carry out a few quick spot-checks on vital components before you head out. If the weather is especially difficult and requires taking more challenging routes always consider if it is absolutely necessary to drive in the first place – sometimes a couple of hours delay can save a great deal of unnecessary stress!

But assuming you need to drive – here’s a list of the essentials to check first:

Plan the journey ahead of time, and where possible consider alternate routes should roads be closed due to bad weather or accidents. If you’re travelling during a storm pack a blanket, waterproof clothing, and some water and food just in case.

Let others know your route and make arrangements to call when you have arrived, or in case of severe delays. Always carry a mobile phone.

Fill up with fuel. Lights and slow/stopped traffic will use more fuel than usual, so allow for plenty of spare fuel to account for this.

Check your windshield wipers and consider replacing them if they are showing excessive wear – after all it’s the perfect opportunity to do so! Keep an eye out for our next blog for more practical tips on driving during rainy conditions.

The truth of the matter is that ‘road rage’-related accidents, i.e. accidents caused by aggressive or intentionally careless driving, account for more than half of driving accident fatalities. Aggressive driving qualifies as anything from tailgating, to racing, to failing to observe road signs and regulations, to seeking confrontation with other drivers.  It’s important to keep a clear head on the road, because given enough emotional turmoil, driving angry can be just as bad as driving drunk.

Speeding

If you are ever speeding, that is one of the times where it is most easy to lose control of your vehicle.  Whether or not you feel justified in speeding – if someone keeps drifting into your lane or you are simply running late – speeding is highly dangerous and punishable with steep fines.  Remember: ‘slow and steady’ became a proverb for a reason!

Tailgating

No matter how frustrated you may be at the driver in front of you, it is never prudent or wise to tailgate another driver.  Since you cannot see what is in front of said driver, you have no way of knowing if they will need to stop suddenly.  If that happens, your aggression becomes the real issue; it is no longer the fault of the driver in front of you if you’re the one who rear-ends their car through carelessness.

Confrontation with Other Drivers

A good rule of thumb is that all drivers are just trying to get where they are going.  It seems laughably obvious, but it is good to keep in mind that however annoying or frustrating another driver on the road seems to be, they are simply trying to get somewhere and not trying to get your goat deliberately.  When getting on the road or interacting with other drivers, keep the philosophy of ‘live and let live’ close to your heart.

It is important to remember that, when you are driving, you are controlling thousands of pounds of heavy machinery as an extension of yourself.  If you are feeling angry, reckless, and impulsive, that will be precisely what your style of driving will be until you calm down.  If you are just having one of those rough days, take a few deep breaths, drink some water, and clear your head before setting out onto the road – for the sake if someone else’s life, if not your own.

Here at ambitious drivers, we don’t just teach what you should do while driving, we also teach what you should not do. Part of being a great driver is doing the right things to keep yourself and everyone else on the road safe. You might be tempted to use your phone when behind the wheel, but make sure you read the statistics of using your phone while driving before you do.

First, know that it is illegal

The fines are going to vary depending on which province you are in, but you should know that it is in fact against the law. The fines are increasing every year and it could even result in some major penalties when it comes to your license. Don’t do it. It isn’t worth it.

23 times

Those who engage in using their cell phones for texting while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a car crash or near car crash when compared to non-distracted drivers. Keeping your eyes on the road is one of the  basic components of safe driving.

Four million

This is the number of motor vehicle crashes across North America that have been attributed to driver inattentiveness, most of which is caused by cell phone use. Talking on your phone and especially texting while driving is the worst kind of driver distraction.

104 fatalities

This is the number of fatalities in British Columbia alone just a few years ago that were attributed to distraction. Most of which were caused by phone use. Someone who isn’t paying attention to the road won’t be able to brace themselves for an impact or realize dangers when they are coming.

One of the biggest issues facing drivers young and old is the distraction that cell phones cause. Here at Ambitious Drivers, we have some of the best instructors here to help you get your license. This means telling you what you should not do behind the wheel. Take these statistics to heart and remember that it is not worth it.

So you’ve passed all of your tests, gotten your license, and are ready to get out on the road. Now what? Driving is more than just getting your license and getting behind the wheel. Nobody has it harder than young drivers, either. Not only do you have to navigate the rules of the road for the first time, learn to adjust to other drivers, and get over any nerves that might be in the way, you also have to do so usually under the scrutiny of your parents and the law. Here are some great driving tips for young drivers to help you adjust better.

Take it slow

You are probably excited to have gotten your license and proud to have passed your test. You should be. Still, you should probably take it slow. Don’t just jump right in the car and go gallivanting across town and the whole province. Try heading down to the local store first or driving to a close friend’s house during downtime. This will help you get used to being in the car alone and taking care of things. If you are brave enough to jump on the highway alone, then do it. But it’s sometimes best to slow things up a bit.

Learn to say no to friends

There is good chance that if you are very young, then you are the first among your friends to get a license. This means that people are going to be asking you for rides everywhere. Why walk when you can take a car? Not only can they be a drain on gas money, but they can also be a distraction. It isn’t their car or their license that is at stake. It isn’t that they are bad friends, it’s just how a lot of people act. Tell them that you aren’t going to drive everywhere and don’t give in to pressure.

Take the car as little as possible

If you are commuting to school, driving long distances, or doing big shopping, then take your car. That’s what it is there for. But don’t become dependent on it like so many people do. Don’t be lazy. Walk to close places, take public transport if you can or get a bike to cruise around on in the warm months. Many people take cars as a license to be lazy. Not only does this cost gas money, pollute the environment, and make you dependent, but it is also lazy. A car is a privilege. Treat it like one.

Getting your license is a rite of passage and one of the most important events in a young person’s life, but starting to drive is just the beginning. In order to get better at driving and become more accustomed to the road, use these great tips for young drivers. Congratulations, and have fun driving!