Friday May 03, 2024

Driving a Van – Being Safe and Driving Correctly

A van is a useful vehicle for when we need that bit of extra space that a car just doesn’t have – whether you need to use a van for work, or hire one to move house for example, then you can get a rental van from a company like this van rental Bristol based business Autolyne.

When you hire a van, it is important to be aware of the fact that it is different to driving a car, and being aware of the differences and the correct way to drive is essential before you get in and start driving.

Here are some of the things to be aware of before you start driving a van…

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Comfort – Before you even go anywhere in the van, make sure that you are comfortable in it. Make all the necessary adjustments to the seat and the mirrors to ensure that you can easily see what you need and you can sit and drive safely.

You should also make sure that you know the whereabouts of all the controls and have checked where the essentials are such as the windscreen wipers and lights for example.

Size and Space – Remember that when you are driving a van, you will need to allow more space than you would a car. Being aware of the larger size of the vehicle is essential for road safety. You also need to make sure that you are loading the van safely – check the maximum weight and capacity of the van and make sure that everything is secured properly and that the weight is distributed evenly across the area.

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Parking – Of course your van is larger than a car, so this means that you need to pay more attention when you are parking. You will also need to be very aware of what is around you using your side mirrors as there is not a rear view mirror to help you in a van. Take it slowly and give yourself plenty of room to manoeuvre around.

Road Safety and Etiquette – Vans often have a bad reputation on the road – the white van man is not a brush that you want to be tarnished with! Make sure that you are being a courteous and considerate driver no matter what vehicle you are in to make the roads a safer and more pleasant place to be.

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