By Nnamdi Ikeh-Akabogu (FRSCN)
Driving a car in reverse is as important as driving it forward. Sometimes people are even involved in accidents when driving in reverse because they simply do not pay enough attention. Sometimes they also get confused when turning the car.
The following tips tell you how to drive when in reverse:
- Look behind and under your car before getting in it if you will be driving in reverse. Many accidents involve children and pets simply because the driver didn’t know they were there. So, installing a car parking sensor may help you to avoid crash obstacles.
- Enter your car, fasten the seat belt, and start the engine. Press the brake pedal down and put the car into reverse, keeping your foot on the brake. Place your right, hand on the passenger seat headrest, if you so desire, and turn your body so that you can see out of the rear window, while keeping your left hand on the top of the steering wheel.
- Lift your foot off the brake pedal a little bit at a time to let the car move in reverse slowly. Look for people, animals and other cars while you are doing this.
- Turn the wheel to keep the car straight if it begins to turn when you don’t want it to, or to turn the car when you need to. To turn the back of your car to the left, move the top of your steering wheel to the right. To turn the back of your car to the right, move the top of your steering wheel to the left.
- When you have finished moving your car in reverse, stop the car before moving your body to look out of the windshield. Never let your car move in reverse without also looking behind the car.
The traffic expert is DCC Nnamdi Ikeh-Akabogu, DCC Morning and Evaluation (M&E), Special Duties and External Relations (SEDER), FRCC HQ, Abuja.
