Congratulations to all new drivers! With your freshly-printed license, you’re ready to zip off to all of the destinations that are now within your reach! But we at Alta Mere hope you’ll take a moment to consider what could make your first few trips safer. Mile for mile, new drivers are three times more likely to get into a wreck than experienced drivers. We want you to be safe, so consider outfitting your car with one or more of these accessories to help you curb hazardous behavior and get where you need to be with your car in one piece!

1. Back-up Camera. It can be hard to get used to the size of your vehicle, and if you struggle to back up in the direction you want or to see everything behind you, a back-up camera could help! It allows you to see everything the body of your car blocks from your view, so you can note the presence of obstacles and gauge your distance from them.
2. Text Blocker. You might be a social butterfly, but behind the wheel is no place to be checking your text messages. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 20 percent of accidents in 2014 were due to distraction, and the rate of drivers using mobile devices while they are behind the wheel is estimated to be around 660,000 at any given time. To avoid the temptation to look at your phone, you can turn on a text blocker. This device keeps your phone from receiving messages while you are driving, and can be programmed to send people who are trying to get in touch with you a message that you are busy and will get back to them. This protects you and those around you from your own distraction!
3. Window Film. Window film is endorsed by the Skin Cancer Foundation as a great way to prevent skin damage from the sun while driving, but it has some other cool, less well-known benefits. For example, it can reduce the glare of the sun, which for a new drivers, can make the difference between seeing an obstacle and being blinded to anything in your path.
4. GPS System. It can be terrifying to be lost on unfamiliar streets, and that stress can keep you from focusing on hazards in the road. Instead of getting distracted reading a map or holding your phone as you call someone for help, use a car-mounted GPS to give you directions and keep you heading the right way!

As new drivers, you need time on the road to gain experience, but that time can be made a lot safer by using these tools! Your odds are not your destiny, and if you approach driving with the caution it merits, you can preserve a perfect driving record and gain the experience to be comfortable on the road! Find these accessories and more at your local Alta Mere.