There are many different driving myths out there and some of them could get you into trouble. However, below you will find some of the most common driving myths and whether they are true or false.
“Driving examiners have a pass or fail quota”
Many learner drivers are put off from taking their driving tests as they believe an examiner has a quota to fill. Allegedly, the examiner has a daily, weekly or monthly quota, however, this is not the case at all. You’ll pass or fail based on how you drive during the test, no matter how many other people have passed or failed that day, week or month!
“I need to heat my car up before I start driving it”
There is a myth that states you need to heat up a cold car’s engine before you drive off. However, this is no longer true as newer cars are manufactured a little differently. Drivers no longer need to wait up to 1 minute before the oil reaches the top of the car’s engine.
“If my petrol light comes on, I still have loads in the tank”
Many people assume that when your petrol light comes on there is still a lot of fuel in the tank. However, there is likely to be just 40 to 50 miles of petrol left (but this can depend on the kind of car you’re driving).
Did you know that if you frequently drive while your fuel is low you can damage your car? This is because debris is picked up as you drive along and it can damage your pump and your fuel filter.
“I can cool down my car using the heaters and fans”
There’s a common misconception that surrounds your car overheating. It’s thought that if your car was to get too hot you could use the heaters to cool it down. The truth is that this method will work temporarily but it will not solve the issue. While it will take heat from the engine, the best thing you can do is to turn your engine off.
Give your car at least 30 minutes to cool down and check the level of your coolant. Top it up with some water if required.
“It’s illegal to drive in flip flops”
It’s not actually against the law to drive in your flip flops. In actual fact, it’s not even illegal to drive barefoot. However, it is important that you wear shoes that help you gain proper control over the pedals. This is because bare feet, flip flops and large boots don’t allow you to have much control.
You could be putting yourself and other passengers at risk if you don’t wear proper footwear. In addition to this, any insurance claim you make could be denied because you weren’t wearing the right type of footwear.
“Hot roads will melt my tyres”
While hot roads cannot melt your tyres they can cause them to become damaged. When it’s a hot day make sure you check your tyres for wear and tear and cracks. When it’s hot out there the air in your tyres will heat up. This could cause your tyre to expand. If there are any weak spots you tyre could blow out.
“Air con will use all my fuel!”
Have you heard the myth that keeping your air conditioning on uses more fuel? This is one of the very few driving myths that is sort-of true. It all depends on how far you’re travelling and the type of journey you’re on.
Your car’s air conditioning system is powered by your engine. The engine will inevitably have to work harder if you have your air-con on. What this means is you won’t get as many miles per gallon.
So on shorter journeys, this will result in your car burning even more fuel. Journeys that last longer work out more economical as it’s easier for the car to maintain the cooler temperature.
We’ve previously debunked some motorway myths – check them out here, and then let us know which mistruths you’ve heard (or believed!)
