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You've earned your learner's permit, and you're now halfway to becoming a licensed driver. It's a very exciting time, but this excitement can be tinged with worry. Every student worries. We know this, and we'd like to share some of our top tips with all our student drivers in Silver Spring, MD. These tips will help you as you're working through the months before you can take your driver's test. Practice When you've earned your learner's permit, the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) requires a gap before you can apply for your driver's test. While many students want to rush straight to their driver's test, this imposed delay is both helpful and important. To apply for your driver's test, you have to show that you've completed a driver's education course and have sixty hours of practical driving experience. The 18-month restriction allows you plenty of time to complete these necessary steps and to gain even more hours of driving practice. Driving is a learned skill, and with any skill, the more you practice, the better you will get at it. You have to practice with a licensed driver over 21 years old, but we're sure that your family and friends will be very eager to help you. more Don't Stress Stress is a part of life. Any time someone is faced with a problem, or something they don't fully understand, stress is a natural reaction. It's important, however, not to let stress become a problem. You've learned and already proven that you understand the rules that govern driving by gaining your learner's permit. This shows that you know what you're doing. When you understand something, stress is no longer an issue. Stress can cloud your judgment, reduce your reaction times, and make it difficult to enjoy your time behind the wheel. If you focus on the positive, the knowledge and understanding you already have, your stress level will reduce. Try to relax and enjoy the feeling that each day you'll learn something new about driving. You'll also be another day closer to your driving test. Always Ask Questions One of the quickest and easiest ways to learn is to ask questions. If there's something about driving you don't understand, always ask someone. When you're learning, there's no such thing as a wrong or stupid question. If you ask family, friends, or your driving instructor about driving, they'll be happy to help you. At one point, every driver was in the same position you are. Your family, friends, and instructors all want to help you. If you don't ask questions, you could make errors. These errors could even result in failing your driver's test. No one wants that to happen, so ask, learn, and make your driver's test a great success. We’re Your Go-to Car Dealership in Silver Spring, MD These are a few tips that we know will help you. When you start looking for a new car in MD, head to DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Silver Spring to explore new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Wagoneer, and RAM vehicles.

Whether you’re taking a road trip, or traveling around town, driving in wet weather provides a unique set of challenges that you'll need to adjust your driving habits to overcome. Here are some common mistakes that you should avoid to stay safe when navigating the roads of Maryland when they become slippery and wet. 1. Driving at Too Fast a Speed The most obvious thing to do when adverse weather strikes is to slow the speed of your vehicle down. Driving at a slow speed gives you time to react to changing situations and reduces your chance of hydroplaning. Keep an eye on your speed when driving on slick roads to make sure you're staying safe. more 2. Forgetting to Activate Your Lights Not only will your headlights improve your ability to see the road ahead of you, but lights also make your vehicle more visible to other drivers. That makes it essential to activate your lights in the visibility-impairing conditions rainy weather creates. That will avoid accidents occurring from your vehicle not being seen in time. 3. Driving with the Emergency Lights On While you may think emergency lights help you stand out even more for other drivers' visibility, these lights can confuse other drivers and make them swerve or stop short unnecessarily. Only activate these lights when you have to pull over to the side of the road to ensure you're using them correctly. 4. Braking or Accelerating Too Quickly Sudden changes in your speed increase the chances that you'll lose control of your vehicle. Instead of reacting abruptly to an obstacle, keep an eye out ahead so that you can anticipate problems well in advance. This will give you time to safely and slowly adjust your speed. 5. Not Reacting to a Skid Correctly Knowing how to react if you lose control of your vehicle is an essential skill in slippery weather. Learn to turn in the direction of your skid instead of against it. This can seem counterintuitive at first but mastering the skill will help you navigate safely across slick, wet roads. 6. Driving Too Close to Other Drivers Tailgating another driver is never a good idea, but it becomes even more dangerous when driving in wet conditions. You won't be able to react as quickly when driving on slippery roads. Maintain a safe separation from other drivers to give yourself enough space to react if they stop short or slow down. 7. Not Preparing the Vehicle Adequately Staying safe in inclement weather starts even before you set out on the road. Make sure that your headlights and windshield wipers are working correctly, and that your tires have adequate tread to handle slippery roads. You should also keep up to date on your routine maintenance, as you don't want problems arising when you're already dealing with difficult conditions. Get Your Car Prepared with Auto Service in Silver Spring, MD Make sure that your vehicle is ready for anything the weather can throw at it by making an appointment with our service team. Visit DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Silver Spring today!

One of the main reasons for accidents on the road is driving while distracted. Cell phones, food and drink, and other passengers, can all cause you to take your eyes off our Maryland roads and lose your focus. Today, let's have a look at some of the best ways you can avoid distracted driving in and around your local Silver Spring, MD area. 1. Stop When You are Hungry or Tired Sometimes, driving for long periods at a time is unavoidable; but you should always take the time for short breaks to rest, stretch your legs, and have a snack. Fatigue can be a big distraction, and it can stop you from effectively multitasking, for example when you need to use your navigation system while driving. Generally, experts recommend that you take a 15-minute break every 2 hours in order to remain alert while you drive. more At that time, you should also have a drink and a snack because you can avoid eating and driving at the same time that way. Although an estimated 35% of drivers sometimes eat while driving, this can be very dangerous because you're not only taking your eyes from the road, but you're also removing your hands from the steering wheel. 2. Encourage Your Passengers to Help Aside from common distractions such as cell phones and make-up, many drivers also report that their passengers have caused them to take their eyes off the road in the past. If you're transporting babies or toddlers, this might be unavoidable, but adults and older children can be encouraged to help you retain your focus. For example, you could tell them to stop distracting you and help you by looking out at the road instead. 3. Allow Enough Time With work, family, and other daily tasks, many of us don't have a lot of time to spare. Despite this, do everything you can to avoid driving in a rush. Not only can this cause you to lose your focus because you're worried about being late, but it can also make you drive faster than you usually would. In addition to this, it's crucial that you don't try to complete other tasks while you drive to work. It's best to give yourself enough time for everything before you leave the house. The same goes for answering calls or text messages. While you're driving, the only thing you should be thinking of is the road and potential hazards you might encounter. Remember These Tips and Get Your Car Serviced in Silver Spring Routinely Driving while distracted by other tasks or people can be very dangerous, and it is one of the leading causes of accidents. For this reason, you should always stop when you notice you're hungry and tired, encourage your passengers not to distract you, and allow enough time for your trips. Find out more about safe driving techniques and how to prepare for car emergencies at our Silver Spring car dealership. Keep these tips in mind, but also remember your regular car maintenance. Get in touch with us at DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Silver Spring to schedule a maintenance appointment.

Any local Marylander will tell you that traffic in and around Silver Spring, MD can be challenging, especially during rush hour. Luckily there are plenty of great resources available to check up on traffic conditions before hitting the road. Here are some excellent sites to check for traffic updates in Maryland. 1. MDOT CHART The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) has a task force for helping drivers adapt to road conditions. The Coordinated Highway Action Response Team (CHART) maintains a traveler information page to keep Maryland drivers informed about traffic, maintenance, lane closures, and more. Featuring links to a variety of apps, charts, and other data from across the state, CHART's traveler information page is possibly the best resource for state-wide traffic information in Maryland. more MDOT's dozens of traffic cameras are all available to stream life, so drivers can take a look at on-the-ground conditions at roads, bridges, and intersections along their route. Users can even see what's displayed on amber signs throughout Maryland. A comprehensive list of local weather stations shows up-to-the-minute weather at dozens of places around the state. CHART even provides the data from speed sensors to see precisely how fast traffic is flowing. 2. CHART Interactive Map CHART's beautiful interactive GIS mapping application is an elegant interface to the many cameras and incident reports available through the traveler information portal. Clickable markers show the locations of each traffic cam, accident, and lane closure in the state on the clickable, scrollable, zoomable map. As users zoom out, markers of each type dynamically combine to avoid crowding the map and expand when clicked to show each individual point. Clicking on a camera marker brings up a live feed from the camera right on the map, to quickly check how traffic is flowing at an important place on a route. Incident report markers show details about reported accidents, scheduled maintenance, downed trees, and anything else drivers might need to navigate Maryland roads. 3. WBAL TV WBAL TV 11 is another great source for Maryland traffic information. The Baltimore-based NBC affiliate provides excellent traffic reports as part of its local news coverage, focusing on the Baltimore-Washington area. WBAL also maintains an interactive traffic map. In addition to showing construction and accidents, it also plots markers for slowdowns which provide details about the size of traffic backups across the region, including the expected length of time of each delay. It's a fantastic resource for routing around crowded sections of the highway during rush hour. 4. WTOP News Washington's venerable news radio station is renowned in the DC area for its excellent coverage of regional traffic and road conditions. Generations of commuters in Maryland and across the region have tuned into WTOP for its regular, comprehensive coverage of traffic on the major roadways. For those already in the car, WTOP radio is a trusted source for concise, up-to-the-minute traffic reports from its famous "glass-enclosed nerve center" in Friendship Heights. Drivers who haven't yet hit the road can also access an interactive map provided by WTOP. In addition to covering slowdowns, accidents, and other incidents, it also embeds WTOP's excellent traffic report Twitter feed, which curates reports from both WTOP's reporters and government sources. Keep Your Vehicle Reliable with Auto Service at Our Silver Spring Service Department These four excellent sources take the guesswork out of a trip on Maryland roads in Silver Spring and beyond. Get in touch with DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Silver Spring to stay up to date on your car’s maintenance.

Whether you visit Maryland from DC or live here in Silver Spring, MD, you're likely familiar with the 16th Street traffic circle and how intimidating it can be while driving in it. Since improvements were made recently, we thought it would be a good time to review these traffic marvels and how to interact with them in the wild. The state has a detailed website about roundabouts that's worth checking out, but here are the basics for drivers. 1. Bicyclists & Pedestrians Have the Right-of-Way Safety first, and that means letting the bicyclists and pedestrians go first. The rules for these users are on the website linked above if you happen to not be in a car when you hit this traffic circle, but the same basic rules apply to everyone. more 2. Yield; Don't Stop Turning into a roundabout is a lot like making a right turn at an intersection: the vehicles already in motion in the traffic circle have the right-of-way. Once you are in the traffic circle, you will have the right-of-way, too. Until then, look for a gap to safely enter the traffic flow. 3. Traffic Moves Counter-Clockwise In the United States, and definitely here in Maryland, our traffic circles move counter-clockwise, which means traffic flows in the opposite direction than the hands of a clock turn. You will want to revisit rules about traffic circles if you travel elsewhere though because this rule can vary depending on local traffic patterns. 4. Stay in the Inner Circle Until Your Exit Pay attention to the signs and you will see what exit to take. There's no shame if you need to do an extra circle or two to figure it out. Sometimes there can be a lot of signs. Just be sure to use your turn signal as you’re switching lanes, and as you enter and exit the traffic circle. 5. Don't Stop for Vehicles Entering the Circle You have the right of way now! You may cause an accident if you try to stop and let someone in. Go with the flow of traffic around the circle until you reach your desired exit. If you haven't figured out which exit you need, then take another lap in the inner circle. 6. Use Your Turn Signals This is one of the best ways to avoid accidents in and out of traffic circles. Once you see your exit, use your turn signal, and exit the roundabout to continue on with your journey. This lets other drivers know what your intentions are so that they can act accordingly. Find a Dependable New Car in Maryland for All Your Travels While traffic circles may seem dangerous, studies show they actually reduce crashes when people know how to use them by slowing vehicles down and reducing the possibility of head-on and T-bone collisions. If you do find yourself needing a new car, be sure to explore the vehicles available at DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Silver Spring - your premier car dealership in Silver Spring, MD.

Knowing what to expect in any situation can save you a lot of stress, especially when you're dealing with getting a permit. Before you head to your local Silver Spring MD, MVA for your permit test, you need to be prepared so that you know what to expect and so you don't have to make that same trip twice. 1. You Have to Have the Right Forms Forms are non-negotiable whenever you do anything at the MVA and applying for a learner's permit is no different. You will need every form listed online, no exception. Reviewing the web page listing the necessary documents is the best way to prepare so that you have every single form and won't be sent home. more 2. You Need to Schedule an Appointment Once you have all of the forms and signatures you need for your application to qualify, you must schedule an appointment. To avoid a wait, schedule in advance to avoid any kind of backlog at the office. Don't wait until the last minute or you might be waiting to get that permit. 3. Your Vision Will Be Tested You will be required to take a vision test since good eyesight is a requisite for driving. If you haven't been to the eye doctor in a while, you may want to schedule an appointment ahead of time to see if you need glasses or contacts. If you do wear contacts or glasses, make sure to have them in or have them with you on the day of your appointment so that you can see well. 4. You Will Have to Take a Test When you walk into your appointment, you won't be able to hand in the documents, receive your permit, and go home. After your vision test, you will be required to take a test. The good news is you can practice for this in advance thanks to the online practice test. You can also read through the Maryland Driver's Manual to familiarize yourself with the rules of the road so you can successfully pass the test. 5. It Will Cost You You'll have to pay a fee of $50.00 to get your permit. Knowing this in advance can prevent a lot of disappointment and frustration if you show up without a way to pay. While most MVAs take credit cards, have the cash to cover the cost and a little extra in case there are any additional fees you weren't aware of. 6. You Won't Get Your Actual Permit Right Away Even after you successfully pass your test, you won't get your permit right away. You may be given a temporary document, but your official permit will be mailed to you in the mail, usually within a few weeks of your visit. However, with a temporary permit, you can still begin practicing driving right away. New Cars for Sale in Silver Spring, MD to Start Your Driving Adventure On your way home from your appointment, what better way to spend your time than looking at your future vehicle. Your parent or guardian may eventually be getting you a vehicle, and when that time happens, we'll be ready to help. Visit us today at DARCARS Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM of Silver Spring to browse our extensive collection of new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM, and Wagoneer models!