There are lots of reasons why you might need to hire a van. It might be that you have a house move coming up, you might need a van for work reasons, or you might need one for a big event like a festival. Fortunately, there are many places around the UK where you can hire a van from like this van hire Bristol based company.
Once you have hired a van, it is important that you are aware of how to drive it safely, as a van is larger than a car, and also lacks the rear view mirror – here are some of the things that you can do to ensure that you can drive the van that you hire safely and competently…
Be Comfortable in your Driving Position – Because this is a vehicle that is new to you, before you hop in and start it up, you need to make sure that you are sitting comfortably in the right position for driving. Spend some time sitting in the seat and adjust it until you feel that you are in control.
You should also familiarise yourself with the whereabouts of all of the essential controls that you will need, such as lights, windscreen wipers and indicators, as these can vary from one vehicle to another.
Make Sure that your Van is Loaded Safely – before you set off in the van, you need to ensure that you have loaded it correctly. Be aware of the maximum weight and make sure that you do not exceed this, and when you are moving heavy items like furniture in the van, make sure that the weight is spread evenly, and you haven’t put all the heavy things in one area.
Allow Extra Room – When you are driving a van be aware that this is a larger vehicle than a car so make sure you allow the extra room to move around. Whether you are passing a vehicle down a narrow road, or parking in a tight spot, always be conscious of the additional width and length of the van and give yourself more clearance space when you are overtaking.
Be Aware of your Side Mirrors – Side mirrors are very important when driving a van as you will not have a rear-view mirror – from parking to being aware of what is around you make sure that you pay attention to them.