Many small business owners will ‘make do’ with using their car in the early months (sometimes years) of establishing their business. We’ve all seen estate cars with their back seats down full of painting and decorating gear or similar! There is of course nothing wrong with this but for many tradesmen, gardeners, upholsters and the like the time does come when a van is needed and leasing is a great option. Check out our benefits of leasing here.

Your brand new lease van is on your driveway and you’re ready switch from car to van, but before you hop in and drive off there are a few things to consider.

Here we share our tips on driving a van for the first time.

Will I need a different driving licence?

If your van is 3,500kg or under the answer is no, you’ll be able to drive the van on your standard car licence.

If you passed your test after January 1997 you might need to take some extra tests before driving a van between 3,500kg and 7,500kg or towing a trailer on your van. Find out more about driving licence requirements here.

It is your responsibility to check what licence you require.

Getting used to a new driving position.

Whilst many brand new vans drive more like cars than ever before there are some issues to consider.

• Your driving position will be much higher.
• Your view of the road is therefore different.
• You will have big wing mirrors which not only mean you’re a wide load but take a bit of getting used to in terms of your rear view.

The above mean it’s really important to get your seating position 100% right before you drive off. Give yourself plenty of time.

Getting used to the controls.

Just like getting behind the wheel of a new car it’s important to take a bit of time to work out where everything is. Where are the lights, fog lights, wipers and other essential controls?

It’s not safe to be searching around for your lights when driving along in any vehicle but a long van can cover a lot of road in the time it takes to find the switch – safety first!

Know your dimensions.

In a car you’re pretty much guaranteed to be within size limits of car parks, bridges and narrow roads but it’s important to get to know your van’s dimensions. It’s a good idea to make a note of the height, width and weight and keep this handy (a sticky note on the dashboard is a good idea) so that if you encounter a height barrier or weight restriction you’ve got all the information you need.

Driving your van.

Vans don’t handle like cars so don’t try to drive it like one!

Tight corners, turning circles and country roads should all be approached with some caution and make sure you know if any special speed limits apply to your vehicle. Depending on what sort of van you are driving the national speed limit on both single and dual carriageways can be lower than for a car. The limits for a van are 50mph and 60mph respectively, both 10mph slower than for cars. Find out more about speed limits here https://www.gov.uk/speed-limits

Safe driving!!