How long should a beginner practice driving before going on the highway?
3 Answers
According to legal regulations, new drivers can only drive on highways independently one year after obtaining their driver's license. More relevant information is as follows: 1. If the driver's license has been valid for less than one year, the driver must be accompanied by a driver who has been driving on highways for more than three years. During the probationary period, the probationary driver must display a probationary sign on the vehicle. Otherwise, they will be penalized. Drivers in the probationary period are not allowed to drive buses, commercial passenger vehicles, or vehicles such as police cars and fire trucks on duty. 2. According to Article 75 of the 'Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses': When a probationary driver operates a motor vehicle on a highway, they must be accompanied by a driver who has held a driver's license for the corresponding or higher vehicle category for more than three years.
Having driven for over a decade, I've seen many novices rush onto highways only to fail. I recommend that beginners accumulate at least 3,000 kilometers of driving experience before considering highway travel, focusing particularly on mastering complex road conditions like urban congestion zones and urban-rural transitional areas. I remember spending over two months practicing on provincial roads alone, reviewing recorded footage of each drive to analyze lane-changing timing. With today's heavy highway traffic, lacking anticipation skills makes accidents far too likely. It's best to have an experienced driver accompany you on several short highway trips to build confidence.
When I first got my driver's license, I practiced driving every day after work and persisted for three whole months before daring to go on the highway. The key is to develop muscle memory: for example, being able to judge the distance by just glancing at the rearview mirror, or knowing to slow down in advance during rain. Once, I encountered a heavy rainstorm on the ring highway, and it was only because I had practiced on slippery roads on smaller streets that I managed to keep the steering wheel steady. Beginners should experience at least 10 emergency braking situations independently under various road conditions; otherwise, reacting at speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour on the highway would be nearly impossible.
