How Many Years of Driving Experience Are Required to Drive on Highways?
2 Answers
One year or more of driving experience is required to drive on highways. Regulations for driving on highways: The first 12 months after a motor vehicle driver initially obtains a driver's license or adds a new permitted vehicle type is considered the probationary period, during which the driver cannot drive alone on highways. According to the "Regulations on the Application and Use of Motor Vehicle Driver's Licenses," if a probationary driver needs to drive on highways, they must be accompanied by a driver who has held a corresponding or higher-level driver's license for more than three years. Precautions for driving on highways: Maintain a speed between 90 km/h and 120 km/h; always check for vehicles behind when changing lanes and develop the good habit of using turn signals; try to avoid driving on highways at night—even if there are no other vehicles on the road, poor visibility due to low light makes it difficult to spot obstacles, posing safety risks.
As someone quite knowledgeable about driving regulations, I believe the age restriction for highway driving primarily depends on the driver's license status. In China, if you obtain a C1 driver's license, you can apply for it at 18 years old. However, there's a one-year probation period after getting the license, during which you cannot drive alone on highways—you must be accompanied by an experienced driver with over three years of driving experience. Once the probation period ends, typically around age 19, you can drive independently on highways. This regulation is quite reasonable, as young drivers lack experience, and highways involve high speeds and heavy traffic, increasing the risk of accidents. Some of my friends rushed to drive on highways during their probation period and nearly got into accidents. Safety comes first—beginners should practice more in urban areas to develop their driving sense and learn how to handle emergencies before considering highway driving. After all, life is precious, and it's not worth taking risks just to save time.
