How to Judge Left and Right Distance for Beginners Driving on the Road
3 Answers
For beginners driving on the road, the method to judge left and right distance is: observe the rearview mirror to see if the car behind is too close, or to check if the vehicle behind is a large truck. When the reflection of the car in the rearview mirror occupies two-thirds of the mirror, it indicates that the following car is very close to your vehicle. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a safe distance at this time and avoid overtaking or changing lanes, as it can easily lead to danger. The methods to judge the distance between the front of the car and a pedestrian are: 1. When the front of the car appears to move from the ground to the person's feet or heels and stays there, the distance between the front of the car and the person is 3 meters; 2. When the front of the car rises to the height of the person's knees, the distance between the front of the car and the person is 1 meter.
When I first started driving, I tried many methods to judge the distance on the left side, such as observing the relationship between the edge of the car body and the roadside line through the left rearview mirror. It's crucial to sit upright and adjust the seat height properly so that you can clearly see the position of the left wheel in the mirror. If the wheel is about a fist's distance from the curb, it's safe. The right side requires more caution due to blind spots. I would quickly glance over my shoulder to check the right rear to confirm the car's position relative to the curb, rather than relying solely on intuition. For daily practice, choose an open area like a parking lot and use two traffic cones as reference points to repeatedly practice reversing and parallel parking. The difficulty of judgment increases with speed, so beginners should start slow and stay alert, avoiding high-speed turns. Over time, you'll naturally develop a feel for it, and checking the mirrors frequently will become a habit, making it easier. I also recommend having an experienced friend sit in the passenger seat to provide guidance—they can correct your position on the spot to avoid scratches and bumps.
When I was learning to drive, I was especially afraid of scraping the sides, particularly finding it hard to judge the distance on the right. A friend taught me to adjust the angle of the right-side mirror higher, making the ground line and wheels more distinct as reference points; for the left side, align the lower left corner of the windshield with the roadside. Keeping a fixed seating position is fundamental—any adjustment means relearning reference points. Practice driving on narrow roads at low speeds to get a feel for the car's width, gradually increasing speed to build confidence. When parking, step out to check the positions of the front and rear wheels against your memory to reinforce your understanding. Stay calm and don’t panic—making mistakes the first time is normal. After accumulating dozens of hours of road experience, your judgment accuracy will improve significantly. Don’t rely entirely on auxiliary skills like reverse cameras; mastering the basics is key to safety first.
