Should You Exit the Car from the Right or Left Side?
2 Answers
Except for the driver, passengers should try to exit from the right-side door. Here are some precautions to keep in mind when exiting the car: Precautions for passengers exiting the car: Wait until the car has come to a complete stop before exiting. Do not rush to jump out of a moving car to avoid accidents. Always wait until the car has stopped completely and then exit in an orderly manner. Observe before opening the door. When exiting, first check the left rearview mirror, then turn your head to the left to observe the traffic conditions behind you. Only open the door and exit after confirming it is safe. Precautions for drivers exiting the car: Before exiting, drivers should carefully observe the conditions on the left rear side. Open the door only after ensuring no one is passing by on the left rear side, and do not open the door too wide. Exit slowly to avoid affecting pedestrians and other vehicles.
Having driven for over a decade, I've learned that choosing the correct exit side is absolutely crucial. Chinese traffic regulations strictly require exiting from the right side - a point repeatedly emphasized during driving school. The reasoning is simple: the left side faces the center of the road, where opening a door directly exposes you to moving traffic lanes, with even slight carelessness potentially leading to collisions from approaching vehicles. Especially during rush hours when electric scooters frequently weave between cars, left-side exiting carries extreme risks. I once experienced this when temporarily parked in a hutong - a passenger attempted to exit left, and just as the door cracked open, a motorcycle zoomed past, barely missing us. Now during every family trip, I always remind elderly and children in the back seats to exit from the right side. Developing this habit can prevent numerous potential accidents.
