What should beginners pay attention to when driving on the road?
2 Answers
New drivers need to pay the most attention to the transition in skills and mindset, followed by traffic common sense. Here are some relevant introductions for beginners on the road: 1. Skills and mindset: Skills require more practice—find a place with fewer people to practice more. The mindset needs to shift from the driving test (Subject Three) to actual road driving. Driving during Subject Three and driving after obtaining the license are two different things. During Subject Three practice, you drive a training car; other vehicles will actively give way when they see a training car. 2. Displaying a novice sign: However, after obtaining the license and driving a private car on the road, other drivers won’t be as courteous. At this time, it is necessary to display a novice sign in the appropriate position on the car to let others know you are a beginner, which is safer. 3. Following distance: Another important point is to understand the following distance. In Subject Three, the following distance is based on the test items; during practice, you follow a fixed sequence on a fixed route, and the actions of the vehicle ahead are predictable. Actual driving is different because you don’t know what the car in front will do next. Many drivers in China don’t like to use turn signals and often brake suddenly, which can easily lead to accidents if the following driver lacks experience.
It's normal to feel nervous when you first start driving. I recommend practicing the basic maneuvers until they become second nature. After adjusting your seat and mirrors, make sure you can see all four corners of the rear window. Don’t grip the steering wheel too tightly—holding it at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions is more stable. Before moving off, always check your blind spots. Slow down at intersections and lean forward to look around—sudden pedestrian crossings can be terrifying. Maintain a three-second following distance, increasing to five seconds in rain or snow. Check your mirrors three times before changing lanes and signal at least three seconds in advance. New drivers often lose track of navigation instructions, so set it up beforehand and avoid touching your phone. When navigating narrow roads in old neighborhoods, roll down your windows to listen for pedestrians’ footsteps. If the engine stalls, stay calm—turn on your hazard lights and restart. After each drive, reflect on areas that need improvement, and you’ll gradually become more comfortable.
