What to Pay Attention to When Driving in the City for the First Time

[Weston]

When driving in the city for the first time, pay attention to slowing down at intersections, safe overtaking, maintaining distance, and decelerating when turning. Slowing down at intersections: Many urban roads now have pedestrians, non-motorized vehicles, and motor vehicles sharing the same road, so there are no barriers between opposing traffic flows. Therefore, the closer you get to an intersection, the slower your vehicle should move. Safe overtaking: Overtaking must be done with confidence. After confirming the conditions for overtaking, first turn on the left signal and honk to indicate your intention. At night, use flashing lights as a prompt. Only after the vehicle ahead signals to yield can you overtake from the left side. After overtaking, do not return to the original lane too soon. Maintain a safe distance from the overtaken vehicle before turning on the right signal to return to your lane. Maintaining distance: Most urban traffic accidents are caused by rear-end collisions. To avoid hitting others or being hit, always pay attention to the speed of the vehicle ahead and observe the following vehicle through the rearview mirror. After driving for a while, lightly tap the brakes to remind the following vehicle to maintain a safe distance. This method is especially useful at night to prevent rear-end collisions. Decelerating when turning: When a high-speed vehicle enters a curve, to avoid the centrifugal force causing the vehicle to tilt, try to reduce the arc of the driving path to minimize centrifugal force. If the curve is sharp and the road is narrow with no shortcuts, the vehicle may become difficult to control. The correct approach is to lift the throttle and slow down before entering the curve, assess the degree of curvature and road conditions, and then gently accelerate to pass through the curve smoothly.