When Can a Beginner Drive Alone?
3 Answers
In principle, beginners can drive alone after obtaining their driver's license, but to drive on highways, they must either pass the probationary period or be accompanied by an experienced driver with at least three years of driving experience. Pay attention to speed: As long as it's not on a highway, beginners should stabilize their speed at around 60, which helps with control. Observe the rearview mirrors more: The rearview mirrors allow you to observe the road conditions on the left and right rear of the vehicle, especially when changing lanes, reversing, or overtaking, the role of the rearview mirrors is very important. Maintain a safe distance: Beginners tend to follow too closely. If the car in front brakes or cuts in, beginners usually react by immediately hitting the brakes, and sometimes excessive nervousness can cause the steering wheel to turn too sharply, leading to traffic accidents. Therefore, maintaining a safe distance from the car in front is crucial. When someone cuts in, slow down appropriately to yield.
As someone who's been through it, I believe new drivers must overcome both psychological and technical barriers before venturing out alone. After getting my license, I practiced reverse parking and U-turns in narrow spaces for half an hour daily in our residential parking lot, while having a friend ride shotgun on weekends to navigate urban traffic lights. Only after a full month - when I could simultaneously follow navigation, check mirrors for lane changes, and remain steady during heavy rain - did I dare commute solo. Remember to wait until your body develops instinctive reactions: gently braking at yellow lights instead of slamming them, automatically checking blind spots before turns, and calmly yielding when flashed by trailing vehicles. This process typically requires about 300 kilometers of driving experience to feel truly road-ready.
Last week, I just taught my younger cousin how to drive and noticed how impatient young people can be. In reality, there's no fixed timeline for driving alone; the key lies in the smoothness of operation. Before his first solo trip, I specifically conducted three tests: having him parallel park without crossing the lines while reciting multiplication tables; stopping within three seconds during a 40 km/h emergency brake on a rainy day; and not cursing out loud when cut off during rush hour. I recommend that beginners use a dash cam to review each driving session. Only consider driving solo after going ten consecutive days without the following occurrences: forgetting to use turn signals more than twice, following too closely to see the tires of the car in front, or forcing pedestrians to stop on crosswalks while turning.
