Which gear should be used for a right turn in Subject 3?
4 Answers
You can use third gear for turning, but the speed should be kept around 20 km/h. Alternatively, you can use second gear, but you should not use idle speed. After turning, you should immediately shift to third gear. Below is an introduction to the relevant content: 1. Subject 1: A written test on road traffic safety laws, regulations, and related knowledge, conducted on a computer. The full score is 100, and a score of 90 or above (including 90) is required to pass. 2. Subject 2: A practical driving skills test conducted on a closed course. The result is either pass or fail. It includes five mandatory tasks performed in sequence: reverse parking, parallel parking, S-curve driving, right-angle turning, and hill start and stop. The full score is 100, and a score of 80 or above (including 80) is required to pass. 3. Subject 3: A road driving skills test conducted on actual roads or simulated environments. The full score is 100. For large buses, a score of 90 or above is required to pass; for large trucks, 80 or above; and for other vehicle types, 70 or above. 4. Subject 4: A written test on safe and civilized driving knowledge. The full score is 100, and a score of 90 or above (including 90) is required to pass.
As someone who has been through the driving test, I deeply understand that using second gear is the safest choice when making a right turn in Subject 3. The second gear keeps the engine speed at a moderate level, maintaining a speed of around 20 km/h, which makes the vehicle more stable during the turn and avoids stalling or points deduction by the examiner. I remember during my practice, I used third gear for turns and felt the front of the car was hard to control. The instructor scolded me, saying it was a safety oversight—right turns have limited visibility, and excessive speed could easily cause the car to veer out of the lane. Key points for the test include signaling early, slowing down to shift into second gear, and lightly pressing the clutch to maintain speed with semi-engagement. After completing the turn, promptly shift back to the normal gear. After forming this habit, I still apply it now when making right turns on the road, especially during rainy days or at busy intersections—it’s particularly safe.
From an exam perspective, it's best to consistently use second gear for right turns during the Subject 3 test. Second gear provides appropriate RPM, maintaining a speed range of 15-25 km/h, ensuring the turn is neither too slow and sluggish nor too fast and dangerous. I almost failed during my test because I used third gear to accelerate through the turn, resulting in vehicle shuddering that made the examiner order me to stop. Only through repeated practice did I learn: you need to slow down and observe 50 meters in advance, shift to second gear, and steer smoothly in one go, then quickly shift back to third gear to avoid prolonged low-speed driving. This involves the principle of gear matching - higher gears at fast speeds can easily lead to loss of control, while lower gears like first gear waste time and disrupt the test rhythm. During practice simulations, test different scenarios frequently to strengthen muscle memory, and you'll pass the exam in one attempt.
I'm used to making right turns in second gear. Second gear provides a moderate speed, around 20 km/h, making the turn both smooth and agile. The key is practice: first decelerate and downshift to second gear, get into position before the turn signal activates, then steer smoothly. After completing the turn, quickly upshift and resume normal driving. It's simple but practical, helping new drivers stay calm.
