Highway Safety Driving Guide

　　Nowadays, time is increasingly precious to people, and speed is precisely what helps us make the most of it. That’s why highways have become the preferred choice for motorists. However, driving on highways inherently involves numerous risks; if drivers fail to fully understand the unique characteristics of highway travel and master the proper techniques, they risk serious accidents. Therefore, please be sure to read the Highway Safety Guide carefully—better safe than sorry.

　　First, before getting onto the highway, be sure to conduct a thorough vehicle inspection. Start by checking the fuel level. When driving at high speeds, fuel consumption tends to exceed expectations. For example, a car with a fuel consumption of 10 liters per 100 kilometers will use 10 liters to travel 100 kilometers at 50 km/h, but at 100 km/h on the highway, it will consume roughly 16 liters for the same distance. Fuel consumption rises significantly at higher speeds, so make sure you have an adequate supply of fuel when traveling on the highway.

　　Second, check the tire pressure. While driving, tires undergo compression and expansion—known as tire deformation—which becomes particularly pronounced at lower pressures and higher speeds. Under such conditions, the interior of the tire can overheat, leading to delamination between the rubber layers or fragmentation and shedding of the tread, potentially causing a blowout and resulting in a vehicle accident. Therefore, before embarking on high-speed travel, ensure that the tire pressure is slightly higher than usual.

　　Third, check the braking performance. A vehicle’s braking system plays a critical role in driving safety. When traveling on highways, pay particular attention to brake effectiveness. Before setting out, drive at low speed to test the brakes; if any abnormalities are detected, have the system repaired promptly—otherwise, a serious accident could easily occur.

　　In addition, inspections of components such as engine oil, coolant, the fan belt, the steering system, the drivetrain, and the lighting and signaling systems should not be overlooked.

　　Once the inspection is complete, we can get onto the highway. At this point, we should also keep the following driving tips in mind: First, enter the travel lane correctly.

　　When entering the highway from a ramp, vehicles must accelerate in the acceleration lane, activate the left turn signal, and merge into the through lane without impeding the normal flow of traffic. After merging, they should deactivate the turn signal.

　　Second, maintain a safe following distance. When driving at high speeds, vehicles in the same lane must keep an adequate safety gap from the vehicle ahead. A common guideline is to set the safe distance roughly equal to your speed: at 100 km/h, the safe distance should be 100 meters; at 70 km/h, it should be 70 meters. In adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, or fog, you should further increase the gap between vehicles and reduce your speed accordingly.

　　Third, exercise caution when overtaking other vehicles. When overtaking, first check the conditions of the vehicles ahead and behind, then activate the left turn signal. After confirming that it is safe, gently turn the steering wheel to the left to smoothly move into the passing lane. Once you have passed the vehicle being overtaken, activate the right turn signal; only after the overtaken vehicle has completely disappeared from your rearview mirror should you smoothly return the steering wheel to the right and merge back into the travel lane on the right. Finally, deactivate the turn signal. Under no circumstances should you make abrupt steering movements during the overtaking process.

　　Fourth, use the brakes correctly. On highways, applying emergency brakes is extremely dangerous. As vehicle speed increases, tire grip on the road surface diminishes, raising the likelihood of brake pull and skidding, which can make steering difficult to control. Moreover, if the following vehicle fails to react in time, a multi‑vehicle collision may occur. When braking while driving, first lift your foot off the accelerator, then apply the brakes gently in short, repeated presses. This pulsing‑brake technique causes the brake lights to flash rapidly, helping to alert vehicles behind you.