1. The stronger your high beams at night, the safer you are; Wrong. The wider the angle of your headlights, the safer it is. The higher and brighter you aim them, the more dangerous it becomes.
2. Frequently using the accelerator pedal is bad for the engine; Wrong. Keeping the engine RPM above 4000 while in gear is not only harmless but can even be beneficial to the engine. It’s frequently idling with the accelerator pressed or keeping the engine at high RPM for long periods that harms it.
3. Habitually pressing the clutch is a way to reduce trouble; Wrong. Habitually pressing the clutch is not only bad for the vehicle but actually creates more problems, and more importantly, it’s unsafe.
4. Locking the central door lock while driving is a safe method; Wrong. This is an extremely dangerous practice. In the event of an accident, you may not be able to open the doors, thereby increasing the risk. To prevent thieves from stealing items inside the car, it’s best to lock the central door lock only when stuck in traffic or waiting at a red light.
5. After parking, it’s enough to just pull the handbrake; Wrong. When parking on uneven ground, it’s not enough to just pull the handbrake—you should also leave the car in gear. That’s the best way to prevent the car from rolling due to the uneven surface.
6. When driving in one-way streets with two lanes, driving along the dashed line is safest; Wrong. This is most likely to cause accidents because neither the vehicles in front nor behind can determine your intentions.
7. When taking a high-speed turn, it’s safest to press the clutch and brake at the same time; Wrong. You must not press the clutch. Under any circumstances, pressing the clutch while driving increases the car’s inertia. You should shift to a lower gear and then brake.
8. Installing ABS in a car is to shorten braking distance; Wrong. The biggest advantage of ABS is not shortening the braking distance, but preventing the wheels from locking up. Therefore, even if you slam the brakes in special situations, you can still steer the car. Learning how to buffer the braking distance after emergency braking is key to understanding ABS.
9. When encountering other drivers who are unskilled or violating rules, you should honk or flash your headlights to alert them; Wrong. You should steer clear of them as quickly as possible. Honking or flashing your lights will only increase their anxiety and make it harder for them to control the vehicle.
10. When turning or changing lanes, you should first look in the rearview mirror; Wrong. You should first turn your head to check behind the car, then look in the rearview mirror. Sometimes the mirrors are not adjusted well and have blind spots. Additionally, turning on your turn signal may prompt nearby vehicles to speed up or slow down. You can’t judge the situation accurately just by using the rearview mirror.