China Driving Subject 4 (Small Car) key terms

A driving style in which you continuously scan ahead, predict what other road users may do, and keep space and time to react, rather than assuming others will follow the rules.

The gap you keep between your car and the vehicle in front so you can stop safely if it brakes suddenly; it should grow with speed and in rain, fog, or on slippery roads.

The distance your car travels between the moment you notice a hazard and the moment your foot actually reaches the brake pedal; it depends mostly on speed and driver alertness.

The distance a car needs to stop after the brakes are applied. It increases with the square of speed and grows sharply on wet, icy, or gravel surfaces with worn tyres.

The area beside and behind the car that mirrors do not show. You must turn your head to check it before changing lanes, turning, or opening a door into traffic.

A quick, deliberate glance at the interior and exterior mirrors before any maneuver. Mirrors alone leave blind spots, so a shoulder check follows in most situations.

Moving from one marked lane to another. It requires signal first, mirror and shoulder checks, a safe gap, and steady speed so other drivers can predict your movement.

The flashing indicator lamp used to announce an intended turn or lane change. It must be switched on early enough to warn others, then cancelled after the maneuver.

An arm movement used to show an intention to turn, slow, or stop when indicator lamps fail or are hard to see. It supplements, and does not replace, working lights.

The skill of spotting developing dangers early, such as a pedestrian stepping off a kerb or a parked car's door opening, and adjusting speed before the danger becomes urgent.

Applying the brakes as hard as possible to avoid a collision. With ABS you press firmly and keep pressure on while steering around the obstacle if needed.

A system that rapidly releases and reapplies brake pressure to stop the wheels locking, so the car can still be steered during hard braking on slippery or uneven surfaces.

The depth of the grooves on a tyre. Shallow tread drains water poorly and raises aquaplaning risk; small-car tyres must be replaced before tread wears to the legal minimum.

The air pressure inside a tyre, checked cold against the vehicle maker's figure. Wrong pressure harms grip, braking, fuel use, and tyre life, and can cause a blowout.

Loss of grip when a layer of water lifts the tyre off the road, making steering and braking ineffective. Ease off the accelerator, hold the wheel steady, and avoid sudden braking.

Sliding of the tyres with reduced or lost grip, often from sudden braking, steering, or acceleration on a slippery surface. Release the cause and steer where you want to go.

Driving in reduced visibility. Use low-beam lights and fog lamps, slow down, increase following distance, and never use high beams, which reflect back and worsen visibility.

The four-way flashers used to warn others that your car is stopped, moving slowly, or in an emergency. They are not a substitute for turn signals while driving normally.

A reflective triangle placed behind a broken-down car to warn approaching traffic. On ordinary roads it goes far enough back to be seen in time; on expressways it goes further back.

The narrow strip beside the outer lane of an expressway, reserved for emergencies. Stopping there requires hazard lights and a warning triangle, and occupants should wait behind the barrier.

A light controlling traffic flow: red means stop, green means go if the way is clear, and yellow warns that the signal is changing and you should stop if safe.

The moment when a signal turns yellow and you must decide whether to stop or continue. You should stop if you can do so safely, not accelerate to beat the red.

Passing a stop line or entering an intersection after the signal turns red. It is penalized with points and a fine and is a leading cause of right-angle collisions.

The priority rule deciding who goes first at an intersection, crossing, or narrow road. It is given, not taken, and yielding wrongly can make you legally responsible for a crash.

A marked section of road where pedestrians have priority. You must slow down on approach, stop for people already crossing, and never overtake a vehicle stopped at one.

Points recorded against a driving licence for traffic offences. Accumulating the legal limit within a set period leads to suspension and retesting, so points directly affect your right to drive.

Driving with alcohol above the legal blood or breath limit. It is a serious offence carrying fines, licence suspension or revocation, and criminal liability if someone is injured.

The legal responsibility assigned after a crash, based on fault such as failing to yield, speeding, or driving while impaired. It determines compensation and any criminal or administrative penalty.

Leaving the scene of a crash without stopping, giving help, or reporting. It turns an ordinary accident into a serious offence and can lead to heavier punishment.

Immediate care given before emergency services arrive: securing the scene, calling for help, checking breathing, and controlling bleeding without moving injured people unless there is danger.

A continuous lane or edge marking that must not be crossed. A solid centre line separates opposing traffic, and crossing it to overtake is an offence.

A broken lane marking that may be crossed when it is safe and legal, for example to change lanes or overtake. It still requires signals and a clear gap.

A stretch of road, marked by signs or solid lines, where passing another vehicle is prohibited because visibility or space is too limited to do it safely.

A round sign with a red border showing the maximum permitted speed in kilometres per hour. Limits can vary by road type, weather, and time, so watch for additional plates.

Everyday courteous behavior such as yielding to pedestrians, not tailgating, avoiding unnecessary horn use, and not throwing litter, which reduces conflict and crashes on shared roads.

Aggressive driving triggered by anger, shown as tailgating, cutting in, horn abuse, or confrontation. It narrows attention and raises crash risk, so calm down and keep distance.

Reduced alertness from long driving or poor sleep, causing slow reactions and micro-sleeps. Take breaks at least every few hours and stop driving when drowsy.

The restraint strap that holds occupants in place during a crash. It must be worn by the driver and all passengers, and children need an appropriate child restraint.

A cushion that inflates instantly in a collision to protect occupants. It works with the seat belt, so an unbelted occupant can be injured by the deploying bag itself.

A properly fitted child seat or booster matched to the child's size and weight. Children must not sit in front of an active airbag, and restraints belong on the rear seat.