Driving schools speeding to keep up with demand

New driver fever

From January to November of this year, there were about 60,000 students in his school, up from 46,000 students last year, he added.

Xu said the rise was partially because "learning to drive helps them expand their futures and businesses." Xu also said the nation's stimulus package that cut sales tax rates for small vehicles also triggered new driver fever.

Total vehicle sales in China exceeded 12 million units for the first 11 months of this year, an increase of 42 percent from a year earlier, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, and China has overtaken the US as the world's biggest auto market.

In Beijing alone, there are 102 driving schools with each student spending about 3,000 yuan ($440) on average.

China requires student drivers to pass three tests to obtain a license.

The first test is on traffic laws, followed by a closed road test, and finally the actual road test. Normally, the student will train 58 hours going from the first test to the second test stage.

Students may have unlimited chances to retake the tests if they fail, but they must pay more money to do so.

Hu has spent 3,350 yuan ($490) since September and spent almost every weekend learning to drive.

"There are also accelerated courses with classes from Monday to Friday, and almost every driving school has similar courses to attract students," said Hu.

Near the Shoufeng Driving School in north Beijing there are about other 10 driving schools of different sizes. All have shuttle buses to pick up the students, provide training on individual basis, and offer customized driver education plans.