Awareness of Hazards Arising from Speed & Volume of Traffic

• Hazardous situations develop quickly in high speed
• As volume of traffic increases, demands on attention and decision making also increase

Fatigue

• Fatigue is a serious problem and you should always plan adequate rest breaks
• Fatigue causes a disproportionate number of accidents on freeways
• When you are tired your ability to process information is reduced and ability to react to information received takes longer. Continue reading →

Regular breaks

Route Planning

• Plan your route
• Know where rest points are
• Know point of exit before undertaking a highway
• Consulting maps while driving is dangerous Continue reading →

Impatience

• Drivers who feel their journey is urgent tend to respond less safely to hazards and take more risks.

Aggressive attitudes

• Aggressive attitudes increase the risk of accidents

Positive attitudes that help reduce accident risk are:

• A tolerance and consideration for other road users
• A realistic appraisal of your own abilities
• A high degree of care for your own safety and that of your passengers and other road users Continue reading →

Driver Stress & Fatigue

• Reduce risk of fatigue by making sure you are not tired
• Adjust seat so that driving position is comfortable
• Bad posture causes muscular fatigue and mental fatigue
• Night driving puts heavy demands on eyes and any slight eyesight irregularity can cause stress and fatigue
• Noise and vibration cause fatigue
• Open windows are a major source of noise so keep them closed and use the ventilation controls instead
• Make sure you have enough ventilation to stay alert
• Taking rest breaks is essential to recover from the onset of fatigue
• Most people need rest break of at least 20 min to restore alertness
• On long journeys you should plan a series of rest breaks Continue reading →

The Driver

• Internal and external pressures to driver faster than competence

The Vehicle

• Different vehicles have different handling characteristics
• When driving an unfamiliar vehicle allow time to get use to its controls and handling

Road, weather & traffic conditions

• When adapting speed anticipate and plan for potential as well as actual dangers Continue reading →