Observation
- Keep attention focused & free of destruction
- Other vehicles and pedestrians
- Signal given by other drivers
- Road Signs and markings
- Type of condition of the road surface
- Movements of vehicles well ahead of you as well as the one immediately in front
- Side roads or hill ahead
- Buses signaling to move out from bus stops
Awareness & Anticipation
- What am I likely to find?
- What are other road users trying to do?
- Should I speed up or slow down?
- Do I need to stop?
Hazard Detection & Respons
- Anything potentially dangerous
- Immediate and obvious, such as car approaching on the wrong side of the road
- Less obvious, such as a blind bend which conceals a lorry reversing into your path
- Failure to recognize hazardous situations
3 Main Types of Hazards:
- Physical features such as junctions, roundabouts, bends or hill crests
- Risks arising from the position or movement of other roads users
- Problems arising from variations in the road surface, weather conditions and visibility
Look ahead for Clues such as
- Road signs
- Changes in road conditions
- Parked vehicles
- Intersections
- Cyclists
- Motorcyclists
- Pedestrians
- Animals, particularly dogs off the lead
Key Hazard Perception and Risk Management Skills:
- Speed management
- Safe gap selection
- Scanning techniques
Road Sense
- Look, assess and decide from the all-round situation
- Look, assess and decide whether a signal is having the required effect
- Look, assess and decide what effect any changes in position and speed
- Assessing the degree of risk
- Deciding on the priorities
- Focusing attention on the most important aspect
- Deciding on a specific course of action
- Responding and re-assessing
- What to expect and the kind of things to look for
- Why, where and when they must look
- How to see effectively as opposed to just ‘looking’
Hazard Recognition
- Steer accurately and adjust to safe speeds before reaching a hazard
- Approach hazards at a suitable speed, taking into account weather conditions and condition of the road
- Anticipate and act on the actions of other road users
- Identify any blind areas in field of vision and adjust speed accordingly
- Make full use of mirrors and peripheral vision to avoid collisions on the side and rear
