Seeing and Communicating
Look far enough ahead
Aim your eyes 12 to 15 seconds down the road - roughly a quarter mile at highway speed - not at the bumper of the truck ahead. Scan mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds, and check them before any lane change, turn, or grade change. Know where each of your blind spots sits and do not linger in another driver's blind spot.
Following distance
The four-second rule is a minimum, not a target. Add a second for rain, two for ice, and more for heavy loads, darkness, or gravel. At 55 mph you travel about 81 feet per second, so four seconds is roughly 320 feet - over a football field.
Communicating
Signal early and cancel the signal afterward. Use headlights whenever visibility is poor; in Alaska, running lights during the day is a genuine safety habit, not a courtesy. Tap the brakes early to warn drivers behind you. Use the horn only to warn others, never in anger. Four-way flashers belong on a vehicle moving below 40 mph, stopped, or disabled. Make eye contact at intersections, and always expect a train at a crossing.
Traps
Watch for wording that treats four seconds as a maximum, or that says mirrors should be checked "when convenient." Another common trap is assuming a driver who signals has the right of way - signaling does not create space.
Worked example
You are driving 60 mph (88 feet per second) on wet pavement. Four seconds would be 352 feet, so you add about two seconds for rain and target roughly 525 feet.