Safe Driving Practices and Hazard Awareness
Core concepts
Defensive driving means scanning ahead, checking mirrors, and leaving an escape route. Use the three-second following rule and extend it to four or more seconds in rain, at night, or behind large trucks. Keep out of blind spots, especially beside tractor-trailers, and remember that if you cannot see a truck driver's mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
Manage space and speed. Slow before curves, not in them, and brake before entering a turn. In rain, avoid cruise control and watch for hydroplaning; if you hydroplane, ease off the accelerator and steer gently without hard braking. In fog, use low beams, not high beams, because high beams reflect back and reduce visibility.
Watch for specific hazards: pedestrians, cyclists, school buses, and work zones. When a school bus stops with red lights flashing on an undivided road, traffic in both directions must stop. In work zones, slow down and obey flaggers. Scan intersections before entering even on green, and never assume another driver sees you.
Traps to watch
Questions test the school-bus rule on divided highways, where opposing traffic may not need to stop. They also test fog lighting and hydroplaning responses. A common wrong answer is "brake hard" during a skid or hydroplane; the correct response is to ease off and steer smoothly.
Worked example
You are following a truck and cannot see its side mirrors. What does that mean? The driver likely cannot see you, so drop back. Rule of thumb: no mirrors, no visibility; create space.