Safe Driving Practices and Hazard Awareness
Following distance and scanning
Use the three-second rule: pick a fixed object ahead, and when the vehicle ahead passes it, count until you reach it. Three seconds is the minimum in good conditions; add a second for rain, and more for darkness, heavy traffic, or a heavy load. Scan 12 to 15 seconds ahead so you see problems before they reach you. Check mirrors every few seconds, and always check blind spots with a head turn before changing lanes.
Space and visibility
Keep a space cushion on all sides. When stopping behind another vehicle, leave enough room to see its rear tires touching the pavement, giving an escape route. In rain, Arizona roads become slickest after the first minutes because oil and dust float on the water; slow down and increase following distance. Turn on headlights when wipers are needed. In dust storms, pull off the road completely, turn off lights, and take your foot off the brake so following drivers do not aim at your taillights.
Fatigue and distraction
Drowsy driving impairs judgment like alcohol. Take breaks every two hours on long drives. Any activity that takes your eyes or mind off the road is a distraction; phones are the most common, but eating, adjusting controls, and passengers count too.
Traps
Questions often ask what to do when a vehicle is tailgating: the answer is to increase space ahead and let it pass, never to brake to "teach a lesson." If a tire blows out, hold the wheel firmly and ease off the accelerator rather than slamming the brakes.
Rule of thumb
Three seconds behind in good weather, four or more in rain, and never less than a two-second gap even at low speed.