Road Safety and Accident Prevention
Most crashes are caused by a small set of behaviours: speeding, distraction, following too closely, drink-driving, and fatigue. The safe-driving system treats the driver, the vehicle, and the road as a shared responsibility. Speed must match conditions, not just the posted limit - a 60 km/h limit is unsafe in heavy rain or fog. Use the two-second rule for following distance and double it in poor visibility or on wet roads.
Hazard perception is a testable skill: scan far ahead, check mirrors every few seconds, and watch for pedestrians stepping out, cyclists wobbling, and vehicles emerging from side roads. At night, dip headlights for oncoming traffic to avoid dazzling other drivers. In fog, use low beam or fog lamps, never high beam, because high beam reflects back and reduces visibility. Never overtake in fog.
Traps in exam questions: "safe speed" is not the same as "speed limit"; a question describing rain or darkness expects a lower speed and longer gap. Another trap is the assumption that a seat belt is only for the driver - all occupants must belt up. Children should be restrained appropriately. Mobile phone use while driving is a distraction even with a hands-free kit, because the mental load remains.
Worked example: In heavy rain, a driver following at two seconds should extend the gap to four seconds, because braking distances increase on wet roads.