Road Safety and Hazard Perception
Seeing hazards before they become emergencies
Hazard perception is the skill of reading a situation early and adjusting speed and position before a dangerous event develops. For AM riders the highest-risk scenarios are intersections, door zones along parked cars, wet or slippery surfaces, and large vehicles turning right. A moped is small and can be hidden in a driver's blind spot, so the rider must actively manage visibility rather than assume being seen.
Positioning and the safety margin
Ride where you can be seen and where you have an escape route. Avoid lingering beside a truck's cab, because a right-turning truck sweeps a wide path and the driver may not see a moped in the mirror. Keep a following distance of at least two seconds in dry conditions and more in rain, when braking distances grow and painted markings become slippery. On cobbles, tram rails, and metal drain covers, reduce speed and avoid braking hard while turning.
Scanning and anticipation
Experienced riders scan far ahead, check mirrors regularly, and look for clues: brake lights, a driver's head turning, a pedestrian approaching a crossing, or a ball rolling into the street. The trap in exam questions is the rider who reacts only to the vehicle directly ahead. Good hazard perception means looking through and past the nearest vehicle to the next risk.
Worked example
You approach a row of parked cars and see a person sitting in a driver's seat with the brake lights on. The correct response is to anticipate the door opening or the car pulling out, reduce speed, and move slightly away from the parked line where the lane allows. Waiting until the door actually opens is too late.