Hazard Perception, Defensive and Eco-Safe Driving
Defensive driving means anticipating rather than reacting. Scan far ahead, keep the eyes moving, use the mirrors systematically and leave an escape route. Read the clues: brake lights two cars ahead, a ball rolling into the road, a parked delivery van hiding a pedestrian, a bus at a stop with people on the pavement. In a large vehicle, remember the blind spots and the wide sweep of a turning bus; cyclists and motorcyclists filtering on the right are a constant risk.
Eco-safe driving saves fuel and reduces risk at the same time: smooth acceleration, early gear changes, reading the road so you coast towards a red light instead of braking hard, correct tyre pressure, and switching off the engine during long stops. Avoid unnecessary idling and heavy loads. Anticipate gradients and use momentum rather than throttle.
Traps. Questions ask what you should do when a hazard is developing, and the answer is almost always "slow down and prepare to stop", not "sound the horn" or "accelerate past". Another trap is fatigue: the only cure is rest, not fresh air or coffee. Distraction from phones and navigation is a recurring theme.
Rule of thumb: "look far, plan early, leave space, be seen." Worked example: approaching a bus stopped at a stop, you ease off, cover the brake and check for passengers who may step out from in front of it, because that is exactly where a pedestrian will be hidden.