Safety, Hazard Awareness and Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means anticipating hazards before they become emergencies. Candidates must understand observation, anticipation, space management and the two-second following rule (longer in rain, at night or when following large vehicles). Scan far ahead, check mirrors regularly, and use the mirrors before braking so following traffic is warned.
Know the main hazard categories: other road users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, children, animals), road conditions (wet, gravel, potholes, flooding), visibility limits (rain, fog, darkness, glare) and your own fitness. Reduce speed in rain because stopping distances increase and grip falls; avoid sudden braking or steering on slippery surfaces. In fog, use dipped headlights and slow down; do not use full beam, which reflects back. At night, dip headlights for oncoming traffic to avoid dazzling other drivers.
Traps: questions often reward the least aggressive option, such as slowing and waiting rather than sounding the horn or squeezing past. Another trap is assuming a hazard is only what you can see; hidden junctions, parked cars and crests are hazards too. Do not treat speed limits as targets; the safe speed depends on conditions.
Rule of thumb: if you cannot stop within the distance you can see to be clear, you are going too fast. Worked example: approaching a line of parked cars with a ball rolling into the road, expect a child to follow, slow immediately and be ready to stop.