Hazard Perception and Safe Driving Behaviour
The core idea
Hazard perception is about seeing early and planning. Heavy vehicles stop slowly and cannot manoeuvre quickly, so anticipation matters more than reaction.
Concepts to master
- Scanning: look far ahead, check mirrors, and monitor blind spots; heavy vehicles have large blind areas.
- Space management: maintain following distance, avoid being boxed in, and leave an escape route.
- Hazard categories: other road users, road conditions, weather, load shift, and vehicle faults.
- Vulnerable road users: cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists are over-represented in heavy-vehicle crashes; give them extra room.
- Distraction and fatigue: both degrade hazard perception; manage them before driving.
- Defensive driving: assume others will make errors and plan for it.
Traps in questions
- Choosing a reaction that relies on braking hard rather than avoiding the hazard early.
- Ignoring blind spots and off-tracking when judging clearance.
- Underestimating stopping distance in rain.
- Treating a familiar route as low risk.
Worked rule of thumb
Use the 12-second scan: look about 12 seconds ahead at highway speed (roughly 300 m at 90 km/h) so you can plan rather than react. If you cannot see 12 seconds ahead, slow down.
Key points
- Look far ahead and check mirrors and blind spots.
- Maintain following distance and an escape route.
- Give vulnerable road users extra room.
- Fatigue and distraction degrade hazard perception.
- Plan early rather than relying on hard braking.