Hazard Awareness and Defensive Driving
Seeing trouble before it arrives
Defensive driving is a scanning discipline. Aim your eyes far ahead - roughly 12-15 seconds of travel - and use the mirrors every 5-8 seconds to build a picture of what is behind and beside you. Maintain a space cushion on all four sides, and always have an escape route in mind. Identify hazards early, predict what other drivers might do, decide on a response, and execute it smoothly.
Common hazards include distracted drivers, vehicles emerging from driveways, pedestrians stepping out between parked cars, and slick patches after rain. In rain, the first minutes are the most slippery as oil lifts from the pavement. In fog, slow down and use low beams. At night, reduce speed so you can stop within the distance your headlights illuminate.
Fatigue is a hazard in itself. Symptoms include drifting, heavy eyelids, and missed exits; the remedy is to stop and rest, not to open a window or turn up the radio. Distraction - phones, food, navigation - multiplies risk; set devices before moving.
Trap: questions often present a "sudden" hazard that was actually predictable - a ball rolling into the street means a child may follow. Another trap is choosing to swerve rather than brake; braking in your lane is usually safer than an evasive swerve into oncoming traffic.
Worked example: Approaching a crest with limited sight distance, ease off the accelerator and cover the brake - you cannot stop for what you cannot see in time.