Road Safety and Defensive Driving: Anticipate, Don't React
Defensive driving is about seeing hazards before they become emergencies. The core habit is the system of car control: observe, anticipate, decide, act. Scan far ahead (12–15 seconds), check mirrors every 5–8 seconds, and maintain a safety bubble around your vehicle - space in front, behind, and to the sides.
Key concepts to know: stopping distance = thinking distance + braking distance. Thinking distance grows with fatigue, alcohol, and distraction; braking distance grows with speed (roughly with the square of speed) and with wet or gravel surfaces. Hazard perception questions test whether you notice a child near a parked car, a cyclist wobbling, or a lorry reversing. Fatigue is a major killer - take a break every two hours. Seat belts are mandatory for all occupants.
Traps: questions that ask for the first action when a hazard appears (usually 'ease off the accelerator' or 'brake gently', not 'swerve'); questions about blind spots (mirrors never show everything - shoulder-check before lane changes); and questions about night driving (dip headlights for oncoming traffic; use full beam only when alone).
Rule of thumb: if you can't stop within the distance you can see to be clear, you are driving too fast. This single principle answers most hazard questions.