Hazard perception and defensive driving
Scanning and anticipation
Defensive driving is examined as a stream of decisions, not a single manoeuvre. Look far ahead, aiming for a visual lead of about 12 seconds in town and more on open roads, and use the mirrors to track what is closing behind. Identify hazards early: pedestrians between parked cars, taxis stopping without warning, livestock on rural roads, sand drifts, potholes and vehicles emerging from side streets.
Creating space
Keep an escape route and a following gap. Cover the brake when a hazard is developing; do not brake late and hard. Use the horn only to warn, not to punish. If another driver makes an error, slow and yield rather than matching the aggression. In dust or rain, increase the gap and use lights.
Worked example
A ball rolls into the road ahead and a child runs after it. You ease off, cover the brake, check the mirror and prepare to stop, rather than swerving into the opposite lane. The reasoning: the child's path is unpredictable, and a swerve may create a second collision. Stopping in your own lane is the safer response if speed allows.
Traps that cost marks
Fixating on one hazard; late reaction; unnecessary horn; tailgating; overtaking with limited sight distance; and failing to reduce speed for sand or wet asphalt.