Hazard Awareness and Defensive Driving
Seeing hazards early
Defensive driving means spotting danger before it becomes an emergency. Scan far ahead, check mirrors regularly, and keep your eyes moving. A hazard is anything that might force you to change speed or direction: a parked car with a door about to open, a child near the kerb, a cyclist swerving, a wet patch, a blind bend.
The system of car control
Use a repeatable sequence approaching any hazard: mirrors, position, speed, gear, look, assess, decide. Ask: What can I see? What can I not see? What is likely to happen? Then act early and smoothly.
Following and space
Keep a two-second gap in good conditions, four seconds in rain or at night, and more behind large vehicles that block your view. Leave room to stop if the vehicle ahead brakes suddenly. Avoid sitting in another driver's blind spot.
Common hazard traps
- Junction creep: a car edging out may not have seen you - be ready to stop.
- Overtaking hazards: a vehicle may pull out as you pass; check mirrors and blind spots.
- Animals and pedestrians: expect unpredictable movement; slow early.
- Weather: rain reduces grip and visibility; fog demands dipped headlights and reduced speed.
Rule of thumb
"Only drive at a speed and in a position from which you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear."
Worked example: Approaching a row of parked cars, you see a brake light flicker and a driver's door begin to open. You ease off, cover the brake and move slightly left, giving room to pass safely - you anticipated rather than reacted.