Hazard Perception and Defensive Driving
Scanning and anticipation
Defensive driving is about seeing hazards early and leaving yourself an escape route. Use a continuous scanning cycle: look far ahead, check mirrors every few seconds, and glance at the instruments. Aim to keep space around the car - front, rear, and sides - so you always have somewhere to go.
Common hazard sources
- Children and pedestrians near schools, parks, buses, and ice-cream vans - expect them to step out.
- Parked cars - a door may open or a pedestrian may emerge between them.
- Junctions and side roads - a vehicle may pull out without looking.
- Large vehicles - they have big blind spots and wide turning arcs; never sit alongside a turning lorry.
- Animals, debris, and roadworks - reduce speed and increase the gap.
The hazard-perception mindset
When a question describes a developing scene, the correct answer is almost always the earliest, most cautious response: ease off the accelerator, cover the brake, increase the gap, and prepare to stop. Late, aggressive reactions are the wrong answers.
Traps to watch
- A hazard may be behind you - a tailgater means increase your own following gap so you can brake gently.
- Fatigue and distraction are hazards: take breaks, avoid phones.
- "The other driver will surely stop" is never a safe assumption.
Rule of thumb
Ask: What could happen next, and where would I go? If you have no answer, slow down.