Hazard perception, vulnerable road users and defensive driving
This domain tests whether you see a hazard before it becomes an emergency. In Mali, vulnerable road users share the road with cars, lorries, motorcycles and livestock, so scanning and anticipation matter more than reaction speed.
Scanning and vulnerable users
Look 12–15 seconds ahead and check mirrors every 5–8 seconds. Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, children, elderly people and animals are unpredictable: a child may run after a ball, a motorcycle may filter through a gap. Give cyclists and motorcyclists a wide berth and expect them at junctions.
Defensive driving
Keep a space cushion, identify an escape route and assume other drivers may make mistakes. Slow before a hazard, not at it. At night, dip headlights for oncoming traffic and reduce speed so you can stop within the lit distance.
Worked example
A ball rolls into the road from between parked cars. Reasoning: a child is likely to follow. You brake early, check your mirror and prepare to stop, rather than swerving into the next lane.
Traps
Watching only the car ahead; overtaking near a pedestrian crossing; missing motorcycles in the blind spot; assuming a child has seen you.