Safe driving tips

Extend your vision

One of the most important things you can do driving a heavy vehicle is to look well ahead of you when you’re driving, so you can pick up potentially dangerous situations, such as steep hills and sharp bends, before it’s too late.

The earlier you spot a potential hazard, the more time you will have to take evasive action, if necessary.

Rather than looking only as far as the vehicle in front of you when driving, you should actually be scanning the road in front to a distance of at least 12 seconds ahead of where your vehicle is – that is, the place you will be after driving for 12 seconds.

As a rough guide, at 50km/h, 12 seconds is 166 metres or about two city blocks. At 90km/h, 12 seconds is 300 metres. This means at 90km/h you should look ahead as far as you can see.

Keep your eyes moving

Many people only look ahead of them when driving. This means they’re not getting the full picture of what’s happening on the road.

As well as looking ahead, you should also use your mirrors to look to the sides and behind while you drive. Do this often so you are aware of the surrounding traffic. This will help you spot potentially dangerous situations that could be forming around or behind you.

Moving your eyes regularly and concentrating on what’s going on around you will also help you to stay alert on long journeys.

Create a safety cushion

You should create a ‘cushion’ of safety around your whole vehicle by making sure there is a safe distance in all directions between you, other vehicles and potential hazards.

This will give you and other road users more time and space to avoid any hazards.

• Create a cushion of safety ahead of you by maintaining a safe following distance.
  Safe following distance
• Create a cushion of safety behind you by maintaining a safe distance between you and any following vehicles. If a vehicle is following you too closely, slow down, move over and let it pass as soon as you can do so safely.
• Create a safety cushion to your sides by keeping a safe distance from any hazards on your sides, such as driveways, parked vehicles, cyclists or children playing on the footpath.

Don’t get distracted

It’s easy to get distracted when you’re driving. Things like music, talking passengers, passing scenery and roadside advertising can all divert your attention from your driving and the road.

You must learn to ignore distractions and concentrate on your driving when you’re behind the wheel. If, for any reason, you must look away from the road, follow these pointers:

• Check well ahead and behind for any potential hazards. Don’t look away if you can see potential hazards.
• Never take your eyes off the road for longer than is absolutely necessary. For example, while driving at 90km/h, if you took your eyes off the road for two seconds you will travel 50 metres.

Identify escape routes

Following the previous tips will help you avoid many potentially dangerous crashes. However, despite all your best efforts, there may still be occasions when you find yourself on a direct collision course with another vehicle or other hazard.

For this reason, it is wise to identify possible escape routes all the time while you’re driving. That way, if you find yourself in danger of a crash, you’ll be ready to take quick evasive action.

Most escape routes will be to your left, so take note of what’s on the left-hand side of the road as you drive. Ask yourself questions like:

• ‘Is there a wide shoulder I could steer onto?’
• ‘Can I steer off the road safely if I need to?’

If there are no safe escape routes, reduce your speed and increase your following distance so you can stop in plenty of time if a crash situation develops.