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The hazards you do not see

Perceiving a hazard can mean the difference between life and death. The handbook says it is the hazards you do not see, or cannot avoid, that cause the most deaths and injuries.

How the challenge works

Each picture comes with the same question: how many hazards can you see? You count the number of potential hazards in each picture, from zero to five, and write them down. The handbook prints no answers, so compare your list with your instructor or another learner.

A child is a living warning sign

Treat every child near the road as a living warning sign. The responsibility for making sure there is no accident is yours, because you are the one with the experience and the ability to foresee danger.

Children playing in or near the road may not be thinking about traffic at all. Watch out for the ball, then watch out for the child.

Why children are at risk in traffic

The handbook lists six things to remember about how children behave.

• They are small and hard to see, for example when playing behind a parked car.
• Their eyesight is not fully developed until around the age of fifteen, so they do not see things out of the corner of their eye.
• They are impulsive and more often run than walk across the street.
• They are always at play and understand little of the dangers of the road.
• They do not become reasonable and safe in traffic until they are 9 to 12 years old.
• They are poor judges of speed and distance.

Stop for waiting pedestrians; give cyclists room

Slow down and stop if you see a pedestrian waiting to cross. Avoid overtaking cyclists at intersections and leave them plenty of space, because they often wobble.

• Typical causes of crossing accidents: the driver did not notice or ignored the pedestrian.
• The driver’s view was blocked, for example by the car’s own door post.
• The driver was going too fast to watch the road properly.
• The driver overtook a vehicle that had stopped to let a pedestrian cross.

Watch for doors on parked cars

Watch out for cars parked by the side of the road. If someone is inside, a door on the carriageway side could suddenly open just as you are passing.

The Exit or Entering Rule

Give way to all other traffic whenever you come out of a parking lot, a petrol station, a residential area, a pedestrian way or the hard shoulder, or when you join the road from an off-road area.

How to drive defensively

Defensive driving means being aware of the risks at all times and doing your best to prevent accidents. It includes showing consideration to road users who know the road less well than you, and respecting unprotected road users. It takes practice, experience and imagination.

• Think ahead and stay alert to what is going on around you.
• Observe actively and recognise hazards.
• Keep a safe following distance.
• Position safely and keep to the correct lane.
• Drive at the correct speed and brake in good time.
• Check your rear-view mirror frequently, and check the road before setting off.