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  • / 30: Scanning and hazard recognition

30: Scanning and hazard recognition

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This is the most complex lesson and it’s recommended that you get some supervision from a driving instructor the first time you do it. The aim is to develop your skills in continually scanning for hazards while driving, to recognise what potential hazards are and to react appropriately to them, for example by changing speed or direction.

There are two scenarios you can practice this in

1)      Parked on the side of the road in a place where you can see various types of hazards

2)      Driving in an area where there are multiple speed limits and hazards.

The coach or instructor will be able to help point out hazards that are missed.

Driver actions: parked

The various types of hazards will be all around and you should be looking in your mirrors, in your blind spots, ahead and behind. The types of hazards you are looking for are pedestrians, cyclists, other traffic, objects on the road, road works, intersections, blind driveways, sharp corners, one-way streets, crests, traffic lights, roundabouts, etc

Driver actions: driving

Choose an area where you will encounter multiple, challenging driving situations such as narrow roads, motorways, city driving, one-way streets, traffic lights, roundabouts, lane changing, hills, railway crossings, pedestrian crossings, schools, intersections, various speed limits, pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles.

While driving, describe what you see and what you are doing to react to it. This is called a commentary drive. For example:

  • Railway crossing ahead with lights and barriers, slowing down to check for trains, no trains coming, proceeding across the crossing and resuming speed.
  • Coming up to blind crest, keeping left and slowing down, chevrons point right indicating a right hand turn after the crest

This lesson can be repeated in different weather conditions and at night.

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