Awareness and anticipation

In any traffic situation there are some things that are obviously going to happen and some things that might happen.

To anticipate is to consider and prepare for something that will or might happen.

You can anticipate what might happen by making early use of the available information on the road.

Ask yourself

• What am I likely to find?
• What are other road users trying to do?
• Should I speed up or slow down?
• Do I need to stop?

Changing and difficult conditions

Traffic conditions change constantly and you need to • check and recheck what’s going on around you • be alert all the time to changes in conditions, and think ahead.

How much you need to anticipate varies according to the conditions.

You’ll find it more difficult to decide what might happen when

• the light is poor
• it’s raining, snowy or foggy
• the traffic is heavy
• the route is unfamiliar.

Types of road

The type of road will also affect how much you can anticipate.

It’s easier in light traffic to anticipate what other drivers might do. It’s more difficult on a busy single carriageway, dual carriageway or motorway, where there are more possibilities to consider.

Driving ahead

Look well ahead to anticipate what might happen. You need to be alert and observant at all times.

Assess the movement of all other road users, including pedestrians, as far as you can see along the stretch of road on which you’re travelling.

Take in as much as possible of the road

• ahead
• behind
• to each side.

You should

• observe the middle distance and far distance, as well as the area immediately in front of you
• glance frequently in the mirror to see what’s happening in the area you’ve just passed
• scan the area in your view.

Observation

If you’re a new driver, you’ll tend to give most of your attention to controlling the vehicle.

Practise ‘reading’ the road (looking for important details). You don’t have to be driving to do this; you can also do it as a passenger in a car or on a bus.

Things to look for include

• other vehicles and pedestrians
• signals given by other drivers
• road signs and markings
• the type and condition of the road surface 150
• large vehicles, which sometimes need extra space to manoeuvre – for example, at roundabouts and other junctions
• movements of vehicles well ahead of you, as well as those immediately in front
• side roads or hills ahead
• buses signalling to move out from bus stops.

Clues

Look out for clues to help you act safely on what you see.

Watch for details in built-up areas where traffic conditions change rapidly. Be aware of the actions and reactions of other road users.

Reflections in shop windows can often give important information where vision is restricted or when you’re reversing into a parking space.

A pedestrian approaching a zebra crossing might step out into the road sooner than you think.

Looking over, under and through parked vehicles may help you to see a pedestrian who is otherwise hidden from your view. This can enable you to anticipate and respond to the hazard in good time.

Take care approaching parked vehicles, especially if someone is in the driving seat.

Watch out for a driver stopping to set down or pick up a passenger. You may find they move off without warning, without checking in the mirrors or looking around.

When following a bus, watch for passengers standing up inside: the bus will probably stop shortly.

Be aware

How much you can see depends on how well you can see.

Your eyesight can change without you being aware of it. Have regular eyesight checks.

Your sense of hearing can also make you aware of what’s happening around you. For example, if you’re waiting to pull out at a junction and your view is restricted, you may hear an approaching vehicle before you can see it.

At works entrances and schools you should expect an increased number of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. Watch for vehicles picking up and setting down at school start and finish times – buses as well as cars.

School buses will also be picking up and setting down passengers where there may not be normal bus stops.

Emergency vehicles

Look and listen for emergency vehicles. As well as the usual emergency services – police, fire and ambulance – others, such as coastguard, bomb disposal, mountain rescue and the blood transfusion service, may use blue flashing lights. Doctors attending emergencies may use green flashing lights.

You should try to keep out of the way of any emergency vehicle. Check where they’re coming from: behind (using your mirrors), ahead or across your path.

Don’t panic. Watch for the path of the emergency vehicle and take any reasonable – and legal – action possible to try to help it get through. They won’t expect you to break the law; only to make a reasonable and safe attempt to help clear the way for them so that they can do the rest.

Look well ahead and choose a sensible place to pull into the side of the road, but don’t endanger yourself or other road users or risk damage to your car.

Try to avoid stopping before the brow of a hill, a bend or a narrow section of road where the emergency vehicle may have difficulty getting through, and don’t

• put yourself in a position where you would be breaking the law – for example, by crossing a red traffic light or using a bus lane during its hours of operation
• break the speed limit to get out of the way
• risk damaging your tyres, wheels or steering by driving up kerbs.

Emergency vehicles are normally travelling quickly and it’s important to clear their path to allow them to do so. However, ambulances may need to travel slowly, even if they have blue lights flashing, when a patient is being treated inside. In this case, it’s important for them to have a smooth ride, so don’t drive in a manner that would cause the ambulance to brake or swerve sharply.

Driving in busy areas

When driving in busy areas, you should be especially alert to all possible hazards.

You should also be particularly aware of your speed and always drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions.

The speed limit is the absolute maximum and doesn’t mean that it’s always safe for you to drive at that speed. For example, in a narrow residential street with cars parked on either side, you’ll need to drive more slowly than you would on a clear street that has the same speed limit.

When driving in queues, try to leave junctions and entrances clear. This allows other drivers to turn into or out of the opening and can prevent unnecessary congestion.