Where Do You Look When Driving?
When you’re driving, it’s important to keep your eyes moving around the road. That’s called scanning and it will help you avoid collisions with other vehicles.
When Driving at Night
When driving in the dark, it’s important to look both ways to see other vehicles on the road. It is also important to avoid looking directly at headlights coming from other cars. This is because bright lights can be distracting and it can be difficult for your eyes to adjust quickly.
Be sure to look both directions at intersections and crosswalks. This is essential to avoiding a collision or hitting someone who is trying to walk or bike across the street.
Always look both ways when passing a vehicle that is turning or making a wide turn in front of your car. A vehicle that is turning may not be able to make the turn safely, or it could cause the vehicle behind it to lose control and crash into you.
Stay a safe distance back when stopping behind trucks and buses, especially going up an incline where large vehicles can roll backwards. It’s also a good idea to keep a distance back from any vehicles that are tailgating you and don’t want to change lanes.
Don’t Look Directly Down When Driving
When you’re driving, it’s not a good idea to glance at the speedometer. This could lead to you not seeing something that is important in your driving situation, such as a car ahead pulling their brakes suddenly. It’s better to use your peripheral vision to search the entire scene and then check your mirrors when necessary.
It’s best to look 12 seconds ahead at city speeds and to reference down every 8-10 seconds. In urban environments, this is done more frequently than on the highway so that you can scan for cars ahead of you changing lanes, slowing down or turning.
Pay close attention to traffic signals, as they can change in a matter of seconds and it’s important to be prepared to stop when the signal changes. In urban areas, this can be as little as 1 or 2 seconds.
If a traffic light has been green for a long time, it’s not likely to change soon. It’s also a good idea, especially on the highway, to slow down and prepare to stop when a red light turns green.
Be careful when parking your vehicle, as it can become a danger for people to step out between your vehicle and the one parked beside you or a door might open unexpectedly. It’s important to leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicle parked on the opposite side of the road or to park further away from any roadside businesses, schools or parks where people may be walking or biking.
It’s also important to take your eyes off the road when you are preparing to stop or merge into another lane, and to reduce your speed. This can be a good strategy when you’re in an emergency, as it will give you time to react and avoid being hit by a vehicle or pedestrian.
