One of the simplest, easiest ways to become involved in a road accident is to become fixated on the bumper in front of you.  One of the simplest, easiest ways not to – is to look forward, beyond just the vehicle directly in front of you.  I call it “Forward Look”.

It’s easy to fall into Bumper Fixation.  It’s kind of like falling into a trance.  You’re poking along in the slow stuff, or perhaps cruising along in seemingly uneventful traffic.  You get bored.  You’re stuck in you’re cocoon, along with all the other drivers stuck in their cocoons.  You’re mind begins to drift and you start to day dream.

Subconsciously, your brain knows that its major objective is not to hit the closest object and before you even realize it, that rear bumper in front of you - is it's total focus.  The rest of the traffic is a blurry haze.  You’re Bumper Fixated.  Not good.

Traffic is rarely uneventful!  Suddenly out of somewhere, something will usually happen and if you don’t see it coming, it may happen to you!  If you’re Bumper Fixated, you likely won’t see it happening – or by the time you do you’ll have to react pretty quickly.  Also not good!

Bumper Fixation can also develop when you’re following a larger vehicle and it’s more difficult to see out in front of you.  I’ll tend to develop Bumper Fixation much more frequently in my Corvette or sedan than I will in my Sport’s Ute.  One of the major reasons I prefer a larger vehicle in higher traffic density?  I can see!!

Since Bumper Fixation is kind of a subconscious state of mind, I like to develop subconscious alarms that will go off and “wake me up” when it happens.

How long have I been following that car?  Have I memorized the license plate?  Do I feel like I know the driver on a first name basis?  Am I Bumper Fixated?

Am I constantly on and off the brakes?  Has my driving become less smooth?  Am I mimicking the idiosyncrasies’ of the driver in front of me?  Or am I falling further back in traffic because I subconsciously need to allow myself more room in case he suddenly stops?  I may have Bumper Fixation.  I need to wake up and Forward Look.

Forward Look of course, is the opposite of Bumper Fixation.  Some of us do it all the time.  Most of us do it most of the time, and a few of us – well, let’s just say they never quite got the concept.

So what are the benefits of Forward Look?  Let’s look at a few.  Lets Driverthink about them.

Lane Centering:  Looking further out ahead of you will almost automatically center your vehicle in the lane.  Ever notice a driver weaving from side to side of the lane, perhaps following another vehicle doing the same thing?  He’s not Forward Looking.  Not good.

Identifying Road Hazards:  If you’re Bumper Fixated there’s only one road hazard you’re looking at.  The one in front of you.  When you’re Forward Looking, you’re able to identify all of the road hazards out in front of you.  You have more time to react to them.  This is good.

Identifying the Traffic Pattern:  It’s always nice to understand the traffic pattern you’re working in.  By Forward Looking, you’ll be more aware of what everyone out there is doing, not just the car in front of you.  It’ll make you a smoother driver.

Ever have someone on your tail when driving a lane?  He wants to move.  You’re in the middle or left lane and its moving okay, but the lane next to you is pretty empty.  Up ahead, however, you can see a pokey in that other lane so you stay where you are.  Sure enough, the car behind you slides into the quicker lane, passes you, and then inevitably comes to a grinding halt behind Pokey.  You and maybe twenty other cars glide effortlessly on by him as he sits there trying to figure out what happened!  “Sorry ‘bout that.  You weren’t Forward Looking."   It’s almost comical!

Smoother Driving:  Is the car in front of you driving smoothly?  Is traffic in front of her smooth?  If you’re Forward Looking, you’ll know.  You'll be more confident - which relieves stress and anxiety - which is also good for the heart and stuff like that!

Is the car in front of you riding the brakes?  A Tailgater or perhaps a Stop-on-my-Tailgater - with a faulty Stop Calculator?  Looking further past him, will allow you to adjust your driving and correct for his erratic behavior.  You won’t find yourself “mimicking” him.


Bumper Fixation and Forward Look.  One can get you hurt.  Not good.  One can make you a safer, smoother, Driverthink driver.  This is good!

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