Safe Driving with Driverthink

Looking through or well past the car in front of us is one of the most important Safe Driving type things we can do while driving in any traffic.  At Driverthink, we call that “Forward Look.”

Forward Look allows us to:

• Automatically center ourselves in our lane.

• See whether traffic ahead is bunched up or running smoothly.

• See traffic that is slowing or stopped, earlier than we would otherwise.

• Spot potential Road Hazards earlier, giving us more time to react to them.

• Be less dependent on the vehicle directly in front of us.  We won’t be as greatly affected by his possibly “less than sterling” driving techniques.

• Anticipate turns or curves and negotiate them with greater precision.

• Drive with more confidence.  We won’t be driving blindly.

There are times, however, when it is difficult or impossible to Forward Look.  So what’s a driver to do? 

There are basically three situations that will cause us to lose our Forward Look.  Learning to recognize and address them will make us safer, more comfortable drivers.

We’re bored.  Traffic has been moving or not moving for miles and we’re simply losing our focus.  We tend to zero in on the closest object around us and that object is usually the bumper directly in front of us.  We call that “Bumper Fixation.”  Not good – even in slow and go traffic.

Slow and go traffic is a great risk for rear end collisions.  If we have a driver in front of us who is consistently stopping quickly or riding the tail of the car in front of him, we’re at greater risk for a rear-ender.  The quick stop seems to have a multiplier affect.  The first car stops quickly and due to reaction time, the second has to stop more quickly.  Same with the third, the fourth and on down the line.  Eventually, it’s a panic stop.

If we’re in that panic stop slot, let’s say five cars back, it won’t take much for the car behind us to misgauge the situation and end up tangled in our rear bumper.  Bruises a lot of rear license plates.

(Yesterday tied a record for me.  I witnessed two rear end collisions and drove past two more, already on the side of the road.  Really nauseating.)

If you find yourself constantly stopping quickly in slow and go traffic, consider your focus.  Are you focused on the bumper right in front of you?  Regain your Forward Look and you will automatically space yourself out and smooth the traffic flow (unless you happen to be possessed with suicidal grey matter).

We can’t Forward Look around curves, either.

There’s a piece of road that I often travel with a simply gorgeous curve.  It’s an extended two lane exit ramp that curves around to another highway entrance.  It’s a gentle, smooth curve – a great place to squat the tires on my independent rear suspension and put the car quickly but safely through its paces.  One little problem.

You can’t see around the curve.  You can’t Forward Look.  If  I’m boogying around that curve and come up on an accident or obstacle at forty or so – it’s not going to be pretty.

If you can’t Forward Look around a curve, you either have to slow it down or perhaps swing into the outside lane which will allow you to see further.  Third option?  Just keep bopping along blindly, leaving your health and the health of others to pure chance.

Finally, there’s the most common instance where you can’t Forward Look.  There’s a bigger buggy, in front of your little itty bitty buggy.  It’s hard to see around, over or through a van with darkened windows.  There are, however, things you can do, to regain at least partial Forward Look.

• Simply back off.  You will regain better field of vision.

• Changing lanes will obviously help if it’s an option.

• Focus more closely on Forward Look when you get the opportunity.  When you’re in a curve, or if the big guy in front swings off to the right of his lane, grab the chance to consciously note conditions.  They may change, but at least you have a basic picture.

• Where is the sun?  Say what?  Yup, the sun.  More specifically, where are the shadows?  If the sun is off to the right, it will cast shadows of cars to the left.  You may not be able to see the cars, but if those shadows are stepping all over each other, you’ll probably want to allow yourself additional space.

When we can’t Forward look we really only have three options.  We can reposition ourselves, we can focus harder, or we can simply back off.  The operative concept is to fully recognize – that we’re at greater risk.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE!