The Five Visual Habits of Safe Driving
Website design By BotEap.comSafety is everyone’s concern, especially when traveling from one place to another. With all the nut cases on the road today, one needs to arm oneself with every possible tool to ensure a safe arrival at the desired destination. Having been involved in the trucking industry my entire life and driven close to 4 million miles without accidents, I would like to pass on some of the training I received that enabled me to accomplish this feat.
Website design By BotEap.comEarly in my career, I was introduced to the Smith Accident-Free Driving System, the core focus of which teaches the Five Safe Driving Habits. The following article provides a brief description of each. If followed rigorously, one can be reasonably sure that they will never have an accident.
Website design By BotEap.comFIVE SAFE DRIVING HABITS
Website design By BotEap.com1. Aim high in the direction
2. Get the big picture
3. Keep your eyes moving
4. Let yourself out
5. make sure they see you Website design By BotEap.com1. Aim high in the direction Website design By BotEap.comThis does not mean keeping your hands on top of the wheel! In short, it explains that one should not look directly in front of their vehicle, but rather look as far away from the road as possible to discover important traffic information to make the right decisions. Website design By BotEap.comLook as far off the road as possible, looking ahead, where your vehicle will be in 12-15 seconds. Website design By BotEap.comKnow your field of vision: Website design By BotEap.comPeripheral vision (marginal vision) 98% or 177 degrees of our vision
Central vision (central vision) 2% or 3 degrees of our vision Website design By BotEap.com2. Get the big picture Website design By BotEap.comThis doesn’t mean we should buy a big screen TV, it means maintaining the proper following distance (at least one car length for every 10 MPH), so you can comfortably determine the true dangers around your vehicle. Do not follow others. Website design By BotEap.comBe on the lookout for all objects and obstacles (dogs, cats, deer, ladders on the road, etc.) scan other vehicles for things that may fall in your way. The road is going nowhere, once you know the direction you are going and any potential hazards such as potholes, watch for things that could be moving in your line of travel. After determining that something is not moving in your line of travel, ignore it. Website design By BotEap.comIn town or city, scan 1-2 city blocks ahead of your vehicle Website design By BotEap.comIn the field, scan ½ mile ahead of your vehicle on highways, highways, and country lanes Website design By BotEap.comScan sidewalk to sidewalk in the city Website design By BotEap.comRow of fence to row of fence in the country Website design By BotEap.comBe aware of all areas and things around your vehicle. Website design By BotEap.comReturn only when necessary Website design By BotEap.comWhen backing up, double check to make sure no one or nothing is behind your vehicle, get out of the car, and physically check if necessary. When walking towards you, be sure to look behind him. Back up only after activating the 4-way flashers and honking your horn to alert anyone who gets in your line of travel. Website design By BotEap.com3. Keep your eyes moving Website design By BotEap.com– Scan, don’t look. Constantly change eyes while driving, active eyes keep up with changing traffic conditions. Website design By BotEap.com– Check all mirrors every 5-8 seconds Website design By BotEap.com– To avoid hypnosis on the road, scan the area in front of you every 2 seconds Website design By BotEap.com– Never stare at an object for more than 2 seconds, not even Brad Pitt or Angeline Jolene! Website design By BotEap.com– Eliminate eye holding patterns. Website design By BotEap.com– Adjust speed to existing conditions, increase or decrease speed as needed Website design By BotEap.comDriving comes first, eating, changing the radio, air conditioning, talking on the cell phone, etc., everything is secondary, and should only be done, if at all, when there is no traffic around you. Website design By BotEap.comIf you get tired, turn on the radio, turn on the air conditioning, sing to yourself, or better yet, stop and take a break. Website design By BotEap.com4. Give yourself an outlet: Website design By BotEap.comTo be prepared. Surround your vehicle with space in front and at least to the side to escape conflict. Website design By BotEap.comAlways have an escape route in mind in case something unexpected should arise. Always drive as if you have no brakes, have an escape route if necessary. Website design By BotEap.comLeave a 1-car space between you and the car in front at stop signs and intersections (check your mirrors to make sure the person behind you is stopping, if you don’t exhaust your space, or change gears). lane if possible). Website design By BotEap.comIf the person in front of you stops suddenly, stop as soon as possible, but if you have time, check your mirror to make sure the person behind you can stop before hitting you, if not, use your protection space to give him as much room as possible. Every time you hit someone from the rear, it is automatically their fault, the driver needs to be in control of their vehicle at all times. Website design By BotEap.comUse turn signals Website design By BotEap.comStay at least 2 seconds behind the car in front of you (1 car for every 10 MPH). Website design By BotEap.com3 seconds in bad weather conditions Website design By BotEap.comSlow down in heavy rain, your vehicle will hydroplane if you go too fast. Every vehicle is different, vehicles with wider tires and / or little or no tread will hydroplan faster than vehicles with narrower tires. Website design By BotEap.comCheck the movement of other drivers and vehicles, watch the movement of the drivers’ heads, also check the wheels, remember, the wheels of a vehicle will be the first to start moving. Website design By BotEap.com5. make sure they see you: Website design By BotEap.comCommunicate in traffic with your horn, lights, and signals to establish eye contact with motorists and pedestrians. Be reasonably certain of other people’s intentions. Website design By BotEap.com– Make eye contact Website design By BotEap.com– Horn horn (twice) Website design By BotEap.com– Turn on / off the headlights Website design By BotEap.com– Tap the brakes several times in a row Website design By BotEap.com– Use turn signals. Website design By BotEap.comAs you can see, driving is a full time job. It can also be safe, many, many professional drivers drive for 20 or 30 years and never have an accident, if they can do it, you can do it! Website design By BotEap.comSafety is NOT an accident!
2. Get the big picture
3. Keep your eyes moving
4. Let yourself out
5. make sure they see you Website design By BotEap.com1. Aim high in the direction Website design By BotEap.comThis does not mean keeping your hands on top of the wheel! In short, it explains that one should not look directly in front of their vehicle, but rather look as far away from the road as possible to discover important traffic information to make the right decisions. Website design By BotEap.comLook as far off the road as possible, looking ahead, where your vehicle will be in 12-15 seconds. Website design By BotEap.comKnow your field of vision: Website design By BotEap.comPeripheral vision (marginal vision) 98% or 177 degrees of our vision
Central vision (central vision) 2% or 3 degrees of our vision Website design By BotEap.com2. Get the big picture Website design By BotEap.comThis doesn’t mean we should buy a big screen TV, it means maintaining the proper following distance (at least one car length for every 10 MPH), so you can comfortably determine the true dangers around your vehicle. Do not follow others. Website design By BotEap.comBe on the lookout for all objects and obstacles (dogs, cats, deer, ladders on the road, etc.) scan other vehicles for things that may fall in your way. The road is going nowhere, once you know the direction you are going and any potential hazards such as potholes, watch for things that could be moving in your line of travel. After determining that something is not moving in your line of travel, ignore it. Website design By BotEap.comIn town or city, scan 1-2 city blocks ahead of your vehicle Website design By BotEap.comIn the field, scan ½ mile ahead of your vehicle on highways, highways, and country lanes Website design By BotEap.comScan sidewalk to sidewalk in the city Website design By BotEap.comRow of fence to row of fence in the country Website design By BotEap.comBe aware of all areas and things around your vehicle. Website design By BotEap.comReturn only when necessary Website design By BotEap.comWhen backing up, double check to make sure no one or nothing is behind your vehicle, get out of the car, and physically check if necessary. When walking towards you, be sure to look behind him. Back up only after activating the 4-way flashers and honking your horn to alert anyone who gets in your line of travel. Website design By BotEap.com3. Keep your eyes moving Website design By BotEap.com– Scan, don’t look. Constantly change eyes while driving, active eyes keep up with changing traffic conditions. Website design By BotEap.com– Check all mirrors every 5-8 seconds Website design By BotEap.com– To avoid hypnosis on the road, scan the area in front of you every 2 seconds Website design By BotEap.com– Never stare at an object for more than 2 seconds, not even Brad Pitt or Angeline Jolene! Website design By BotEap.com– Eliminate eye holding patterns. Website design By BotEap.com– Adjust speed to existing conditions, increase or decrease speed as needed Website design By BotEap.comDriving comes first, eating, changing the radio, air conditioning, talking on the cell phone, etc., everything is secondary, and should only be done, if at all, when there is no traffic around you. Website design By BotEap.comIf you get tired, turn on the radio, turn on the air conditioning, sing to yourself, or better yet, stop and take a break. Website design By BotEap.com4. Give yourself an outlet: Website design By BotEap.comTo be prepared. Surround your vehicle with space in front and at least to the side to escape conflict. Website design By BotEap.comAlways have an escape route in mind in case something unexpected should arise. Always drive as if you have no brakes, have an escape route if necessary. Website design By BotEap.comLeave a 1-car space between you and the car in front at stop signs and intersections (check your mirrors to make sure the person behind you is stopping, if you don’t exhaust your space, or change gears). lane if possible). Website design By BotEap.comIf the person in front of you stops suddenly, stop as soon as possible, but if you have time, check your mirror to make sure the person behind you can stop before hitting you, if not, use your protection space to give him as much room as possible. Every time you hit someone from the rear, it is automatically their fault, the driver needs to be in control of their vehicle at all times. Website design By BotEap.comUse turn signals Website design By BotEap.comStay at least 2 seconds behind the car in front of you (1 car for every 10 MPH). Website design By BotEap.com3 seconds in bad weather conditions Website design By BotEap.comSlow down in heavy rain, your vehicle will hydroplane if you go too fast. Every vehicle is different, vehicles with wider tires and / or little or no tread will hydroplan faster than vehicles with narrower tires. Website design By BotEap.comCheck the movement of other drivers and vehicles, watch the movement of the drivers’ heads, also check the wheels, remember, the wheels of a vehicle will be the first to start moving. Website design By BotEap.com5. make sure they see you: Website design By BotEap.comCommunicate in traffic with your horn, lights, and signals to establish eye contact with motorists and pedestrians. Be reasonably certain of other people’s intentions. Website design By BotEap.com– Make eye contact Website design By BotEap.com– Horn horn (twice) Website design By BotEap.com– Turn on / off the headlights Website design By BotEap.com– Tap the brakes several times in a row Website design By BotEap.com– Use turn signals. Website design By BotEap.comAs you can see, driving is a full time job. It can also be safe, many, many professional drivers drive for 20 or 30 years and never have an accident, if they can do it, you can do it! Website design By BotEap.comSafety is NOT an accident!