**** “CLASS-DRIVING” TIPS ****

 

“Class-Driving” is a style of driving developed by Driver Training Academies of Australia Pty Ltd.

 

“Class-Driving” is characterised by smooth, safe, skilled driving based on sound knowledge and positive attitudes.   The “Class-Driver” understands the effects of changing driving conditions; such as light, weather, road, driver, traffic and vehicle.

 

In order to become a “Class-Driver” a person needs to develop insight, understanding or comprehension of :-

Ø      How I think, feel and behave in response to changes in driving situations and conditions.  Key Words: Recognise, Control, Respond – in time.

Ø      How the vehicle responds in various driving conditions and what I can do to increase safety and vehicle control.

Ø      Which driving situations present danger as the conditions vary and what I can do to reduce or control that risk.

 

The “Class-Driver” is enabled to drive defensively in order to remain safe and react correctly in emergencies.

.

 A “Class Driver” is competent at all facets of driving. When driving in traffic, on highways or reversing and manoeuvring the “Class Driver” demonstrates a high level of skill and control.

 

Good Habits are at the heart of “Class Driving”.   Habits of thinking, observing, driving-technique and road-behaviour.

 

Habits enable an experienced driver to think about things other than driving while they drive.   It is their habits that dictate how close they drive to the car in front, how much space they leave at the side of the vehicle, when they check the mirror and how they brake, etc.   It is also habits that dictate how they react during a driving emergency.

 

USE OF THESE “CLASS-DRIVING” TIPS

Upon receiving formal permission from Driver Training Academies of Australia Pty Ltd., an Organisation may publicly promote these tips with the following acknowledgement:

A Road safety message for [Organisation Name] by Trev. Sobey.

 

LOOK OFTEN

Look often at each new ‘traffic scene’.

 

Whenever you go through an intersection, over a hill crest or around a bend, you have a new ‘traffic scene’. 

1.    Look ahead to the distance that you will drive in the next twelve seconds.   [That is about a city block at traffic speeds and over quarter of a kilometre at highway speeds].  

2.    Scan your view back towards yourself in a zigzag pattern, then look out and do it again.  

You might get three or four scans for each new traffic scene.

 

Look often and avoid staring at any object for longer than a second or two.

 

 

IMPROVING YOUR OBSERVATION

Learning to look through things will improve your observation technique.

 

On the approach to intersections form the habit of looking through the garden layout or shop window into the other street early.   Look through other moving vehicle’s windows, around them and even under them while they are at a distance.   You may notice relevant things or people that are partially hidden in the traffic scene.

 

Look through problems for solutions.

 

 

LOOKING FOR AND CATCHING THE TRAFFIC GAP

Look for the traffic gap as you approach give-way signs and roundabouts.

 

A traffic gap is the distance between two vehicles that you judge to be safe to drive into.   “Catching the traffic gap” means that you arrive at the correct moment to smoothly and safely move into it.   To do this, look for the traffic gap early, brake firmly until you are arriving at the centre of the gap, then control your vehicle into it with gentle acceleration.

 

Catching the traffic gap improves your safety and smoothness.

 

 

FLASHER REFLECTION ON WET ROADS

Sometimes you can see the reflection of a flasher on the wet street or in the shop windows.

 

Sometimes the flashing vehicle may be several cars ahead or behind you and you can’t see them directly.   Interpret what the vehicle plans to do; anticipate how that will affect you and decide if you can help out by providing a little more room.

 

Look for subtle clues and respond early.

 

 

PERIPHERAL VISION

Develop the art of seeing out of the corner of the eye as you drive.

 

Our vision has two parts; the sharp central cone which is great for reading signs, and the side vision with which we can monitor previously noticed hazardous things.   Scan from the distance back towards yourself and notice each hazard.   Remain aware of the hazards in the corner-of-your-eye as you do your next scan.

 

Learn to limit the time you look directly at each object and remain aware of it in your side vision.

 

 

 

LOOKING PAST THE VEHICLE AHEAD

Don’t look at the back of the car ahead, because relying on its brake lights will reduce your reaction time.

 

You may be able to look through the vehicle’s windows or either side of it.   You can look over the car ahead when you are going down hill or when you are driving a high vehicle.   Sometimes you can even look under it as it goes over a hill crest.   The more gap you have to the vehicle, the easier it is to see past it.

 

Hanging back from the car ahead and looking past it improves your safety.

 

 

PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC LIGHTS

 

Watch for pedestrians walking towards pedestrian operated traffic lights

 

Because a green light may change quickly when a pedestrian pushes the button, you need to be ready for a sudden change.

 

If someone is walking towards the traffic light button, check your mirror and put your foot over the brake pedal ready to react.

 

 

ADJUST YOUR SPEED FOR VISIBILITY

When the visibility is poor, drive at a speed that would enable you to stop in the distance that you can see ahead.

 

At average highway speeds an alert driver can stop a modern vehicle on a good surface in about four seconds.   In fog when you see a fixed object like a tree at the side of the road, count off four seconds like this: “one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two, one-thousand-and-three, one-thousand-and-four.   If you reach the tree before you finish the count, you are travelling too fast.

 

Driving faster than you can stop in the distance you can see ahead of your vehicle is like playing Russian-roulette.

 

 

ONCOMING VEHICLE – HIGH BEAM LIGHTS

 

Avoid being dazzled by oncoming headlights.

 

When bright lights trouble you, look to the left edge of the road and close one eye until the vehicle passes.   Looking to the left edge of your lane will enable you to steer and notice any bicycles; closing one eye will preserve that eye’s night vision.

 

Minimise dazzle by avoiding any direct look at the light.

 

 

FOLLOWING VEHICLE – HIGH BEAM LIGHTS

When you are followed by a vehicle with bright lights, avoid being dazzled.

 

Set the night position on the mirror quickly, and avoid looking directly at the mirror.   If you look past the mirror you will be able to judge the vehicle’s distance out of the corner of your eye.   Encourage the other driver to overtake you as soon as possible.

 

It isn’t a good idea to put your mirror out of adjustment.

  

APPROACHING A GREEN LIGHT

Anticipate a green light change to amber.

 

Stop on amber unless you are so close to the stop line when it changes that you can’t stop safely.   Often drivers ask themselves: Can I make it?   The question ought to be: Can I safely stop?    Having the wrong mental question means that drivers often go through the amber light when they should have stopped.   This may make it difficult for another driver to clear the intersection safely.

 

Stop on the amber light unless it is unsafe to.

 

 

STOPPING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS

Be prepared to stop as you approach a green light.

 

1.    Be at a safe speed.  

2.    Look at the last point on the road that you think you could brake to a safe smooth stop.   If the road is wet you might increase your distance by fifty percent compared with a dry road, if it is heavy rain, you might double it; if there is a larger vehicle close behind, you might triple the distance.

3.    If the lights change before you reach your point on the road, brake to a deliberate smooth stop, if you have passed the point, accelerate and watch for other traffic, especially oncoming vehicles that are turning right.

 

Take care, as you approach traffic lights.

 

 

RIGHT TURN / ONCOMING

A most dangerous situation in traffic is when a vehicle is turning right through a stream of traffic.

 

If there is a vehicle coming straight towards you with its right signal on, change your speed so that you don’t both arrive at the intersection together.   If you are forced to arrive at the same time, check your mirror and get ready to brake if the other driver makes a mistake.

 

Being alert to a specific threat often means that you can control it.

 

 

VEHICLE ENTERING FROM ANGLE

A very dangerous traffic situation exists when a vehicle is entering traffic from a side angle.

 

The vehicle may be coming out of a side street, a service station or a drive way.   That driver may have a restricted view or make a bad judgement if the driver is still thinking at the speed of a pedestrian because they have just commenced to drive.   Change road position or prepare to brake.

 

Be alert and wary as you drive.

 

 

BICYCLE HIDDEN IN THE CORNER OF THE WINDSCREEN

 

It is easy to not notice a bicycle at a crossroad.

 

When you approach a give-way sign and you are travelling at a similar speed to a bicycle on the other road, it may remain hidden from your view behind the corner pillar of your windscreen.   Move your head forwards and backwards so that you can see around the corner pillar whenever you approach an intersection.

 

Be very alert to your vehicle’s blind spots.

 

 

CHECK SPEEDO WHEN SLOWING FOR A CORNER

Make sure you are slow enough for a corner, after you have been travelling at highway speeds for a time.

 

Drivers tend to adapt to a speed after travelling consistently at that speed for around half an hour; and therefore underestimate the amount of braking that they have done to prepare for a corner.   Make sure you have slowed enough for the corner by glancing at the speedometer, rather than relying on your judgement.

 

Coming into intersections too fast can be devastating at the worst and embarrassing at the least.

 

 

BRAKE SMOOTHLY

Use your brakes progressively and smoothly.

 

If you want people to enjoy riding with you there are three simple things to make into habits.   Prepare to brake by pressing your left foot onto the footrest and lean back in your seat.   Commence your braking early and light enough so that your braking is spread over a greater distance with a consistent pressure.   As you come towards the end of your braking area, lighten the pedal to about half the pressure.

 

Three steps: Prepare by using left foot support, progress from light to the required pressure and hold, then lighten at the finish.

 

 

DRIVING AT DUSK

Driving at twilight is more dangerous than driving during the daylight.

 

Drivers overestimate their ability to see at twilight.   Shadows increase the difficulty of judging the speed and distance of other vehicles.   Fatigue becomes an important issue in the evenings.

 

Let your speed go down with the sun.

 

DRIVING IN VERY HEAVY RAIN

When you are driving in very heavy rain you have two extra problems: you can’t see as far and your car has less grip on the road.

 

Turn your air conditioner on, with the recirculating on and the heat adjusted up.   This will dry the fog off the inside of the windows, and the drips of rain from your clothes.   Turn the wipers on fast and your head lights on [low beam] and the gear “power-shift” on.   Keep your eye roving through the rain; resist the natural temptation to stare at it.

 

Drive at a speed that would enable you to stop in the distance you can see through the rain

 

 

BROKEN EDGE OF THE BITUMEN

Avoid placing your tyre on the edge of the bitumen.

 

When it is necessary to place one wheel on the gravel verge, keep it about half a metre from the jagged edge of the bitumen.   Running your tyre on the bumpy edge of the sealed surface damages the tyres and steering mechanism.   Also, your tyres damage the edge of the bitumen.

 

Make decisive moves out onto the gravel verge when you need to, and come back with all your wheels onto the seal when you can.

FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE

 

Keep a safe gap to the vehicle ahead

 

Rear-end collisions are the most common of all crashes.   The most successful method of calculating a safe gap is when the vehicle ahead passes a fixed object, like a sign post, count two seconds by saying: ‘one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two”.   If the front of your car reaches the object before you complete the count, you are travelling too close.   You will need three seconds if you are travelling slower than thirty kilometres per hour.

 

The only piece of road that you can control is the free space ahead of your vehicle.   With this you are allowed to be greedy!

 

 

FOLLOWING AN UNSAFE LOAD

Keep a bigger than normal gap behind a loaded truck.

 

Especially if you are unsure if the load is safe.   Terrible accidents have happened when part of a load has fallen from a truck and entered the vehicle behind.   When part of a load hits the road it can stop so suddenly in your path that it is impossible for you to avoid it.

 

If you are in doubt about the load on the vehicle ahead, keep at least four seconds behind it.

 

 

HILL CREST APPROACH

Approach hill crests at a speed that you would be able to stop within the distance that you can see ahead.

 

On narrow country roads keep all your wheels on the same surface.   This will enable you to steer either way or brake safely.   It isn’t a good idea to place two wheels on the gravel verge because it may make you vehicle unstable if you need to brake suddenly, or steer to the right around a bicycle.

 

So, keep as much to the left as is reasonable and be at a speed that would enable you to stop.

 

 

“CROSS-WINDS”

High gusty winds can move your vehicle from its intended path.

 

Be careful not to over react to the wind gusts.   Hold the wheel lightly with both hands, and move the steering slowly and deliberately, ‘tacking’ the vehicle into the wind.   Anticipate steering corrections when the wind is screened by trees, buildings, large vehicles, etc.

 

Keep your body relaxed, your eyes where you want the vehicle to go and your hand movements slow and gentle.

 

 

ANIMAL ON THE ROAD

React deliberately when you first see an animal on the road. 

 

Look behind the animal, because it will usually go forwards.   Keep your steering straight while you brake as firmly as you can.   Sound your horn and turn your light to park-lights if you can.   Park-lights will allow you to steer without dazzling the animal.

 

Keep your eye off the animal and steer around it only when you have full control of your speed.

 

 

COUNTRY PARKING

Think carefully about where you park on country roads.

 

Because there is often less traffic, we may become complacent when we park on a country road, but because the traffic speed is faster it may be more dangerous.   Park away from the road’s edge so that an opened door will be at least a metre clear of passing traffic.   Avoid parking near hill-crests, bends or intersections.

 

Park well off the road, in a position that can be clearly seen by approaching drivers.

 

PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING

Patience and understanding are traits found in too few drivers.

 

To remain ‘cool’ when another driver makes a mistake, is slow or hesitant in front of you is one thing; being able to deal with another driver’s aggression while remaining calm is quite another.   The driver who has never made a mistake may through the first directive at another driver.

 

“Do to others as you would have them do to you” remains the best advice while you drive.

 

 

CHANGING EMOTIONS

Be aware of any mood change as you drive.

 

When we feel different, we drive different.   Anger and frustration narrows our zone of awareness; elation may allow us to act with less care.   Recognise how you are feeling and adjust your driving to suit.

 

Keep ‘cool’ as you drive.

 

 

SICKNESS AND WORRY

Sickness and worry are very dangerous for driving.

 

We may not associate sickness and worry with dangerous driving, but these conditions may reduce concentration and slow reaction.   If you are upset, worried, have a headache or you are not well, drive only when necessary and take extra care.

 

Take care of yourself and your driving when you are under par.

 

 

HELPING ANOTHER DRIVER OUT

Sometime moves in traffic don’t work out as planned.   Help the other driver out if you can.

 

Sometimes drivers make a move when everything appears to be okay, but suddenly a third driver does something that blocks the path or perhaps the car stalls, etc.   Ask yourself: Can I do something to help?   Perhaps I can create a bigger gap, or stop back from the problem and turn on the hazard lights for a moment until the problem is solved.

 

A ‘bad-attitude’ statement would be: “Get out of my way you idiot, I have the right-of-way”.

 

FOUR-POINT APPROACH PLAN

Plan your approach to intersections, hill-crests and bends early.

 

KNOW where you will place your vehicle on the road and plan the best speed to enter the danger zone.

SHOW other drivers what you intend in plenty of time by signalling or flashing your brake lights.

SLOW early for the best view, and get control with the gears.

GO deliberately once you have made a safe decision.

 

The Plan is KNOW, SHOW, SLOW & GO.

 

 

BRAKES AND GEARS

Use your brakes to slow and change your gears separately when you finish braking.

 

Changing gears during braking places unnecessary stress on your vehicle’s transmission and produces a very dangerous reaction during an emergency.   In an emergency you can only react in line with your well practiced habits.   Drivers who have a habit of changing gears while they brake react terribly in an emergency.   Make a habit of separating these tasks; use one brake application followed by one gear change directly to the best gear.

 

Brakes to slow, gears to control.

 

 

GEAR CHANGE TIMING

Gear change timing equals vehicle control mastery.

 

Good driving avoids gear changing in danger zones such as: intersections, hill crests, bends or bad patches of road surfaces.   Get the speed right early, and then select the best gear before reaching the danger zone to give you the best control through it.

 

Brakes to slow, gears to control.

 

 

AUTOMATIC GEARS

An automatic vehicle can’t always select the best gear.

 

It is interesting that drivers tend to over use the gears in a manual and under use them in an automatic.   When you are going down steep hills, through difficult bends or on a rough, slippery surface it is wise to select the gear in an automatic just like you do in a manual.   Turning on the ‘Power-shift’ is a halfway measure which will often help.

 

In difficult driving conditions stay in charge of the gear selection because the automatic may make a bad choice.

 

 

LEFT SIGNAL DANGER

Don’t have your left signal on while passing straight through an intersection.

 

You may intend to park just beyond the intersection, pull into the service road or the service station on the corner.   If you have your signal on while you are going through the intersection, someone may think you are turning left and pull in front of you by mistake.

 

Be very careful about what your signal may suggest to another driver.

 

GIVE MOTOR CYCLES ROOM

Give motorcycles as much room as you would any other vehicle.

 

Because motorcycles are smaller than cars, drivers often leave them less room.   Show respect and courtesy to motorcycles.   Make sure that you keep even more gap behind a motorcycle because it can stop quicker than a car when it is travelling in a straight line.

 

Show respect to motorcycles and give them plenty of room.

 

 

HIGH-BEAM LIGHTS BEHIND A TRUCK

Keep your lights on low-beam when you are travelling behind a truck at night.

 

Truck’s rear-vision mirrors are much larger than car’s and reflect much more light into the driver’s eyes.   A truck driver can be completely dazzled and may suffer pain if your lights are up.   When you overtake a truck, wait until your head lights pass the truck’s mirror before you switch to high beam.

 

Keep your head lights on low beam further when you are behind a truck than you do for other vehicles.

 

 

DIPPING HEAD LIGHTS

Dip your headlights earlier for a truck than you need to for a smaller vehicle.

 

Truck drivers see the head lights of an oncoming car much earlier than the car driver sees the truck’s lights.   This is because the truck driver’s eyes are much higher from the road than the car driver’s eyes; while the head lights of both types of vehicles are a similar height.

 

When you see the little lights at the top of the truck, dip your lights.

 

 

BETTER VEHICLE DESIGN

Don’t ‘push the envelop’ when you drive a better vehicle.

 

In these days of more technically advanced vehicles, some drivers drive faster, brake later and steer harder because they believe that the better vehicle will save them.   The safer drivers keep the advances in vehicle design as a reserve against a mistake.

 

Safety still depends on your observation, judgement and attitude.

 

 

BEING TAIL-GATED

If you are being tail-gated by another driver, focus on what is in front, not what is behind.

 

Open up more gap to the vehicle ahead and try to anticipate the traffic scene ahead.   This will enable you to brake so smoothly, even in an emergency that the driver behind has time to react to you.   At the first opportunity, encourage the tail-gater to overtake you by easing to the left, then slowing a little more.

 

Having the tail-gater in front of you is peace of mind and costs you nothing but one car’s length in the traffic stream.

 

 

VEHICLE MOVES OFF

When a vehicle moves from a parked position, don’t assume they will see you or give way to you.

 

Drivers make mistakes when they are in a hurry, forget to look right around or have a blocked view.   Look for signs that a vehicle may move off: people doing up seat belts, puffs of exhaust vapour, steering tyres move, or indicators flash.   Think about the safest thing that you can do to help other drivers around you as well as keeping out of danger yourself.

 

Don’t assume others will always do the right thing.

 

 

ANGLE PARKING

When reversing out of an angle park, keep as much road clear as possible.

 

Some drivers reverse straight out of an angle park towards the centre of the road, and then turn right to go forwards.   This is dangerous because it blocks too much road and there is potential for a collision with the next parked car.   As you clear the parked vehicle each side, steer full left until your vehicle is parallel with the road and straighten your steering.

 

Keep out of the traffic stream and get straight with the street as much as you can as you come out of a park.

 

 

LONG VEHICLE TURNING

When a long vehicle is turning, don’t drive beside it.

 

Long vehicles have “NO-OVERTAKING-TURNING-VEHICLE” signs on the back.   This means that it is illegal for another vehicle to drive beside them while they are turning.   Long vehicles cannot fit in a lane designed for a car while they are turning.

 

Stay behind a long vehicle while it is turning.

 

 

OVERTAKING A LARGE VEHICLE

Don’t overtake a large vehicle going up a hill unless you are sure that you can keep ahead of it on the next down grade.

 

Many of the new trucks have engines so powerful that they can maintain the speed limit most of the time, so you won’t be held up for long if you are stuck behind them.   Many of the large trucks weigh 40 or 60 tonnes while a private car weighs around one tonne.   The impact force of a 40 tonne truck at 100 km/h is about the same as a private car at twice the speed of sound.

 

It is safer behind a big truck than in front of it.

 

KEEP BEHIND A STOPPING TRUCK

Don’t pull in front of a truck while it is coming towards traffic lights or a stop-sign.

 

A heavy truck spreads its braking over a longer distance than a small vehicle.   The truck driver looks ahead to the point where the truck must stop and judges the braking accordingly.   If you pull into that space after the braking has commenced you may have shortened the distance so much that the truck can’t stop.

 

Keep behind or in a different lane from the truck.

 

LANE CHANGE SIGNAL

Before commencing to change lanes be sure you give an adequate signal.

 

The law requires 30 metres or a reasonable time before any diverge is commenced.   If you check your mirror, count five flashes of your signal then check your blind spot before you commence your lane change you will take no-one by surprise.

 

Be sure to cancel your signal before it could be mistaken for a turn signal.

 

CANCEL SIGNAL

Turn your signal off as soon as you have finished changing your road position.

 

After you have overtaken another vehicle or changed lanes, make sure your signal has cancelled.   Vehicles approaching on side roads could easily mistake your intention and pull directly in front of you if you leave your signal on too long.

 

Always turn your signal off early.

 

 

USE THE LEFT LANE

 

When you are driving on a laned road, use the left lane unless you are overtaking or preparing for a right turn.

 

Traffic flow is smoother and safer when it isn’t congested by greedy drivers.   Drivers sometimes react angrily and aggressively when they are held up by others who remaining in the right lane longer than is necessary.

 

Be a good example of courtesy by moving back into the left lane whenever you have completed your overtake.

 

TURNING WITH LANES

Stay in one lane while you turn.

 

For example, when you turn left with a laned road, start and finish your turn in the left lane.   Change lane after the turn if you wish, but not during the turn.   It is dangerous and may be illegal to start a turn in one lane and finish in another

 

Don’t cut across another lane during a turn

 

 

OVERTAKE WARNING - LIGHT FLASH

Some drivers flash their headlights to warn the driver ahead that they are about to overtake.

 

This is a good idea, but not while you are directly behind the car when you flash, because it will dazzle with the inside mirror and it may not be clear what your intentions are.   When it is safe, move into the overtaking position, then flash your light once so that you are understood.

 

When you are about to overtake, make sure others know what you are doing, then move deliberately.

 

OVERTAKING

Overtake thoughtfully and deliberately

 

Plan your overtake carefully.   Look ahead to make sure you have room to accelerate and get back in well before the next hill crest, bend or double lines.   Make sure you aren’t approaching a side road from which another driver may turn into your path, no-one is overtaking you and the driver in front knows that you intend to overtake, by a flash of your lights or a beep of your horn.

 

Plan and communicate your overtake.

 

BEING OVERTAKEN

When you are being overtaken by another vehicle, co-operate with the driver.

 

Resist the instinct to compete with the overtaker and help out instead.   Check the other driver has enough room and get ready to slow to let the vehicle in.   If the other driver aborts the overtake and tries to drop in behind you, accelerate to allow more room.

 

Helping another driver overtake you adds to your safety.

 

 

OVERTAKING A VEHICLE WITH A BLIND-SPOT

When you overtake a vehicle, check that the other driver has seen you.

 

The driver’s vision may be blocked by a trailer, the design of the vehicle or object in the vehicle.   Move into the overtaking position and let the driver know that you are there before you come beside the other vehicle.   You may beep your horn once or flash your lights once then wait until you are sure.   Be ready and willing to pull back behind the vehicle if the other driver makes a mistake.

 

Once you are sure the other driver is cooperating, get past and back to your correct road position expediently.

 

 

LEAD-DISTANCE AFTER OVERTAKING

After overtaking another vehicle, make sure you are far enough ahead before you pull back to your road position.

 

One way to check this lead-distance is to watch for the other vehicle in your inside mirror.   Cutting back in front of another car too early is dangerous and may make the other driver angry and aggressive.  

 

When you can see both headlights in your inside mirror, there is usually sufficient distance for you to come back in.

 

 

ROAD SURFACE CHANGE

Watch for a change in colour or texture of the road surface ahead.

 

Anticipate a difference in the vehicle handling as it passes over any change in the road surface.   When you are on loose or slippery surfaces avoid sudden braking or steering.

 

You may need to slow until you check how your vehicle reacts to a surface change.

 

 

SLIPPERY SURFACE

On slippery surfaces, handle the controls smoothly and gently; and slow down early.

 

Keep the gear lower so that your faster engine will stabilise the vehicle.   That means in an auto switch on ‘power-shift’ and take the car out of overdrive, or even a lower gear if it is very skiddy.   Slow down earlier than usual as you approach intersections, bends and hill crests.

 

Avoid skids by keeping the gears low and the controls gentle.

 

SUMMER RAINS

Summer rains mean slippery roads.

 

During a long, hot, dry spell fragments of rubber, carbon and drops of oil settle onto the road.   When it first rains these float to the surface making a very slippery solution.   If you have to drive in the early part of a summer rain, slow down, change down and handle the controls very gently.

 

Put your skid control skills into practice during summer rains.

 

 FROSTY MORNINGS

Frost and ice are very slippery.

 

When you have to drive on a frosty or icy morning, plan to start drive a little earlier.   Three to five minutes earlier means a substantial reduction in speed on a cross town trip.   Keeping your speed down, your controls smooth and your car in low gear makes a huge improvement to your control.

 

Plan to commence your trip early so that you can be slow, relaxed and smooth.

 

 

POT-HOLES

Avoid braking into a pot-hole.

 

If you can’t steer around any bump, don’t leave the brakes on while you hit it.   Keeping the brakes on makes the vehicle hit the bump harder, and the shock is transferred into the vehicle.

 

So, brake well before any bump and release the brakes before you reach it.

 

 

DEBRIS ON THE ROAD

Never drive over anything on the road, go around it.

 

Rocks, sticks or pieces of metal may appear harmless, but may become very dangerous if they are flicked up and pierce through the floor of the vehicle.   People have been impaled by debris.   My brother once drove over what he thought was a bag on the road; it turned out to be a tree stump which had fallen from a truck.   The stump pierced the petrol tank and the vehicle burst into flames.   My brother and his passengers were lucky to escape with their lives.

 

Avoid anything on the road.

 

 

AVOID SKIDDING

Skidding is much easier to prevent than correct.

 

The warnings are feelings of extreme lightness and buoyancy.   A loss of directional control may be the first sign that you are skidding.   The first rule is to remove the cause of the skid.   Skids are caused by braking, steering or accelerating harder than the ability of the tyres to grip the surface.  

 

Keep your speed down and be very gentle with the controls in slippery conditions.

 

 

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Please don’t drive when you are sleepy.

 

Be very aware of situations when you are driving tired, perhaps after or during work, the night out or on a family trip.   Don’t be foolish and push you luck.   When you are even a little sleepy your ability to concentrate on all the parts of driving becomes overloaded.   You don’t see the danger that you usually see and you might do something that you would never do while you are alert, like drive through a red light.

 

Plan each trip with sufficient rest periods.

 

MINDS ON AUTO

Don’t lose concentration when driving on long trips.

 

Have you ever not remembered driving through a town when you are on a long trip?   Our subconscious mind is amazing at managing repetitious activities like driving; but it can’t cope with an emergency.   If you are not concentrating when you suddenly find an animal on the road, a dangerous traffic situation or road works, you are at a high risk of a crash.

 

Don’t drive with your mind on ‘auto’; take a break and become alert.