Are you being seen by other drivers?
At most crashes one of the drivers will get out of their car and say, “He came from nowhere” or “I didn’t see her”.
If you aim to be seen you will reduce your likelihood of being involved in an accident.
What can you do to be seen?
There are several things that you can do to ensure that we are seen on the road.
The primary way that you are seen is through the use of your signals and brake lights.
By making early decisions we become more predictable and therefore easier to see on the road.
In some situations, tapping the horn or flashing the headlights will help us to be seen on the road. This is actually the only correct use of the horn!
A big part of being seen is using your own vision to identify all the hidden possibilities.
You should always be questioning, is there a child walking out behind that bus? Is there a car about to run that red light?
When you identify blockages in your vision, you can slow down. If there is a car running a light, you can see them and they can see you too.
If you are finding it difficult to see other cars then we should be questioning if other cars can see you.
This could be due to the setting sun, rain, fog or mist on the windows.
If you are having trouble seeing other cars then you need to do everything you can to be seen – turn on headlights and slow down at high activity areas.
How do you know if you have been seen?
The only way to know if you have been seen is through eye contact. If you as a driver or even as a pedestrian are not looking at the other driver, you are not getting the full picture.
If you are approaching a car that is waiting to come out of a side road and all you can see is the back of their head then you need to slow down. You cannot be sure that they have seen you.
You will still need to exercise caution even with eye contact, in some situations it might look like the other driver has seen you but not.
What does an expert driver do to be seen?
At the top level a driver will adjust their position in their lane to be seen earlier by other road users. They will avoid driving in blind spots of other road users. Headlights will be on well before dark and after dawn. They will adapt a ‘horn ready’ stance in situations that have potential other road users to make late decisions. They will also give careful consideration to the colour of their vehicle and other safety features like daytime running lights.
Read more on Road Safety: Early Decisions
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The Safer Drivers Course is designed for learner drivers wanting to learn more about becoming a safe driver. The course will help you gain a deeper understanding about what it takes to be a safe solo driver.
Through both in-class activities and on-road coaching, the Safer Drivers Course will help you to be safe long after the driving test. The course is fun, engaging and informative.
