The Safety Cushion is the clear space drivers need to maintain around their vehicle to give reaction, manoeuvring or stopping room in any situation and at any speed.

Your Safety Cushion surrounds your car to the front, sides and rear,  this is your territory and you should stringently guard against others entering it.

As you drive, you will need to maintain your Safety Cushion by adjusting your speed or, your position on the road.

A Safety Cushion will give you more time to spot any hazards that may arise.

NOTES: The Safety Cushion is variable and will alter with speed and traffic conditions.
More space is needed between cars at 100km/h than at 20km/h, so your Safety Cushion will increase with speed.
To maintain an adequate Safety Cushion to the front you need to:

• control your speed to suit the road and traffic conditions
• keep a safe distance between your car and the vehicle in front

Other drivers may see your Safety Cushion as a clear space to move into. In this case, you will need to adjust your speed and reclaim your space.

Speed is the biggest single danger on NSW roads, contributing to about 40 percent of road fatalities each year.
The setting of speed limits plays an important part of efforts to reduce this statistic.
To stay safe on the road, it is important to understand:
• What is a speed limit
• Why there are different speed limits
• Why different speed limits are applied in different areas
What is a speed limit?
Speed limits indicate the maximum safe and, therefore, legal speed for vehicles under ideal conditions.
A speed limit is the maximum speed you are allowed to travel in a sign posted area but
Drivers should reduce their speed as road and weather conditions dictate.
Many drivers will see a speed limit sign, say 80km/h and drive at this speed regardless of the traffic or weather situation. If it’s rainy, dark and busy, driving at 65km/h may be a better idea.
There are three types of speed limits used in NSW:
Default speed limits
Signposted speed limits
Special speed limits based on vehicle and licence class
Default speed limits – 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h in non-built-up areas. These speed limits apply to roads in the absence of sign-posted speed limits.
Common speed limits in NSW:

Why are there different speed limits?
There are number factors that determine the speed limit in any given area.
These include pedestrian activity, traffic controls and hazards.
The most important factor about speed limits is they take account of stopping distances in relation to the conditions that may be around.

Stopping Distances
It is important to know that different speeds have different stopping distances:

When driving we need to allow enough space between ourselves and other road users. We need to allow time to react and to brake.
A general rule is to allow 1.5 seconds for each making three seconds the minimum space needed between vehicles.

40 km/h
40km zones are usually found in areas with a high number of pedestrians such as school zones, road works, bus stops and high pedestrian activity areas.
With pedestrians about drivers will need to be able to stop the car very quickly should someone step out in front of the car.
At 40km/h, it will take on average thirteen meters to stop your vehicle. You also need to allow seventeen meters of reaction time.
You will need a total of 30 metres of space to stop your car at 40km/h.
School zones – in NSW school zones are usually operating 8:00am to 9:30am and 2:30pm to 4:00pm. However, some schools have different times so always check the signs. As well as being marked by signs, school zones are preceded by dragons teeth painted on the road surface.
Roadworks – will have temporary signage and may have a high number of people very close to the roads edge.
Bus stops – when buses are dropping off passengers and leaving the kerb, there will be flashing lights either side of the 40 sign on the back, meaning drivers cannot pass the bus at more than 40km/h. Many learners fail their driving test for passing a bus at more than 40km/h with the flashing lights on.
High pedestrian activity areas – more and more of these are being implemented and are found around shopping centres, train stations and busy high streets.
50 km/h
50km/h is the most common speed limit. This is the default speed limit for built-up areas in NSW and is found in built-up areas and on most suburban streets.
There will still be a high chance that you will encounter pedestrians in these areas along with frequent intersections and hazards.
Being the default speed limit, it is rarely signposted.
50km/h zone’s are vitally important for learner drivers sitting a driving test. If you can’t see any speed signs, then assume it’s a 50 km/h zone.
80 km/h
This speed zone is usually found on divided roads without driveway access in urban areas, undivided arterial roads on the fringes of urban areas and lower quality rural roads. These roads have significantly fewer hazards and pedestrians than lower speed zones, allowing safe driving at a higher speed.
The difference in stopping distance between 40 km/h and 80 km/h is significant.
80 km/h is double the speed but requires quadruple the braking distance.
100 km/h
This is default speed limit for non-built-up areas in NSW. Roads with this speed limit include divided rural roads, higher quality undivided rural roads and urban motorways. These roads will be free from most hazards.
Stopping distance at 100km/h is over 90 metres.
110 km/h
This is the highest speed limit in NSW. 110 km/h zones will only be found on high quality rural divided roads and non-urban motorways and freeways. These roads are free from most hazards found at lower speed zones. Curves in the road will be less pronounced, and vision will be good.
The more space and vision we have, the safer it is to drive at higher speeds. Crashes at speeds between 80 and 110 high a far higher risk of ending as a fatality.

Know the Enemy
After years of experience, drivers develop the habit of identifying types of drivers that could and do cause problems. In their presence we exercise special care.
The usual way a new driver learns to recognise these types is by unpleasant or scare experiences. The following list attempts to identify and name the major types of potentially dangerous drivers and to give a course of action to follow when in their presence.
The list not only gives new drivers information about the potential enemy, but also serves as a reminder of what not to be.
CHARGER: A vehicle approaching fast from the rear. Their speed makes them a danger when in proximity to another vehicle.

• Keep left to maintain the safety cushion. Don’t become transfixed by the mirror. Keep seeing the whole scene

CHOKER: A road hog, a traffic obstructer, usually slow in the right lane. Drives in the centre of the road. Can block the left lane when driving beside a larger or slower vehicle.

• Patience is required; this driver is unaware of traffic behind or beside. Overtake with caution

DECEIVER: Doesn’t signal, signals too late or leaves signal on. Unaware of own actions.

• Do not cross the path of a vehicle signalling, expecting the turn to be made. The driver may be a deceiver. Do not proceed until the signalling vehicle turns. Deceivers who turn right without signals are numerous.

DITHERER: Slow to make up mind, starts then stops. SOme elderly drivers are ditherers. An unpredictable driver.

• Increase safety cushion, overtake with caution.

DRIFTER: Inability to hold a straight line while driving. Should not have a licence. Particularly dangerous because of a lack of control.

• Increase safety cushion. Overtake only with extreme caution.

GROUPER: Someone who drives in a tightly clustered group of vehicles travelling in one direction. Groupers rely on the reflexes and actions of the other drivers.

• Do not be involved. Increase your safety cushion when near groupers

HONKER: Unnecessarily uses the horn. An impatient driver and one who will take risks.

• Stay aware of their presence, increase safety cushion. Let them overtake.

INVADER: Someone who attempts to drive in your safety cushion area.

• Move your car either left, right, forward or back to maintain the safety cushion.

JUMPER: Leaves the kerb or changes lanes without looking or signalling. Particularly dangerous, hard to spot and a quick mover.

• A good safety cushion at all times is the best defence.

PACER: Drives continuously in close proximity to another vehicle, totally unaware of the safety cushion.

• Increase your safety cushion to make up their deficiency.

PHONEY: A person using a mobile phone while driving; they want you to think that they are safe drivers. They are the most dangerous drivers and are regular killers: totally unpredictable.

• Do not drive beside or particularly in front of these villains; give them a wide berth.

POUNCER: Any person, animal or vehicle that could make an unpredictable move. Children, animals, cyclists, people alighting from cars and drivers who have not made eye contact are all potential pouncers.

• Reduce speed. Influenced decisions procedure will apply.

PUSHER: Drivers very close to the rear of other vehicles. This individual is relying on the person in the front not to brake quickly.

• If followed by a pusher, increase your forward safety cushion to compensate for their deficiency.

ROUNDABOUT BULLY: Approaches roundabouts at some speed as if they always have the right of way.

• They do not have the right of way, but we are not going to tell them. Let them go, then proceed into the roundabout.

STRADDLER: Straddles lane lines or drives to one side of a lane. Particularly dangerous on bends in laned traffic.

• Only pass this person on straight roadway, after a warning signal and with a wide safety cushion.

UNDERTAKER: Passes on the inside in unlaned traffic. Usually impatient and willing to take risks.

• Slow, to allow them out of your safety cushion.

URGER: Forces their way into your territory, mostly in slow traffic situations, at lights, in lanes and so on.

• Allow them to proceed; maintain your safety cushion.