The importance of observations

Making effective observations is a vital part of driving. Without them you can get yourself into some tricky situations. Being aware of what is happening around you means that you are being a safe driver. Quite often a pupil will question why I am always talking about observations. I always explain just what they should be looking for. Whenever you are moving away from the side of the road you should always check over your shoulders so that you can see what is happening in your blind spots - not only are you looking to see whether a vehicle is about to pass you, you are also seeing if someone may be coming out of their driveway or crossing the road from behind that may become a hazard. Whenever you come across an obstacle in your path you need to check not only your mirrors so that you can see what is happening behind you ( how fast is that car/ van/ motorcycle coming up behind) but also in front and to the sides of the obstacle so that you are aware if anything or anybody that might step out in front. As you are driving down the road you should always be watching to the sides of the road. Ask yourself where is that jogger or cyclist going? Are they about to cross into my path? Check your mirrors so that you know if it’s safe for you to take evasive action if necessary. Whenever you are reversing (too many people reverse using only their mirrors) you should always keep looking all around so that you know what is happening all around you (is someone coming out from that open gate, will that car suddenly reverse from that driveway, is that person walking their dog about to cross the road?) Without these observations you don’t know what is going on around you so always play it safe. Mark