As an advanced driver, I try and drive to the best of my ability at all times, and enjoy the art of driving, but I am far from perfect.  However for most the act of driving is simply a means to an end, a way from A to B, from work to home, or taking the kids to school.

When I started my driver training in Wales, it was at this point I realised how the monotonous driving tasks had become subconscience.  Of course, this is something I have done myself, and is an easy mind set to fall into.  However the subconscious act is done with very little thought, in a routine or habit without reflection or assessment.  An example of this, was the realisation that I have driven past a huge house, with a very restricted visibility driveway on a daily basis for months without noticing that it even existed, just down to poor observation. 

Driving may not seem it, in the cosy heated cabin but is probably the most risky activity we do on a daily basis.  To demonstrate this think of a road or route you do on a regular basis.  Now answer the following questions about fixed hazards.

  • How many signs are there on the route, and can you name them all?
  • How many lane changes do you do on the route?
  • What sort of junctions are you dealing with – give way, stop, traffic lights, unmarked?
  • What are the speed limits on each part of the route?
  • Which part of the route is the most risky?

If you can easily answer all of these questions you are paying reasonable attention to the hazards you view day in, day out, but what about the variable hazards?

  • How many changes has there been to the road markings, layout and road signs on this route in the last month?
  • Did you see more pedestrians, cyclists. motorcyclists or horses last time you did he route than the time before?
  • How many times did you have to stop on your route?
  • When was the last time you saw any emergency services on the route?

Thinking carefully about the observations and scenarios you come across, the hazards your are dealing with are different every time.  Very often the brain will ignore things you see as a pattern completely as you feel that these are well known.  In fact these items can change and you are very unlikely to notice them, unless you look out for them. 

Next time you do this drive, just see how much you can see, and judge if this task has improved your own driving and observational skills?