This is the process of looking at all the different events in the driving environment. Some of these events or objects might be located in your path of travel, have potential to be in your path of travel, or may even be behind you.
New drivers will usually fixate on one thing too long. They also tend to be more nervous, and as a result, they either drive too fast or too slow. In either case, they tend to fixate on the speedometer. We must stress that new drivers need to place extra emphasis on scanning.
Short, quick glances are necessary to see the total driving environment. As you approach a side street or through intersection, you should glance left and or right as soon as you can see down the street. Turn your head slightly to widen your field of vision. When scanning behind, a driver must use quick glances in the mirrors. An accurate assessment of what's happening behind can be captured in one short glance. Be sure to check the roadway ahead before looking in another mirror or at the instrument panel.
Identify
What do you see? Can you identify things that might enter your path of travel? When you are riding with other drivers, identify potential hazards and talk about them. The key is to know what to look for: small children playing along the roadside, a ball rolling or bouncing into the street, a car moving up too quickly at an intersection, or a car getting ready to move into your lane. You want your driver to identify hazards BEFORE they enter your path of travel.
Predict
After scanning the roadway and identifying a potential hazard, now you need to predict what might happen. Predicting is the most effective and least used skill in avoiding a mishap. For example, while driving down a neighborhood street, what will happen when a ball suddenly bounces into the road? What is your prediction? What do your parents predict? Most likely a child will run into the road behind the ball. The process of predicting gets more accurate with experience. In the meantime, however, parents will have to help the student by pointing out the things that require greater attention. Get in the habit of discussing possible scenarios ahead of time.
Decide
Once you predict that something might enter your path, what are you going to do about it? Deciding is something that is done BEFORE THE CRISIS. In other words, as you drive, consider what options are available. Think about what evasive action to take as the different escape routes develop. Since the driving environment is constantly changing as you move down the road, your predictions and decisions on what to do about them are also constantly changing. Experience, and your parent's guidance, will help you develop the skill of quick decision making with good judgment.
Execute
Do it! All the scanning and identifying in the world will not help unless the driver is ready and willing to make the proper maneuver when needed. If the driver is ready and willing, executing is the easiest part of all. Remind your young driver to continually think through this process while driving. It will most certainly reduce the possibility of being involved in a mishap.
It’s Your Class - Take It At Your Own Pace.
We offer the flexibility you need to fit us into your busy schedule. Our in-home and online courses make it possible for you and your teen to tackle as much or as little as you want at any time of the day or night.
Unlimited tutor team support is just a toll-free phone call away, and every section of the coursework can be retaken as many times as you please with no negative consequences whatsoever. Best of all, the new driver doesn’t train on a strange vehicle; they train on the car they will eventually be driving.
