Hazard Perception
There has been a significant increase in the focus of hazard perception and hazard awareness in the last few years since the introduction by the DSA of a separate hazard perception element to the theory test.
Hazard perception requires you to always be thinking of, looking out for and being aware of potential hazards so that you can react in good time should that hazard develop from a potential into a real hazard.
For instance, if there is a cyclist on the pavement, then they may not currently be a hazard but you should be aware that they could swerve out into the road and become an actual hazard. Often the lines are a little blurred and it is a matter of interpretation but as a general rule of thumb, anything that could potentially be dangerous to you or anyone else is a potential hazard that then can develop into an actual hazard.
There are a large range of different hazards. If a police car is coming up behind you with lights flashing attending an emergency, then that is a hazard situation. Some hazards are more clear cut than others: clearly a driver going the wrong way is a very real and dangerous hazard. Where two different sections of road join and one driver pulls dangerously in front of the other is of course also a hazard situation.
If a pedestrian or other road user behaves erratically, swerves or drives too closely to you, then this is also a hazard. The key to hazard perception is always be alert to what is happening and what other road users are doing. If you spot debris in the road well ahead of where it is for instance, then you can mitigate that hazard by reacting in good time, rather than not paying attention to the road and having to take a potentially dangerous manoueuvre to avoid it at the last minute.
So it can be seen that related to hazard perception are the skills of alertness, safety margins, attitude, knowledge of road and traffic signs and the rules of the road.
You can practice hazard perception by testing your awareness against our video clips.
Related Articles...
Road conditions: driving in rain
Driving in rain is something that you can be sure you will experience regularly once you are an actual driver, although depending where you live and the time of year you learnt, you might have...
Rules regarding the use of seat belts
When it comes to seat belts, you should be certain of what the rules are with regard to seat belt usage, and your responsibilities as the driver in terms of other passengers in your vehicle and...
Rules for learner drivers
The minimum ages and restrictions vary from one type of vehicle to another.
When you are learning to drive, you must ensure that the vehicle you are learning to drive in is roadworthy and also...
What to do with keep clear markings
Keep clear markings are quite straightforward to understand, although amazingly some people either ignore them or do not appear to understand what they mean!
You will often seen keep clear...
Test your Driving Theory
Want to test your driving theory knowledge? We have all the multiple choice revision questions for car drivers together with a range of hazard perception clips.
With our unique feedback and...
Towing a load such as a caravan
When you tow a vehicle such as a caravan, it is clearly the case that driving conditions will be very different, and much more so again than simply having a heavier load or having a roof rack...
Switching to driving an automatic
When you switch to an automatic car it could be for a wide range of reasons. Of course number one on that list could be that you are simply given an automatic car or you are driving in a country...
Why is there a Hazard Perception Test
The statistics have long shown that the newer the driver, the more likely they are to be involved in accidents on the roads. This is probably because they are inexperienced as drivers, although...
Reading or hearing difficulties and the theory test
If you have some sort of reading difficulty, which might be but is not limited to dyslexia, then do not panic. You can get the questions read to you in English or Welsh (or indeed if you want the...
Regulations relating to stopping
When you are driving you may not necessarily think much about stopping and simply stop automatically when a light is on red. But infact knowing when you should stop on the road is very important...
Back to home page of driving theory test questions
