The Scanning System

Static and Developing Hazards said hazards announce themselves. This lesson is about being where the announcement can be heard: where to put your eyes, how far ahead, how often behind, and where the mirrors leave you blind. None of it is complicated. All of it has to become habit, because a scan you have to remember to do is a scan you'll skip on the day it matters.

In this lesson you'll learn

How experienced drivers move their eyes, and why fixing on one thing is the beginner's error
How far ahead to look, in seconds and in metres, and why that distance beats your stopping distance
The handbook's mirror routine and what each mirror can and cannot tell you
Where the mirrors leave gaps, and when a look over your shoulder is required

1. Where Your Eyes GoDescribe how an experienced driver's gaze moves, and replace fixed staring with a moving scan.
2. Look Far AheadSet a visual lead in seconds, convert it to metres at common speeds, and explain why it must be far longer than your stopping distance.
3. The MirrorsApply the handbook's mirror routine before every change of speed or direction, and interpret what each type of mirror shows.
4. The Blind SpotLocate the blind spots around the car and apply the shoulder check whenever something could be hidden in one.