The Commercial Drivers License
SEEING HAZARDS
Importance of Seeing Hazards
What is a Hazard?
A hazard is any road condition or other road user (driver, bicyclist,
pedestrian) that is a possible danger.
For example, a car in front of you is headed towards the freeway
exit, but his brake lights come on and he begins braking hard. This
could mean that the driver is uncertain about taking the offramp.
He might suddenly return to the highway. This car is a hazard. If
the driver of the car cuts in front of you, it is no longer just
a hazard; it is an emergency.
Seeing Hazards Lets You Be Prepared. You will have more time to
act if you see hazards before they become emergencies. In the example
above, you might make a lane change or slow down to prevent a collision
if the car suddenly cuts in front of you. Seeing this hazard gives
you time to check your mirrors and signal a lane change. Being prepared
reduces the danger. A driver who did not see the hazard until the
slow car pulled back on the highway in front of him would have to
do something very suddenly. Sudden braking or a quick lane change
is much more likely to lead to an accident. Learning to See Hazards.
There are often clues that will help you see hazards. The more you
drive, the better you can get at seeing hazards.
This section will talk about hazards that you should be aware of.
Hazardous Roads
Slow down and be very careful if you see any of the following road
hazards:
• Work Zones. When people are working on the road it is a hazard.
There may be narrower lanes, sharp turns, or uneven surfaces. Other
drivers are often distracted and drive unsafely. Workers and construction
vehicles may get in the way. Drive slowly and carefully near work
zones. Use your 4-way flashers or brake lights to warn drivers behind
you.
• Drop Off.
Sometimes the pavement drops off sharply near the edge of the road.
Driving too near the edge can tilt your vehicle toward the side
of the road. This can cause the top of your vehicle to hit roadside
objects (signs, tree limbs). Also, it can be hard to steer as you
cross the drop-off, going off the road or coming back on.
• Foreign Objects.
Things that have fallen on the road can be hazards. They can be
a danger to your tires and wheel rims. They can damage electrical
and brake lines. They can get caught between dual tires and cause
severe damage. Someobstacles which appear to be harmless can be
very dangerous. For example, cardboard boxes may be empty, but they
may also contain some solid or heavy material capable of causing
damage. The same is true of paper and cloth sacks. It is important
to remain alert for foreign objects so you see them early enough
to avoid them without making sudden, unsafe moves.
• Offramps/Onramps.
Freeway and turnpike exits can be particularly dangerous for commercial
vehicles. Offramps and onramps often have speed limit signs posted.
Remember, these speeds may be safe for automobiles, but may not
be safe for larger vehicles or heavily loaded vehicles. Exits which
go downhill and turn at the same time can be especially dangerous.
The downgrade makes it difficult to reduce speed. Braking and turning
at the same time can be a dangerous practice. Make sure you are
going slow enough before you get on the curved part of an offramp
or onramp.
Drivers Who Are Hazards
In order to protect yourself and others, you must know when other
drivers may do something hazardous. Some clues to this type of hazard
are discussed below:
Blocked Vision.
People who can’t see others are a very dangerous hazard. Be alert
for drivers whose vision is blocked. Vans, loaded station wagons,
and cars with the rear window blocked are examples.
Rental trucks should be watched carefully. Their drivers are often
not used to the limited vision they have to the sides and rear of
the truck.
In winter, vehicles with frosted, ice covered, or snow covered
windows are hazards.
Vehicles may be partly hidden by blind intersections or alleys.
If you can only see the rear or front end of a vehicle but not the
driver, then he or she can’t see you. Be alert because he / she
may back out or enter into your lane. Always be prepared to stop.
Delivery trucks can present a hazard. The driver’s vision is often
blocked by packages, or vehicle doors. Drivers of step vans, postal
vehicles, and local delivery vehicles often are in a hurry and may
suddenly step out of their vehicle or drive their vehicle into the
traffic lane.
Parked vehicles can be hazards, when the people start to get out.
Or, they may suddenly start up and drive into your path. Watch for
movement inside the vehicle or movement of the vehicle itself that
shows people are inside. Watch for brake lights or backup lights,
exhaust, and other clues that a driver is about to move.
Be careful of a stopped bus. Passengers may cross in front of or
behind the bus, and they often can’t see you.
Pedestrians and bicyclists can also be hazards. Walkers, joggers
and bicyclists may be on the road with their back to the traffic,
so they can’t see you. Sometimes, they wear portable stereos with
head sets, so they can’t hear you either. This can be dangerous.
On rainy days, pedestrians may not see you because of hats or umbrellas.
They may be hurrying to get out of the rain and may not be paying
attention to the traffic.
Distractions.
People who are distracted are hazards. Watch for where they may
be looking. If they are looking elsewhere, they can’t see you. But
be alert even when they are looking at you. They may believe they
have the right of way.
Children.
Children tend to act quickly without checking traffic. Children
playing with one another may not look for traffic and are a serious
hazard.
Talkers.
Drivers or pedestrians talking to one another may not be paying
close attention to the traffic.
Workers.
People working on or near the roadway are a hazard clue. The work
creates a distraction for other drivers and the workers themselves
may not see you.
Ice cream truck. Someone selling ice cream is a hazard clue. Children
may be nearby and may not see you.
Disabled vehicle.
Drivers changing a tire or fixing an engine often do not pay attention
to the danger that roadway traffic is to them. They are often careless.
Jacked up wheels or raised hoods are hazard clues.
Accidents.
Accidents are particularly hazardous. People involved in the accident
may not look for traffic. Passing drivers tend to look at the accident.
People often run across the road without looking. Vehicles may slow
or stop suddenly.
Shoppers.
People in and around shopping areas are often not watching traffic
because they are looking for stores or looking into store windows.
Confused Drivers.
Confused drivers often change direction suddenly or stop without
warning. Confusion is common near freeway or turnpike interchanges
and major intersections. Tourists unfamiliar with the area can be
very hazardous. Clues to tourists include car-top luggage and out-of-state
license plates. Unexpected actions (stopping in the middle of a
block, changing lanes for no apparent reason, backup lights suddenly
going on) are clues to confusion. Hesitation is another clue, including
driving very slowly, using brakes often, or stopping in the middle
of an intersection. You may also see driverswho are looking at street
signs, maps, and house numbers. These drivers may not be paying
attention to you.
Slow Drivers.
Motorists who fail to maintain normal speed are hazards.
Seeing slow moving vehicles early can prevent an accident. Some
vehicles by their nature are slow and seeing them is a hazard clue
(mopeds, farm machinery, construction machinery, tractors, etc.).
Some of these will have the “slow moving vehicle” symbol to warn
you. This is a red triangle with an orange center. Watch for it.
Drivers signaling a turn may be a hazard.
Drivers signaling a turn may slow more than expected or stop. If
they are making a tight turn into an alley or driveway they may
go very slow. If they are blocked by pedestrians or other vehicles
they may have to stop on the roadway. Vehicles turning left may
have to stop for oncoming vehicles.
Drivers in a Hurry.
Drivers may feel your commercial vehicle is preventing them from
getting where they want to go on time. Such drivers may pass you
without a safe gap in the oncoming traffic, cutting too close in
front of you. Drivers entering the road may pull in front of you
in order to avoid being stuck behind you, causing you to brake.
Be aware of this and watch for drivers who are in a hurry. Impaired
Drivers. Drivers who are sleepy, have had too much to drink, are
on drugs, or who are ill are hazards. Some clues to these drivers
are:
• Weaving across the road or drifting from one side to another.
• Leaving the road (dropping right wheels onto the shoulder, or
bumping across a curb in a turn).
• Stopping at the wrong time (stopping at a green light, or waiting
for too long at a stop).
• Open window in cold weather.
• Speeds up or slows down suddenly, driving too fast or too slow.
Be alert for drunk drivers and sleepy drivers late at night.
Driver Body Movement
As A Clue. Drivers look in the direction they are going to turn.
You may sometimes get a clue from a driver’s head and body movements
that a driver may be going to make a turn even though the turn signals
aren’t on. Drivers making over-the-shoulder checks may be going
to change lanes. These clues are most easily seen in motorcyclists
and bicyclists. Watch other road users and try to tell whether they
might do something hazardous.
Conflicts.
You are in conflict when you have to change speed and/ or direction
to avoid hitting someone. Conflicts occur at intersections where
vehicles meet, at merges (such as turnpike onramps) and where there
are needed lane changes (such as the end of a lane, forcing a move
to another lane of traffic). Other situations include slowmoving
or stalled traffic in a traffic lane, and accident scenes. Watch
for other drivers who are in conflict because they are a hazard
to you. When they react to this conflict, they may do something
that will put them in conflict with you.
Always Have a Plan You should always be looking for hazards. Continue
to learn to see hazards on the road. However, don’t forget why you
are looking for the hazards: they may turn into emergencies. You
look for the hazards in order to have time to plan a way out of
any emergency. When you see a hazard, think
about the emergencies that could develop and figure out what you
would do. Always be prepared to take action based on your
plans. In this way, you will be a prepared, defensive driver who
will improve not only your own safety but the safety of all road
users.
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