Sear's Driving Book Chapter 10 Review

"ACTIVE" driver

A device driver that implements advanced power management tasks, such as determining device idleness and performing pre-shutdown tasks.

Tailgater

A driver who follows another vehicle too closely

How can you control the space beside your vehicle?

An area is available to operate your vehicle at present, but some other road user is about to occupy the space or your line of sight is about to be restricted. It is in the process of becoming a closed space area. It could also be a closed space area that is about to become worsened by an additional factor coming into play.

Predict

Ask yourself: "What if...?" What is the "worst case scenario" for each of the identified items? You need to predict two levels - "What is the most probable?" and the "worst case scenario." You need to know in advance what the potential paths of travel are and the timing of relative hazard movements. Anticipate where and how collisions could occur!

Identify

From all the information your eyes are searching, you must select the critical data. The signs, signals, hazards, and problems identified that require a decision on your part, your selective seeing ability. Your selective-seeing ability must be practiced.

EXECUTE

Immediately execute stage one. Change your path of travel or speed, or both. In so doing, you minimize the probability of danger. Time to the hazard has been increased. Space between you and the hazard, in case the "worst case scenario" still occurs, has also been increased.

EVALUATE

In the SEE Driving Strategy, the second step is to EVALUATE. This portion is divided into two parts - Predict and Decide.

"Eye to eye contact"

Making sure someone knows you are approaching by seeing him look right at you

Name and explain the three possible conditions of space areas.

OPEN SPACE AREA: There is a space available to operate your vehicle without any restrictions to your line of sight or path of travel. No road users occupy the space and nothing impedes your line of sight through the area. CLOSED SPACE AREA: The space is not available for your path of travel because it is presently occupied by another road user or, of equal importance, your line of sight is restricted. You are unable to determine what the situation is. CHANGING SPACE AREA: An area is available to operate your vehicle at present, but some other road user is about to occupy the space or your line of sight is about to be restricted. It is in the process of becoming a closed space area. It could also be a closed space area that is about to become worsened by an additional factor coming into play.

How will this enable you to make reduced-risk decisions?

Once you have evaluated a risk, you must decide whether to accept that risk or take defensive action to reduce it. You either accept the gap, or you wait. You either maintain speed and hope for the best as another vehicle speeds up to a stop sign on a crossroad ahead, or you slow down. In a deer crossing area, you either just stare straight ahead or you scan the woods.

Minimize

Reduce the risk from a hazard by increasing time - reduce your speed; by increasing your space cushion - change lanes (to an open space area) or lane position; and by communicating your presence - tap the horn, flash the high beams, or activate the hazard lights.

Separate

Take each hazard one at a time, if at all possible. When multiple problems I appear ahead, manage your time and space to separate them. This will make a difficult situation easier.

What is the SEE Space Management System?

The SEE Driving Strategy (Search, Evaluate, ; and Execute) is a system for developing proactive driving skills. It is a strategy for gathering, interpreting, and acting on traffic information before situations develop.

Path of travel

The space into which you can safely direct your vehicle with the lowest possible risk

How can you control the space behind your vehicle?

The space is not available for your path of travel because it is presently occupied by another road user or, of equal importance, your line of sight is restricted. You are unable to determine what the situation is.

How can you control the space ahead of your vehicle?

There is a space available to operate your vehicle without any restrictions to your line of sight or path of travel. No road users occupy the space and nothing impedes your line of sight through the area.

"PASSIVE" driver

They wait for things to happen and then they react; hopefully in time.

Scan

To be effective, you must search for what is present within certain parameters.

Compromise

When a number of hazards cannot be separated, evaluate the risks relatively. Leave more space from the most dangerous hazard without assuming unnecessary risk from the others.

SEARCH

You must constantly scan these areas for the ever-changing traffic situation. Scan for whether the areas are open (clear of any other road users), closed (occupied by others), or changing (about to be occupied/clear). This will indicate if you may use an area as a path of travel and if your line of sight is clear.

Decide

You must decide what you are going to do to minimize the risk. While predicting the two levels of danger from the upcoming situation, you communicated your presence and hopefully obtained "eye to eye" contact.

"Worst case scenario"

You need to know in advance what the potential paths of travel are and the timing of relative hazard movements. Anticipate where and how collisions could occur!

Describe a visual scanning pattern that you might use while driving.

Your peripheral vision is especially talented at detecting movement, and your brain will send your eyes to sweep over there to fixate on the moving object with your central vision. Your instinctual reflexes help you to avoid things that jump out at you from the side!

Three-second rule

is a way to measure the distance that you should use as a cushion when following another vehicle

Danger zone

the area around the wreckage of a vehicle collision or other incident within which special safety precautions should be taken