Why is scanning important while driving

In addition to scanning—communication is important in preparing you to become a better driver. Communicating means using your directional signals, hazard lights, running lights, high and low.

For example, you can communicate by moving your vehicle within your lane or even by changing lanes. Communicating your intentions to others on the road is vital to their safety and yours.

The last point—cushion of safety, refers to the entire area around your vehicle front, sides, rear that you should try to keep free of other vehicles and pedestrians. According to statistics, teens are 10 times more likely to ignore scanning than middle-aged drivers. In order to scan, look around, front and back side to side, and check for any minor problems that are occurring or can occur.

Once you have noticed a certain problem, you can now take action and avoid it, all with the help of scanning. Scanning keeps you safe and aware! This will allow you more time to perceive and evaluate danger. Scanning the roadway as far ahead as possible is an extremely important visual search strategy.

At a distance, you will be able to form a bigger picture of the environment in your target area and spot potential dangers in time to take appropriate action.

For example, you may see the doors closing on a passenger bus around 15 seconds ahead. This tells you that by the time you reach that area, you may need to make allowances for the bus driver seeking to re-enter traffic.

As there is so much information to absorb at various points between your vehicle and your target area ahead , not to mention to the sides and rear of the car, it is imperative that you keep your eyes moving between these areas as you scan the road. Otherwise, you may miss hazards and other important roadway changes while your gaze is fixed elsewhere. Remember to regularly check your rear-view mirror, side-view mirrors and blind spots, while scanning the road.

Keeping your eyes moving will also help to keep you actively engaged in the search process. Organizing your visual search by adopting a comprehensive search pattern is the key to absorbing as much information as possible.

It is not enough simply to bounce your gaze mindlessly from one spot to another, as you are unlikely to distribute your attention equally between all parts of the roadway without a methodical approach.

You can organize your search pattern however you choose, though you must be sure to cover all areas and avoid fixating on a single spot for more than about a second — unless exceptional circumstances demand it.

Your visual search pattern might look something like this:. Remember that you should always drive with a mind to protect your view of the road. Keep an eye out for upcoming obstacles that may block your line of sight and be sure not to drive too closely behind large vehicles that may entirely obscure the roadway ahead.

When these line of sight obstructions occur, alter your lane position to maximize your view. Keeping your vehicle clean and well-maintained is another important search-enhancing strategy. Make sure your wiper fluid is topped up and the wipers themselves are in good working order.

Keep your windshield clear of dirt and be sure to adjust your side-view and rear-view mirrors, prior to starting your journey. Scanning intersections is an important safety-related habit that should be a standard procedure but that can fall by the wayside thanks to complacency.

Your intersection-scanning habit needs to engage your mind not just go through the motions. Getting in the habit of actively scanning the intersection can make you think about risks you might encounter in other places along the drive. It can also help you recognize and avoid a potential incident. This is much easier to avoid if you proactively watch other drivers to ensure they are slowing for the intersection. Another danger comes in the form of navigation systems.