Driver fatigue is one of the leading causes of fatalities on Australian roads, along with speeding and alcohol consumption. Research by Transport NSW also suggests that fatigue is just as dangerous as drunk driving, if not more so. In fact, staying awake for 17 hours has similar effects on cognitive ability as a 0.05/100ml blood alcohol content.
After 21 hours, this figure skyrockets to 0.15, which is classified as “High Range” and well over the legal limit. Moreover, driving tired after being awake for 24 hours increases the risk of a car accident seven-fold.
We’ve all heard the term “blind spot” before, but what does it actually mean when it comes to driving? In this article, we’ll discuss what blind spots are, how to identify them, and what you can do to avoid them. Stay safe out there!
What Are Blind Spots?
Blind spots are areas around a vehicle that the driver cannot see, either in the rearview or side mirrors or by simply looking over their shoulder. Because of their location, blind spots can pose a serious safety hazard, as they can easily obscure other vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians.
Blind spots can vary in size depending on the type of vehicle. For example, larger vehicles such as trucks and SUVs tend to have larger blind spots than smaller vehicles such as cars.
Dealing With Blind Spots
While blind spots are an inherent part of driving, there are some steps that you can take to minimise their impact. Here are some tips for dealing with your blind spots:
Know Where Your Blind Spots Are Located
You can’t improve your blind spot awareness if you don’t know where they are. So first things first, take inventory of where your blind spots are located. For most people, the biggest blind spot is directly behind their vehicle. Another common blind spot is at the periphery of our vision; objects that are far to the left or right may fall outside of our field of view.
Once you know where your blind spots are, you can start taking steps to mitigate them.
Adjust Your Mirrors Properly
Before driving, make sure your main mirrors are properly adjusted. They should be positioned so that you can see the entire width of your vehicle in them. You may also want to consider tilting them slightly downward so you can see the roadway behind you more clearly. In addition, be sure to use your rearview mirror when changing lanes or making turns.
Look Over Your Shoulder
Another way to reduce blind spots is to simply look over your shoulder before changing lanes or making a turn. This may seem like a simple task, but it can make a big difference in terms of safety.
Use Turn Signals
This is an obvious one, but it is worth repeating. Turn signals are there for a reason– to let other drivers know what you’re planning to do. Failing to signal can cause serious accidents, especially if another driver is in your blind spot. Make it a habit to always use your turn signals, even if there doesn’t seem to be any other traffic around.
When Should You Check Your Blind Spots?
The best time to check your blind spots is actually before you even get behind the wheel. That’s right, even before you start driving, you should take a moment to familiarise yourself with your car’s blind spots. This can be done by simply walking around your car and looking at where the mirrors are positioned. You should also check your blind spots before changing lanes, when merging onto a highway, and when making a turn.
The Ltrent Driving School Method
Want to improve your driving skills? The Ltrent Driving School offers a variety of courses to fit your needs. We have everything from beginner to advanced driving courses, and our experienced instructors are here to help you every step of the way. For NSW learner drivers the Safer Drivers Course is also a great way to get theory and practical driving lessons. Contact us today to learn more.
Once you have your licence, you have the keys to freedom and it’s time to head off on your first road trip. Exciting times. You’ve packed your bags but what about your car? What should you check to prepare for your trip?
1. Tyre pressures The most common problem that you are likely to have when you head out on a road trip is a flat tyre. A couple of days before you go, check the tyre pressures with a reliable gauge and fill to the pressure recommended in the owner’s manual or tyre placard on the vehicle. If you find that one tyre is lower than the others, have it inspected for a leak before setting off. Don’t forget to check the spare tyre too. There is nothing worse than changing a tyre by the side of the freeway only to find that there is no air in the tyre you just fitted!
2. Tools and Jack Make sure that you know where the tools and the jack for the car are. If you have never changed a wheel, it is probably a good idea to have a go at jacking the vehicle up and removing a wheel before you head off. By doing this you can test and confirm that all the tools you will need are with the car and in working order.
3. Fluid Levels Depending on how old your car is, you should check the fluid levels. Use the owner’s manual to identify where the following fluids can be checked: Engine oil Transmission oil Coolant Brake/clutch fluid Power steering oil Windscreen washer water If you find any fluids are low, top up the fluid and have a mechanic check for leaks.
4. Lights Often on a road trip some of your driving may be at night. On the freeway or on country roads there are no street lights. You will need rely on the quality of your headlights. Make sure that your headlights are working on both high and low beam and also check that the lights aim where you want them. While you are at it, check all the other lights on the vehicle, they will help you to be seen!
5. Carry Water and Food It is good practice to carry some water and food with you out on the road. The amounts will vary depending on how remote you are heading. 10L of water and some food is good to have with you. The water can be used for hydration if you are stranded or can be used to top up overheating cooling systems to get you a bit further down the road.
6. Fuel Lastly, make sure that you have enough fuel for the trip. If there is an accident or a natural hazard like a flood or bushfire, you may have to take a detour. If you only have enough fuel to get you to your endpoint, you may end up stranded on the side of the road.
The road rules state: You must indicate for long enough to give sufficient warning to other drivers and pedestrians before entering a roundabout when turning left or right. You must also indicate, if practicable, on exit when going straight ahead. That way, people around you know exactly where you’re headed. Doesn’t really offer much help does it?
So, when is practicable?
If you’re a learner driver and thinking about passing a driving test, then it’s practicable at every single roundabout.
There are two reasons for this:
The driving test
Firstly, you will be sitting a test where the examiner decides if you should have used an indicator to exit a roundabout. You don’t want to find that out that you got it wrong after the test. If you indicate on every roundabout you won’t be failed for signal errors. If you find it difficult to signal out of a roundabout, particularly small ones, then it could be a technical issue. Turning right at a roundabout with too much speed or having an incorrect steering technique can make it difficult to use an exit indicator.
The power of habit
Driving is a practical skill and to be good at it, you need to build habits. When you are learning and practicing roundabouts, build a habit out of signalling out of every roundabout. This way you don’t have to decide when is practicable. This rule about exiting roundabouts isn’t new, however, you won’t see many drivers applying it!
Check out our video below to see how it’s done: Exit Straight
At most crashes one of the drivers will get out of their car and say, “He came from nowhere” or “I didn’t see her”. If you aim to be seen you will reduce your likelihood of being involved in an accident.
The Aim of the Test Learner drivers usually hear stories from their friends on what the driving test is going to be like and advice about what to do. Some of this is true, most is not. During the driving test, the learner driver’s aim is to make the testing officer feel comfortable, that is, they feel safe in the car with you. Setting off in a controlled manner and driving confidently right from the outset will make the testing officer more relaxed. Generally, if the testing officer is chatting with the learner driver, this is a sign that they feel confident. If they are using the grab handles then they might not be feeling so comfortable!
Appearance Counts The test starts before the learner driver gets into the car. The learner driver wants to make a good first impression to the testing officer. Follow these points:
Don’t be late
Be neat and tidy
Smile
Have all paperwork sorted out and neat (look after your logbook)
Have a clean car parked in the correct location
Know how to operate the indicators and brake lights without the engine running
How to drive during the test We have heard from some students that they have been advised to drive 15 km/h below the speed limit. This is not a good idea, it will make the testing officer question the learner driver’s ability. It is best to drive with the flow traffic up to the speed limit unless there is reduced space or vision, then slow down as required. You may hear stories that everyone fails for head checks or blind spots. While this is often true, the solution is not to look like a laughing clown at Luna Park while driving. You need to understand what you are looking at, then you can check the appropriate blind spot, the traffic and do observation checks for the situations presented. Testing officers are onto people who are looking just for show and will be really picky about observation errors for these applicants. Learner drivers need to make safe decisions. We have all been in the situation of waiting to do a right-hand turn onto a busy road waiting for a gap (high risk of accident). This will be on the test too. You cannot be swayed by the aggressive driver four cars back honking the horn. If there isn’t an appropriate gap, then wait till one comes along. The testing officer would prefer the driver to wait for a safe gap than have a go at a gap that is not big enough. Remaining calm in this situation will show the testing officer maturity in your driving. Sometimes things go wrong on the driving test. The car might be stalled or your reverse parking may be botched. Remember these two things – the testing officer is human, they might not have noticed the mistake and it is OK to make a couple of errors, often they are not marked as harshly as you might think. It is most important the learner driver does not give up after the first mistake. Just take a deep breath, relax the grip on the wheel and carry on.
Getting Results Thanking the testing officer regardless of the result will put them in a better mood for the next applicant! If you are not successful on their first attempt, don’t argue with the testing officer about the result. There is every chance that you will end up with the same testing officer in the next attempt. That will make for a very quiet drive…
There are many components to the driving test. Many of these driving test intricacies can put positive or negative impressions in the mind of the testing officer. In this post, we explore the details of the test car.
What car can be used for the driving test?
Service NSW does not provide a test car for learner drivers on the test day. However, the learner can take the driving test in any registered vehicle matching the licence class they are being tested for. This must be a vehicle that weighs up to a maximum of 4.5 tonne Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) and seats no more than 12 people. We, of course, do not recommend taking a moving truck to the test.
What will the testing officer be looking for?
The testing officer will check that all the brake and signal lights are working correctly, and have no cracked or broken lenses. This is to ensure the safety of the driver, the passengers and the other drivers on the road. A learner driver needs to be able to communicate properly on the road with correct signals during the driving test.
Other safety essentials include a clean and crack-free windscreen without chip damage, tyres that are not worn out and rims without any sharp edges from crash damage. Inside the car, the testing officer will check to make sure the seat belts are functioning properly.
How can the testing officer be helped to feel comfortable and safe in the car?
Having a half-eaten Happy Meal, the dogs breakfast (we mean that literally) and school textbooks that can fill a library in the back seat of the testing car is not the ideal way of impressing your testing officer. Yes, impressions do count. Make sure the car is clean and free of debris that may become a hazard in an accident. We recommend that it doesn’t smell like month old unwashed laundry either. Let’s make the testing officer feel comfortable when they enter the car.
Although a BMW for example may excite some testing officers, more often than not they will fear the learner may go over the speed limit. BMWs tend to do that to drivers… We recommend using a car that is less aggressive and places an emphasis on safety first.
What is the Trent Concierge?
The Trent Concierge is a driving test concierge service. Trent Driving School ensures that all the other variables are eliminated and the learner driver only concentrates on the task at hand: the driving test.
The Trent driver trainer will pick up the learner on the test day from home, school or work. The driver trainer will also warm up the learner during the drive to the testing location, and present them to the testing officer. At the end of the test the student will be driven back to their original location.
The Trent Concierge car won’t have rubbish floating around on the floor, or McDonald’s ready for the testing officer on the backseat – although we may want some to fill our stomachs before the test. Nor will the car have any safety concerns such as broken tail lights.
Most importantly, testing officers feel more at ease in our dual-control fitted cars, as they have a braking pedal on their side of the footwell.
The Safety Cushion is the clear space drivers need to maintain around their vehicle to give reaction, manoeuvring or stopping room in any situation and at any speed.
Your Safety Cushion surrounds your car to the front, sides and rear, this is your territory and you should stringently guard against others entering it.
As you drive, you will need to maintain your Safety Cushion by adjusting your speed or, your position on the road.
A Safety Cushion will give you more time to spot any hazards that may arise.
NOTES: The Safety Cushion is variable and will alter with speed and traffic conditions. More space is needed between cars at 100km/h than at 20km/h, so your Safety Cushion will increase with speed. To maintain an adequate Safety Cushion to the front you need to:
control your speed to suit the road and traffic conditions
keep a safe distance between your car and the vehicle in front
Other drivers may see your Safety Cushion as a clear space to move into. In this case, you will need to adjust your speed and reclaim your space.
Speed is the biggest single danger on NSW roads, contributing to about 40 percent of road fatalities each year. The setting of speed limits plays an important part of efforts to reduce this statistic. To stay safe on the road, it is important to understand: • What is a speed limit • Why there are different speed limits • Why different speed limits are applied in different areas What is a speed limit? Speed limits indicate the maximum safe and, therefore, legal speed for vehicles under ideal conditions. A speed limit is the maximum speed you are allowed to travel in a sign posted area but Drivers should reduce their speed as road and weather conditions dictate. Many drivers will see a speed limit sign, say 80km/h and drive at this speed regardless of the traffic or weather situation. If it’s rainy, dark and busy, driving at 65km/h may be a better idea. There are three types of speed limits used in NSW: Default speed limits Signposted speed limits Special speed limits based on vehicle and licence class Default speed limits – 50 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h in non-built-up areas. These speed limits apply to roads in the absence of sign-posted speed limits. Common speed limits in NSW:
School Zone
Built-up Area
Rural Area
Highest Speed Limit
40
50
100
110
Why are there different speed limits? There are number factors that determine the speed limit in any given area. These include pedestrian activity, traffic controls and hazards. The most important factor about speed limits is they take account of stopping distances in relation to the conditions that may be around.
Stopping Distances It is important to know that different speeds have different stopping distances:
km/h
m/sec
REACTION DISTANCE
BRAKING DISTANCE
STOPPING DISTANCE
40
11.1
17 m
8 m
25 m
50
13.9
21 m
13 m
34 m
60
16.7
25 m
18 m
43 m
70
19.4
29 m
25 m
54 m
80
22.2
33 m
32 m
65 m
90
25.0
38 m
40 m
78 m
100
27.8
42 m
49 m
91 m
110
30.6
46 m
60 m
106 m
When driving we need to allow enough space between ourselves and other road users. We need to allow time to react and to brake. A general rule is to allow 1.5 seconds for each making three seconds the minimum space needed between vehicles.
40 km/h 40km zones are usually found in areas with a high number of pedestrians such as school zones, road works, bus stops and high pedestrian activity areas. With pedestrians about drivers will need to be able to stop the car very quickly should someone step out in front of the car. At 40km/h, it will take on average thirteen meters to stop your vehicle. You also need to allow seventeen meters of reaction time. You will need a total of 30 metres of space to stop your car at 40km/h. School zones – in NSW school zones are usually operating 8:00am to 9:30am and 2:30pm to 4:00pm. However, some schools have different times so always check the signs. As well as being marked by signs, school zones are preceded by dragons teeth painted on the road surface. Roadworks – will have temporary signage and may have a high number of people very close to the roads edge. Bus stops – when buses are dropping off passengers and leaving the kerb, there will be flashing lights either side of the 40 sign on the back, meaning drivers cannot pass the bus at more than 40km/h. Many learners fail their driving test for passing a bus at more than 40km/h with the flashing lights on. High pedestrian activity areas – more and more of these are being implemented and are found around shopping centres, train stations and busy high streets. 50 km/h 50km/h is the most common speed limit. This is the default speed limit for built-up areas in NSW and is found in built-up areas and on most suburban streets. There will still be a high chance that you will encounter pedestrians in these areas along with frequent intersections and hazards. Being the default speed limit, it is rarely signposted. 50km/h zone’s are vitally important for learner drivers sitting a driving test. If you can’t see any speed signs, then assume it’s a 50 km/h zone. 80 km/h This speed zone is usually found on divided roads without driveway access in urban areas, undivided arterial roads on the fringes of urban areas and lower quality rural roads. These roads have significantly fewer hazards and pedestrians than lower speed zones, allowing safe driving at a higher speed. The difference in stopping distance between 40 km/h and 80 km/h is significant. 80 km/h is double the speed but requires quadruple the braking distance. 100 km/h This is default speed limit for non-built-up areas in NSW. Roads with this speed limit include divided rural roads, higher quality undivided rural roads and urban motorways. These roads will be free from most hazards. Stopping distance at 100km/h is over 90 metres. 110 km/h This is the highest speed limit in NSW. 110 km/h zones will only be found on high quality rural divided roads and non-urban motorways and freeways. These roads are free from most hazards found at lower speed zones. Curves in the road will be less pronounced, and vision will be good. The more space and vision we have, the safer it is to drive at higher speeds. Crashes at speeds between 80 and 110 high a far higher risk of ending as a fatality.
Know the Enemy After years of experience, drivers develop the habit of identifying types of drivers that could and do cause problems. In their presence we exercise special care. The usual way a new driver learns to recognise these types is by unpleasant or scare experiences. The following list attempts to identify and name the major types of potentially dangerous drivers and to give a course of action to follow when in their presence. The list not only gives new drivers information about the potential enemy, but also serves as a reminder of what not to be. CHARGER: A vehicle approaching fast from the rear. Their speed makes them a danger when in proximity to another vehicle.
Keep left to maintain the safety cushion. Don’t become transfixed by the mirror. Keep seeing the whole scene
CHOKER: A road hog, a traffic obstructer, usually slow in the right lane. Drives in the centre of the road. Can block the left lane when driving beside a larger or slower vehicle.
Patience is required; this driver is unaware of traffic behind or beside. Overtake with caution
DECEIVER:Doesn’t signal, signals too late or leaves signal on. Unaware of own actions.
Do not cross the path of a vehicle signalling, expecting the turn to be made. The driver may be a deceiver. Do not proceed until the signalling vehicle turns. Deceivers who turn right without signals are numerous.
DITHERER: Slow to make up mind, starts then stops. SOme elderly drivers are ditherers. An unpredictable driver.
Increase safety cushion, overtake with caution.
DRIFTER: Inability to hold a straight line while driving. Should not have a licence. Particularly dangerous because of a lack of control.
Increase safety cushion. Overtake only with extreme caution.
GROUPER: Someone who drives in a tightly clustered group of vehicles travelling in one direction. Groupers rely on the reflexes and actions of the other drivers.
Do not be involved. Increase your safety cushion when near groupers
HONKER: Unnecessarily uses the horn. An impatient driver and one who will take risks.
Stay aware of their presence, increase safety cushion. Let them overtake.
INVADER: Someone who attempts to drive in your safety cushion area.
Move your car either left, right, forward or back to maintain the safety cushion.
JUMPER: Leaves the kerb or changes lanes without looking or signalling. Particularly dangerous, hard to spot and a quick mover.
A good safety cushion at all times is the best defence.
PACER: Drives continuously in close proximity to another vehicle, totally unaware of the safety cushion.
Increase your safety cushion to make up their deficiency.
PHONEY: A person using a mobile phone while driving; they want you to think that they are safe drivers. They are the most dangerous drivers and are regular killers: totally unpredictable.
Do not drive beside or particularly in front of these villains; give them a wide berth.
POUNCER: Any person, animal or vehicle that could make an unpredictable move. Children, animals, cyclists, people alighting from cars and drivers who have not made eye contact are all potential pouncers.
Reduce speed. Influenced decisions procedure will apply.
PUSHER: Drivers very close to the rear of other vehicles. This individual is relying on the person in the front not to brake quickly.
If followed by a pusher, increase your forward safety cushion to compensate for their deficiency.
ROUNDABOUT BULLY: Approaches roundabouts at some speed as if they always have the right of way.
They do not have the right of way, but we are not going to tell them. Let them go, then proceed into the roundabout.
STRADDLER: Straddles lane lines or drives to one side of a lane. Particularly dangerous on bends in laned traffic.
Only pass this person on straight roadway, after a warning signal and with a wide safety cushion.
UNDERTAKER: Passes on the inside in unlaned traffic. Usually impatient and willing to take risks.
Slow, to allow them out of your safety cushion.
URGER: Forces their way into your territory, mostly in slow traffic situations, at lights, in lanes and so on.
Allow them to proceed; maintain your safety cushion.
