Learning plan Driving Course

Driving on the road

7 Driving away and stopping from parked position

Looking technique

Before you drive away from the right side of the road you should check: back mirror, front, left side mirror, left over the shoulder. Driving away from the left side of the road: back mirror, front, right side mirror, right over the shoulder.
While driving away observe the traffic behind you by checking your back mirror and both side mirrors.
Before you stop on the right side of the road: back mirror, right side mirror and right
shoulder (blind spot).
Note: the blind spot is next to the car, not behind the car. Your shoulders stay in the seat, and
you only move your head and eyes “over your shoulder”.

Priority

Driving away from a parked position is considered a “special maneuver”. With special maneuvers all the other road users have priority over you.

Signaling

You should signal to the left when moving left and signal right when you move right before you are about to drive away.
You should signal to the right, after checking your mirrors/bs, before you stop on the right side of the road.

8 Driving away after a stop in traffic

Looking technique

Especially pay attention to road users next to the car before you drive away (cyclists and mopeds/scooters/motorcyclists). Check your left side mirror and your right side mirror before you drive away.

9 Looking technique

This is a key skill which also will mostly become better and better over years, after getting your driver’s license. When students make mistakes during the lessons or the exam, the source of the problem is mostly a poor/incorrect looking technique.

Information processing

The goal of the looking technique is to acquire (traffic) information in advance. Relevant information for a car driver is mostly:
1. Position of other road users.
2. Road signs and markings.
3. Direction that the road is going (road course).
4. Intersections and hidden side streets on intersections.
5. Road condition.

Scanning technique

Be aware of what’s happening in front, behind and next to the car: get into an observing modus. To do this, repeat these steps constantly:

• look far ahead,don’t look at the ground. Also, don’t point your view at the ground when you look far, lift your eyes and point your view at the horizon. In this way you’ll see in time: road signs, other road users and how the road is going.
• look wide, move your head and eyes. Look for traffic on the side of the road (pedestrians, children) and side streets / exits.
• look in front of the car, look close if you didn’t miss any information (hidden side streets/signs) and check your position on the road (lining and marking on the road)
• Check your mirrors, every 5-8 seconds. Observe the traffic behind you (drivers that
  are ‘tailgating’ or overtaking).
• Before you decelerate or stop, check your back mirror.
• Don’t stare in one direction when driving a car. Slow down (if needed), and keep
  looking around you.
• Use the signs, they will give you the information you need. Make sure you know
  what they mean.

Action analysis

Scanning technique
1. Look far ahead, at least 200 meters
2. Look wide and closer to the vehicle in a zigzagging motion
3. Check your mirrors
4. Repeat the process

Decelerating
1. Check back mirror if you can decelerate safely

10 Position on the road

Also a key skill for a safe driver. You will see that this positional road skill, besides the looking technique, will come back in all traffic situations (Part 4):

• If possible we drive mostly on the right side of the road.
• Keep enough distance between the car and the curb, parked cars and other road users. An opened car door (+/- 1meter) is considered a safe distance between you and obstacles / other road users.
• If the road has multiple lanes, drive on the most right lane under normal circumstances.
• If you are driving in a lane, drive mostly in the middle of the lane.
• In general don’t drive over cycle lanes (with broken lines) and “suggestion lanes” (you see them on 60-roads also with a broken line).
• When approaching or when you get overtaken by another vehicle get into such a position that a safe distance is guaranteed.
• Keep a safe distance between you and the traffic in front you. What a safe distance is, is determined by the speed, road conditions and weather conditions. You should always be able to stop your car safely if something happens in front of you.
• If you are driving behind a big vehicle (which limits your view) even a bigger distance is required.

In the following situations extra caution is needed:

• narrow roads, often this means you have to slow down even more or completely stop the car.
• where both drivers have obstacles, here the situation decides who goes first.
• when you move out of the way for another road user, you always move to the right side of the road.

Signaling

To avoid or notify other road users for a (coming) dangerous situation use sound or light signals. This can be your horn, blinkering head lights or emergency lights. Also respond to signals from other road users and signs:

• Blinking (orange) signs on the side of the road/on the road and from other road users. Orange blinking lights mean watch out for potentially dangerous situations! This can be for example a traffic jam up ahead, a reduced amount of lanes up ahead or a car that’s standing still in an unusual(dangerous) position. Adjust your speed accordingly.
• Notice other drivers indicators: often when other drivers indicate they will start braking soon after that. Try to anticipate!
• Notice other drivers’ brake lights: look ahead and you can see if other traffic is slowing down ahead of you. Also here try to anticipate: often you can avoid braking yourself by releasing your accelerator in time.