developing your smart driving skills Strategies: the observation cycle warning! Observing ahead  driving tip Research shows that new drivers spend so much time looking  at the road just in front of their vehicle that they often miss  hazards further ahead. Make sure you know what’s coming up  by scanning at least 12 seconds ahead. This means look one to  two blocks ahead in city driving and half a kilometre ahead on  the highway. This will give you time to prepare for a potential  hazard instead of being taken by surprise.  As you look ahead, scan to the left and right so you can see  what’s happening along the sides of the road. If you see cars  parked by the side of the road, be careful. A child may be  walking out from between them, or a door might be about to  swing open.  Don’t overdrive your  ability to see. You should  always be able to stop  within the distance you  can see.  By looking ahead, you  can avoid sudden stops,  which increase your fuel  consumption. It’s easiest to see things  that are directly in front of  you, in your central vision.  But it’s important to also  pay attention to things  outside your central  vision. Peripheral vision  allows you to see more  than what is directly in  front of you. Always keep your eyes moving while you’re driving:  Then start all over again. You should complete the whole  cycle every five to eight seconds. • look well ahead  • scan from one side of the road to the other, checking  for potential hazards  • glance in your rear‑ and side‑view mirrors to keep track  of what is happening behind you.  60