developing your smart driving skills Steering Space margins Communication think about see-think-do Speed control You in the driver’s seat 68 You’re driving along a rural road at 80 km/h. A yellow sign  warns there’s a sharp curve ahead. You take your foot off  the accelerator and apply the brake to slow down to 30 km/h before the curve. At the midpoint of the curve,  you accelerate slightly, and speed up once more on a  straight stretch. Then you notice something up ahead  which looks like a road construction sign. You take your  foot off the accelerator to slow down. All of your driving manoeuvres will combine these four skills,  whether you are driving straight, turning at an intersection or  swerving to avoid a hazard. Once you’ve assessed the risk and have chosen a solution, you  need to use your driving skills to perform the manoeuvre. The  “do” step of see‑think‑do involves:  Some decisions have to be made in seconds. This means you  need lots of practice in assessing risk and choosing the best  solution. Practise by thinking ahead about what you would do in emergency situations.  Usually, the solution you choose depends on where the space  is. Is there enough space in front? To the side? Space will allow  you to get out of the situation safely.  You are passing an  elementary school. A soccer  ball rolls onto the road about  half a block ahead. Assess the  risk — what is the major risk?  Choose the best solution —  what would you do? • If I steer onto the right shoulder, can I keep control of the car?  • Do I have space to stop safely? Is there space ahead? Space  behind? Is there a car behind that might crash into me if I  stop suddenly?  • Do I have enough space to steer onto the shoulder?  • If I honk the horn, will it help to alert the driver? • speed control  • steering  • space margins  • communication. 