When driving, even for a short journey, it’s highly likely that most drivers will encounter numerous potential hazards that they’ll have to navigate, be that in residential areas or on the highway.
As well as the common hazards that people deal with multiple times a day, there are also more obscure ones that might not crop up as often for some drivers because of their geographical location, such as animals or tractors, for those that predominantly drive around the city.
Here’s a look at some of the worst hazards that people need to look out for while driving, as failing to spot these can have disastrous consequences.
Puddles
It may seem like a fun idea to race though a puddle to create a massive wave as you drive past, but in reality, driving through puddles is a really dangerous and hazardous thing to do. This is because when your wheels make contact with the water at pace, it presents the risk of aquaplaning. This is where instead of making contact with the ground below, the wheels instead glide on the water. This means that for the period where the car is on water the driver loses all control, meaning that the car can swerve into traffic and cause collisions.
That’s why in bad and rainy weather drivers should be on the lookout for large puddles or bodies of water on the road and try to avoid driving through them if safe to do so. If not, be sure to approach the puddle at a lower speed, to give your wheels an opportunity to make contact with the ground beneath it.
Motorbikes
Motorbikes and other smaller vehicles like scooters or cyclists are a constant hazard when driving, particularly in residential or city areas. This is because motorbikes are a lot harder to spot, due to them being smaller than the average vehicle as well as them usually approaching cars from their blind spot.
This is why before changing lanes or pulling out, especially when turning right, drivers should always be cautious of motorbikes as they can genuinely come out of nowhere and crash into the side of you, causing a horrible accident.
On the same note, it’s also important to think about similar hazards like police cars or emergency services. This is because like bikes, they will be driving at pace, meaning that there’s less time to see them and to react to them. To help you pick them out better, keep an eye out for amber flashing lights as many services use these to alert motorists of their presence.
Children
Children and other pedestrians need to be at the top of drivers’ hazard list in built-up residential areas, particularly if you’re near a school or playground. This is because young children may not be familiar with how to act near a road, meaning they’re more likely to dart in front of cars and become hazards.
It’s for this reason that drivers should reduce their speed in these areas, to increase their reaction time, and to keep an eye on the sidewalk. It’s also worth noting that children may be crossing the road behind your car, so it’s always a good idea to try and avoid reversing or rolling back when driving in built-up areas.
