hazards while driving Page 518

Road hazards are like surprise party guests—only less fun and sometimes wearing fur or clutching a phone. The heavy hitters are distraction, fatigue, speed, and tailgating; keep a 3-second gap (5 in rain) and park the phone like it’s radioactive. Weather and road nasties—rain, glare, fog, potholes—demand smooth inputs, lights on, and tyres with at least 1.5 mm tread and proper pressures. Watch for pedestrians and wildlife (hello, roos at dawn and dusk), scan the verges, and cover the brake in busy zones. Shoulder-check every merge, indicate early, and assume the other driver hasn’t seen you even if they’re eyeballing you. And if you’re tired, pull over—coffee is a beverage, not a cape.