Learning How to Read Other Drivers
Learning how to read other drivers is one of the key elements to becoming a safe motorist, like fastening your safety belt. It is the duty of everyone on the road to concentrate on everything that is going on around them. This means remaining alert at the wheel and being able to interpret and react to the movements, signals and intentions of other drivers. It is not just about thinking you know what the other people are planning; it is about knowing you know and being able to adjust your own vehicle to facilitate it safely.
Anticipating Other Drivers' Movement
Though most people in the U.K. drive to the highest possible standard, that does not mean you will always be able to predict their movements on the road. If you are behind the wheel of your car you must be prepared for the unpredictable. One of the key things here is not to fall into the trap of positioning yourself for what you think the driver may do.
For example, many inexperienced motorists will assume a driver who they see slowing down at an upcoming right turn and positioning their vehicle to the right of the lane will be turning right, even if they do not indicate. If, anticipating this, they speed up their vehicle, assuming the driver will be out of the way, and the driver does not turn but keeps going straight, it could cause a bad accident. This kind of thing happens regularly on the road and it is all down to the driver assuming another person's intention before they have been given any official signal.
Therefore make your decisions based on other drivers' use of their indicators and brake lights as oppose to just their positioning on the road. That does not mean, however, that you shouldn't pay attention to where their car is and what speed they are moving at. It just means you should wait until they have made their intention official with a signal before you assume you know where they are headed.
Driving requires the ability to process a large amount of information quickly and respond to it in a calm, cool manner. Luckily, this is something all humans are able to do with a little practice. There will be moments, however, where other drivers on the road will do dangerous things that simply leave you speechless. No matter how irresponsible another driver behaves, do not lose your cool. It will achieve nothing and only make you less able to concentrate on your own driving.
Incorrect Signals
It is also advisable to only react to official signals other drivers make to you. The reason for this is, any signals that don't have a legal meaning on the road could be interpreted a number of different ways by different people and if you misinterpret a signal from another motorist it could lead you into a very dangerous situation. One common misused signal is the flash of the headlights. While this should only ever be used to alert another driver to your presence, many motorists use it to inform someone coming in the opposite direction that the road in front is clear. Yet, as you don't know the other person, that may not have been what they were meaning and you may be driving into trouble.
No one should get behind the wheel of a car in the U.K. until they learn how to read other driver's signals. Being able to react and understand what other people's intentions are will keep you safe. Get a good knowledge of them before you take to the road.