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Difficulty: HardDefensive Driving and Hazard Anticipation

You are driving on a two-lane road approaching an intersection with a stale green light. An opposing vehicle is waiting inside the intersection to make a left turn across your lane, while an SUV tailgates your vehicle closely. Additionally, a large delivery truck parked near the right corner partially obscures your view of the pedestrian crosswalk on the right. As you near the intersection, which of the following is the safest defensive driving action to take?

  1. Maintain your current speed and cover the brake pedal, scanning the crosswalk shadow and keeping a watchful eye on the left-turning vehicle.Answer
  2. B
    Apply the brakes firmly immediately to reduce speed to 10 mph below the limit before entering the intersection.
  3. C
    Accelerate slightly to clear the intersection quickly before the stale green light turns yellow and the opposing driver turns.
  4. D
    Swerve slightly into the left portion of your lane while maintaining speed to signal your right-of-way to the opposing left-turning vehicle.

Answer

Covering the brake pedal while scanning potential hazard points (the obscured crosswalk and the opposing left-turning vehicle) while maintaining a smooth velocity to avoid causing a rear-end collision with the tailgater.
The correct action is to cover the brake and scan the intersection carefully while maintaining speed control. Covering the brake reduces stopping distance without abruptly flashing brake lights or slowing down rapidly, protecting against a rear-end collision from the tailgating vehicle behind while preparing the driver to stop instantly if a pedestrian steps out from behind the delivery truck or the opposing vehicle turns left across the lane.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify potential and active hazards in the driving environment.
Recognize three potential hazards: an opposing vehicle waiting to turn left across your path, a visual obstruction blocking the right crosswalk (delivery truck), and a tailgater behind you.
Defensive driving requires total visual scanning to anticipate hidden or impending conflicts.
2
Evaluate the risks and select an appropriate control response.
Avoid sudden hard braking which could trigger a rear-end strike by the tailgater, but also avoid accelerating which decreases stopping distance toward the hidden crosswalk and left-turner.
Speed adjustments must balance hazards in front with hazards behind.
3
Execute the safest risk-mitigation technique.
Cover the brake pedal to eliminate reaction time while maintaining visual scanning across all conflict points.
Covering the brake allows immediate deceleration if a hazard materializes without creating unexpected panic braking for following traffic.

Key Concept

Hazard Identification and Space Cushion Management in Multi-Hazard Scenarios
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Defensive Driving and Hazard Anticipation

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