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Difficulty: Very hardManaging External Distractions

When passing an active emergency scene on the opposite carriageway of a high-speed road, defensive driving principles require you to regularly alternate your gaze between the incident and your own path of travel in order to anticipate any hazards that might cross the central reservation.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False
The statement is false because deliberately dividing your attention to monitor an incident on the opposite carriageway is a dangerous form of distraction often referred to as rubbernecking. Even if justified as 'anticipating hazards', looking away from your immediate path severely delays your reaction time. The primary risk in this situation is that drivers directly in front of you may brake suddenly if they become distracted by the same scene. Therefore, your focus must remain entirely on the traffic ahead in your own lane.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the driving environment and the proposed action described in the statement.
The scenario involves a major incident on the opposite carriageway and suggests deliberately dividing your visual attention between the road ahead and the incident.
Identifying the specific hazard (the distraction itself) and the suggested driver response is necessary to evaluate the statement.
2
Evaluate the justification provided for the action ('anticipating hazards crossing the central reservation').
While anticipating hazards is a core driving principle, misapplying it to justify looking away from your immediate path of travel is extremely dangerous.
The highest immediate risk comes from the traffic directly in front of you, not the contained incident on the opposite side.
3
Apply official DVSA guidance regarding roadside incidents and external distractions.
DVSA rules explicitly state that drivers must ignore incidents on the opposite carriageway and focus entirely on the road ahead to avoid causing secondary rear-end collisions.
Maintaining concentration on your own carriageway ensures you can react instantly if the vehicle in front brakes suddenly.

Key Concept

Prioritising immediate path focus over external distractions
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Topics

Managing External Distractions

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