Driving and Planning Ahead

Planning ahead or ‘forward planning’ is a skill that drivers acquire with experience. It’s one of the most important skills a driver can learn and it must start being taught early on as driving lessons begin.

Ultimately, when a driver becomes proficient at planning ahead, their road safety will significantly increase. This is due to taking effective observation and being aware of what hazards are around them and the hazards that they can’t see, they can anticipate.

How Do You Plan Ahead When Driving?

To successfully plan ahead, five skills must be developed and in the following order:

• Concentration
• Observation
• Awareness
• Anticipation
• Planning

Concentration

To plan ahead while driving, you need to concentrate. In this guide, we explain the most common situations that affect a driver’s concentration.

 

Observation

The next skill that every driver must learn is observational skills. This guide covers the key elements of observing while driving.

 

Awareness

This guide explains the responsibilities of driver awareness; understanding your ability to drive, legal obligations and vehicle safety, road traffic laws and how your driving can impact on others.

 

Anticipation

Driver anticipation is all about anticipating potential hazards and dealing with them before they become actual hazards. It’s something that only time and experience teach you.

 

Planning

Forward planning while driving, or ‘planning ahead’ as otherwise known is the culmination of all the above skills. Here we provide tips on how to best learn forward planning.