Alertness
Staying focused and aware while driving to spot hazards early.
Key Points
- 1
Always keep your eyes moving β check mirrors regularly, especially before changing speed or direction.
- 2
Avoid distractions: do not use a hand-held phone, adjust the radio, or eat while driving.
- 3
Tiredness kills β take a 15-minute break every two hours on long journeys. Fresh air and caffeine can help temporarily.
- 4
Be aware of blind spots. Before moving off, check over your shoulder for cyclists and pedestrians.
- 5
Use the MSM routine (Mirror β Signal β Manoeuvre) before every action on the road.
- 6
In slow-moving traffic, keep scanning ahead for changes in traffic flow and pedestrians stepping out.
- 7
At junctions, look for motorcyclists and cyclists who are harder to see than larger vehicles.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These summaries are for study purposes and do not replace the full Highway Code.