The Wisconsin Rules of the Road DOT Handbook discusses Scanning.
Look ahead. In order to avoid last-minute braking or avoidance turning, look well down the road. By looking well ahead one can drive more safely, help keep traffic moving at a steady pace and allow time to see better around the vehicle and alongside the road. Looking well down the road will also help to steer straighter with less weaving. Safer drivers tend to look 10 to 15 seconds ahead of their vehicle. This is the distance the vehicle will travel in 10 to 15 seconds. In the city, 10 to 15 seconds is about one block. On the highway, 10 to 15 seconds is about 4 city blocks, or a quarter of a mile. To fgure how far ahead one is looking:
1. Find a non-moving object like a sign or tree near the road about as far ahead as you are looking, count one-thousand-one, etc., until reaching the object; number of seconds is distance looking ahead.
Safe drivers look well ahead, reducing the need to stop or turn quickly. Drivers who look ahead avoid collisions. Traffic flows more smoothly. Making driving changes before the last moment gives drivers behind more time to react. By seeing needed driving changes early, one can drive more safely and that helps drivers behind drive more safely, too. It also keeps traffic moving at a steady pace.
Look to the sides. Because other vehicles or pedestrians may cross or enter one’s path anytime, one should look to the sides to make sure no one is coming. This is especially true at intersections and railroad crossings.
Look behind. One must check traffic behind. Check mirrors every 6 to 8 seconds, more often when traffic is heavy. This is the only way to know if someone is following too closely or coming up too fast, and it gives time to do something about it. It is very important to look for vehicles behind when changing lanes, slowing down, backing up, or driving down a long or steep hill. When going down a long or steep hill, check mirrors frequently. Be especially alert for large trucks and buses behind you that may be going too fast.
McCormick Law Office attorneys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin get the best car accident settlements when we can prove the other driver violated a rules of the road causing the injuries, medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering and disability.
