What is scanning when driving or riding?

Scanning is where you look ahead, to the sides and in your mirrors so that you build a picture of where other vehicles are, what hazards are ahead and where your potential exit routes are if you need to take evasive action.

The driver should be looking as far ahead as possible for clues about what is happening on the road ahead. For example:

• are there any signs warning of sharp corners
• is traffic braking but you can't see why
• is there a vehicle on the side of the road,
• is there a farm gate where there might be mud on the road
• is there an intersection
• is a vehicle overtaking
• are you on a route where school buses stop
• is there a school or other area nearby which means children might be playing
• does the road surface look slippery
• does the speed limit change
• is there an overtaking opportunity (in which case, might another vehicle try to overtake you)
• does the road width or condition change (e.g. become a dual carriageway, or change surface type)
• is there anything obscuring your view like a large vehicle parked on the side of the road.

You'll also be looking in your mirrors:

• is there a vehicle that has moved into the overtaking position
• is a vehicle following you too closely (in which case you might want to drop back from the vehicle in front of you)

And you will be periodically checking your blind spot if you are changing lanes or turning, and you should keep an eye on any vehicles that are in lanes either side of you if you are on a multi-laned road.

As you can see, there's a lot to consider and you won't consciously be thinking of every single one all the time. As you get better at scanning you will automatically recognise and act on changes in road conditions and adjust your driving accordingly.