Thoughts on space...

As a driving instructor, people expect me to hold strong views on speeding and to be very critical of everyone else's driving styles. I try very hard not to conform to that stereotype. The truth is that if I could change just one thing about the general standard of driving I see around me, it wouldn't be anything to do with speed; it'd be space - I would encourage everyone to create more space around them.

Space is never mentioned (and of course, it'd be hard to set up cameras to automatically prosecute people for poor use of it) but it's a very important consideration when it comes to choosing what speed to drive at. In theory, a car is safe travelling at any speed the driver likes as long as there is sufficient space around it to allow the driver to see developing hazards and handle them where it becomes necessary.

With their exemption from speed limits, space / risk management is basically how the emergency services drive with safety on blue lights.

If you look at the diagram above, we have 3 main zones around the car to consider.

Zone 1 - This is the space in front of the car. Having lots of space here obviously allows us to stop easily if needs be, but also it helps us to see past the vehicles in front and provides traffic waiting to emerge or turn at junctions with an opportunity to turn, thereby reducing congestion without affecting our journey too much (which in turn improves fuel consumption and arrival times because our average speed is more consistent) Aim for at least 2 clear seconds of time between you and the vehicle in front in good conditions and double that in wet weather - "only the fool breaks the two second rule"

Zone 2 - This is the space behind. Having space here allows us to brake firmly if needed without worry that the guy behind is going to hit us. Obviously there is only so much we can do to control Zone 2 space because some drivers just like to tailgate I suppose. I want there to be 2 seconds of time again, but if the car behind is too close, what I do is add their time to my zone 1 space - so if they're only 1 second behind me, I make a 3 seconds gap in zone 1 to further reduce the chance of hard braking.

Zone 3 - is the space alongside the car on both sides. Having space here means that we don't really need to worry about the width of the vehicle which turn leaves us free to risk assess the road around us and monitor things like compliance with local speed limits. I want to have 1 meter of space on both the left and the right hand sides as a minimum at 30mph. That allows car doors to open and people to walk around parked cars as I pass them without being in immediate danger of me hitting them and if I can't allow that much space, I reduce my speed on a "Less space? Less speed!" basis. If  I am passing a vulnerable road user like a cyclist or pedestrian, I double the space to leave 2 meters and leave as much space for horses as I can.

Managing space perfectly is one step towards having a perfect safety record... give it some thought.