The Hertfordshire Road Safety Partnership has produced a new virtual reality 360o hazards perception film to help new drivers and riders learn to ‘react to situations before they unfold’.
The ‘thought provoking’ 12-minute HazardAware360 film is designed to improve awareness of ‘the many possible driving distractions encountered on even a short drive’.
While the film is aimed primarily at new and learner drivers, it is also said to be useful for all road users including cyclists, passengers and pedestrians – to help them ‘appreciate the sheer volume of information a driver has to continually process and assess while at the wheel’.
The scenarios in HazardAware360 begin gradually, with more hazards and distractions added as it progresses. Viewers are first asked to observe each scenario and mentally note any hazards or distractions they feel are significant. Each scene is then played again, with the hazards identified in real-time.
HazardAware360 supports Hertfordshire’s annual Learn 2 Live roadshow, which in 2018 has reached more than 7,000 students with 20 events across the county. Learn 2 Live is designed to help young people develop strategies to reduce their risk of injury on the road.
Learn 2 Live 2018 is described as a ‘true partnership event’ with speakers from roads policing, the fire and rescue service, trading standards – along with ‘poignant talks’ from the survivor of a ‘horrific incident’ on the road, and a bereaved father who suffered the loss of his daughter.
For further information about the new film and/or the Learn 2 Live programme, contact Katherine Ware.
At 1.40 s. we are on a single track lane and approaching a car coming the other way. What isn’t realised and therefore not mentioned as a danger is that we are in a low sun situation and we have the sun totally behind us. I can recognise this by the shadow we are casting in front of the car. That danger must be realised but rarely is, that anything in front of us and looking in our direction may not possibly see us.
It is a cause of concern that some drivers when driving into low sunlight don’t wear sun glasses or drop their visor down or open the side windows and swing the visor across so that their eyes are protected from the glare of the sun.
Its something that most drivers are not aware of.
R.Craven
+1
Rob – the driver should be watching for a small child or animal emerging from in front of the parked car and/or the car door opening suddenly, any of which would spook the cyclist and in those circumstances it’s best to stay back and let the cyclist go ahead and pull back nearer the kerb, rather than have one extra hazard to contend with.. also from the cyclist’s point of view, he/she should not have to be concerned about a vehicle breathing down his/her neck when having to pass parked vehicles. Less trouble surely in that situation, to ease off the gas and wait a couple of seconds till the risk is removed. (perhaps it was a hazard deliberately placed in the video anyway)
Hugh Jones
+2
I only hope such videos are easily accessible to Driving Instructors as well as other road safety professionals. This video definitely ‘hits the mark’.
I refer to Hugh Jones comment “don’t pass a cyclist whilst they themselves are passing a parked vehicle”. I agree with the statement in principle. However, in the situation shown, the cyclist was just about to move back in to the left and there was a clear road for a long distance ahead, so I think what it happened in the circumstance shown was perfectly acceptable. I can think of other situations where it would be perfectly safe and indeed preferable to overtake the cyclist when he/she is passing parked vehicles. IMHO it is not as clear cut as Hugh suggests.
Rob Tillier, Yateley, Hants
+2
Well done Hertfordshire Road Safety Partnership. One of the best road safety videos I’ve seen for a while.. all the essentials of safe driving are there and should be compulsive viewing for all drivers and riders. One small quibble… at 9:05 don’t pass a cyclist whilst they themselves are passing a parked vehicle.
Hugh Jones
+4