LOW RISK DRIVING

D.33 Over the hill - not far away

Blind bends, crests of hills or when driving at night all hold one hazard in common: Visibility is limited.

If your speed is such, that your total stopping distance is greater than your seeing distance, you are running a risk.

Your total stopping distance is made up of your reaction time (average 3/4 second) plus the actual stopping distance once the brakes have been applied.
The greater your speed the greater the distance to bring the vehicle to a halt.
This is what it looks like as a diagram:

Reaction Time + Braking distance = Total Stopping distance >>>I

SEEING DISTANCE on bends, at night, before crests >I
DANGER ZONE

To eliminate the Danger Zone, reduce your speed, so that your total stopping distance is equal to your seeing distance or, better still, less to gain a safety margin.

<<< Short Seeing distance

Beyond the crest a cyclist was hit by a speeding motorist. In seconds a healthy young man's life was changed forever!

The narrow road could not accommodate a cyclist and two vehicles travelling in opposite directions.

As with a blind bend, anything could be blocking your path over the crest. Drivers may boast about good reflexes and think they can stop quickly, but usually it takes far longer to stop a vehicle than they estimate.

Double your speed and your braking distance multiplies not twice, but 4 times!

The best option is to allow for danger on the other side of the crest and to reduce speed. Unless you do, you are gambling with your life and that of others. Even a reduction of 10 km/h. makes a big difference to the total stopping distance.

Never assume the road is clear over the hill.