My Dad - who used to drive an Ambulance then Fire Engines (for about 20 years) - taught me to drive and use something called "Defensive Driving Techniques". Where most people look at one or two cars ahead and hopefully the one behind, my Dad taught me to look at
every car that I can see, using every gap, window, mirror etc to be aware of my surroundings. Look at people, bus stops, crossings, shops in towns etc.
He also suggested that rather than just looking at a car, you look at the position of the car, who's driving, the age, have I seen them drive weirdly yet? This way you can build up a much better mental model of how they're going to react to something. This has saved me numerous times where I've judged what a car will do just by how they're placed in the road, even if they look like they may do something else to a normal driver.
It's a technique that I've shown to my girlfriend and it's changed her driving (for the better) and what I'll be teaching my kids when the time comes.
He also suggested that rather than just looking at a car, you look at the position of the car, who's driving, the age, have I seen them drive weirdly yet? This way you can build up a much better mental model of how they're going to react to something. This has saved me numerous times where I've judged what a car will do just by how they're placed in the road, even if they look like they may do something else to a normal driver.
It's a technique that I've shown to my girlfriend and it's changed her driving (for the better) and what I'll be teaching my kids when the time comes.