Situational Awareness: Know your surroundings

This post was written by: Channing Puls

Situational awareness and understanding your immediate surroundings are undeniably important, as is the ability to respond effectively to any potential threats within your vicinity.

However, what takes precedence?  Your path of travel. Knowing your destination and what lies ahead is paramount.

While factors like maintaining a fifteen-second lookahead, ensuring a six-second following distance, preserving space, regularly checking mirrors, and having an escape plan are all valuable, directing your attention toward your path of travel is equally critical. This means proactively assessing the road ahead to understand what lies beyond, such as when approaching a challenging 90-degree turn.

Some may argue that certain obstacles, whether it’s a tree, an unexpected pedestrian, or an unforeseen road hazard, shouldn’t be in your path, whether legally or not. However, regardless of the circumstances surrounding obstacles, the primary objective should always be to avoid collisions. It’s essential to remember that just because something is present, legally or illegally, or shouldn’t be there, doesn’t justify colliding with it; the focus should always be on avoidance.

**The content provided is not intended as legal advice and should not be construed or interpreted as such. If such advice is needed, The Paladin Group recommends that you seek counsel for the specific advice or services needed.**